Whats it you guys do not like about this yak? It gets really good reviews all over the net. I've got one being held for me until next Wedsday at Gander Mtn and I'm really considering it because Its the same price as the pescador 12 next door at academy until June 2nd and it has about everything on it preinstalled that I was gonna have to put on myself. And also all the pescadors at Academy have things missing or broken on them.

I'm 6'1 and weigh 150lbs and went and sat in the caster today and it felt really nice. So If it sitting really low in the water for big folks or being a wet ride in 105 degree weather then what else is that bad about it?

Looks good to me. Does a crate fit in the back? That's the only thing I would look at but it's just a personal preference. Hope you enjoy it.

Sure does! probably even a little cooler or something!

All that should matter is how you feel about it. Yaks don't catch fish, they just make the experience better.

+1

LOL! i did the same thing! except it was @ dicks not GM. Looked nice standing up on the showroom floor! Priced right!!! Pulled it down, sat in it & thought, NICE! really open cockpit n wide too so i thought it was stable. looked & felt solid to me. so i went back later n paid for it. they held it until the weekend. I told my bro about the good deal n he went & found one too at another Dick's. I picked mine up that weekend & took it Lake Palastine. Man i was so disappointed in the primary stability & how poorly it handled in general but more so with just the slightest little chop. Constantly had to compensate with the paddle. I had already had another yak that didnt handle well so i knew immediately that i wasn't going to be keeping it.

It didn't work for me. doesn't mean it wont work for you. especially when you have nothing to compare it to. For you it might be fantastic just to get off of the bank! but, in reality it is a poor design and there are a bunch of yaks that are better for the $. you'll find em cheap on Craigslist & i think there are a whole mess of them in folks garages because they just aren't what they thought they'd be either.

we both took ours back that next week n got us some Ocean Kayaks they handle big water so much better. still wet rides but they arn't tippy & we can really load them down n still get way better performance. Have a good friend with a caster 12.5 & he has been wanting to upgrade to a BIG BOY yak even though he is small like you. NO OFFENSE! its a compliment really! He knows what he has & wants better handling, More payload, better performance. Hes looking hard towards a COBRA Fish n Dive since he will be using it mostly with his little girl and fishing it BTB. Good Luck.

One of my earlier boats was a new Caster 12.5 with a rudder. I was impressed with its glide and ability to hold a straight line. I never had an issue with stability nor did I roll it or even come close. Some boats don't really need a rudder but the Caster does so plan on getting one if it doesn't have one already installed (most do). Yes, it is a wet ride. I'm considerably bigger than you so I was always sitting in a puddle. Overall, I liked the boat.
My current boat is a Pescador 12 so I can speak from experience. If I had a choice between the 2 when I was buying the Caster, I believe I would go with the Pescador just because it rides drier but the trade off is that the Caster paddles easier. Your choice, they are both fine kayaks :-)

I'm with zombie, I thought it was a terrible yak. Almost zero rocker so even in the slightest chop you were getting splashed. For a 31" boat the primary stability was pretty bad.

Well this is my first yak. And I trust yall judgement. Like I said getting wet isnt an issue. the more wet the better cause I dont wann have to jump in the lake to cool off! so judging from you guys who didnt like it would you say itd be a good yak if you wernt concerned about getting soaked?

what about winter...

This is a summer thing only. (:

You say that now ... Trust me, you may be thinking differently when the leaves start to change. Addictions know no seasons.

That's why I have a summer and a winter yak!

Reading this thread should be Exhibit A for the argument to try any yak before you buy. Lots of conflicting opinions it seems to me.

In reading these posts, the most positive comments came with the disclaimer that you should plan on installing a rudder. That might be something you check into before you buy ... at least find out how much a rudder (and installation if you aren't comfortable doing it yourself) would add to the cost.

Because if it turns out to be true that you do need a rudder to fully enjoy this particular kayak, by the time you buy the boat and have the rudder installed, you may be looking at the cost of a higher end yak that would suit you better.

Good luck and hope to see you on the water soon!

Excellent point luv

well.. I know how much cash I'm gonna have by next week. I may be able too spend a little more on a yak. Shoot me some suggestions too look at