An excellent introductory kayak - Wilderness Systems Pamlico 100
Written: Mar 05 '07 (Updated Mar 05 '07)
Product Rating:
Pros: Lightweight, Compact size, Good stability and handling, Comfortable seat
Cons: All-around kayak may not work for some, Could be hard for smaller people to carry
The Bottom Line: So if you’re in the market for a general purpose recreational kayak, do yourself a favor and check out Wilderness Systems’ Pamlico 100 kayak
jps246's Full Review: Wilderness Systems Pamlico 100 Kayak
Looking for a general purpose kayak that can handle flat water, slow rivers and a bit of easy whitewater and that’s a step above a simple entry-level boat? Consider taking a look at Wilderness Systems’ Pamlico 100. This kayak offers plenty of features in a light, compact and comfortable boat that should serve its user well.
To start, this boat is what I would consider an introductory to early intermediate kind of kayak. It isn’t designed for any one condition (flat water, whitewater, open ocean, etc.), but it is a kayak that can be used in any number of different conditions and will provide acceptable levels of use in those conditions. Think of it as an all-around use kind of kayak – one that you can just as easily use to paddle around a small lake as you can take it down a river with a few smaller rapids.
That said it is a step above a simple entry level kayak. The boat has better stability in the water, is made from stronger materials, and has a much more comfortable seat than you will find in less expensive boats. That’s something to consider when looking – for a few extra dollars, you get a lot more boat out of the Pamlico 100.
Boat Basics
The Pamlico 100 is 10 feet long, 30 inches wide (2 1/2 feet), and 14 (just over a foot) inches in depth. The cockpit opening where you sit is 47 1/2 inches long and 22 inches in width. What all these numbers mean is that the Pamlico 100 is a bit bigger than the smallest recreational kayaks and a bit smaller than others that are designed more for open or flat water. The cockpit is slightly oversized, which makes it easy for all but the tallest and biggest of paddlers to get in and out of the boat.
The boat weighs in at about 42 pounds, which is a bit heavier than some of the lightest kayaks, but is lighter than a number of others. I find that it’s fairly easy for me to lift and carry this boat and I can get it up on my roof racks without too many problems. My partner can also lift and carry the boat without many problems, but I would imagine that someone without some upper-body strength would have trouble lifting the boat and carry it on their shoulder.
The boat is rated to hold up to 300 pounds of weight, which should cover almost all paddlers. The only thing to remember with this number is that this includes the weight of the paddler and any gear that they might have in the boat. With weights above 300 pounds, the boat starts to ride lower and lower in the water, which makes it harder to paddle and less maneuverable. It also makes it likely that more and more water will be splashed into the boat, which makes it that much heavier.
The Pamlico 100 is made from a single-layer polyethylene material called Duralite, which is basically a heavy-duty plastic that can be bent and folded without breaking. It’s actually used in more demanding whitewater boats for its strength and resistance to cracking or breaking, but Wilderness Systems uses it in all of its boats to provide the strongest and lightest boat possible. The material does scratch easily, but the scratches don’t affect the overall structural integrity of the boat – they just show the rocks you’ve gone over when you’re out paddling. The material does heat up quickly in the sun, so if you are paddling in the sun, the boat can get hot to the touch – something to think about before you lean on it, and something especially important with darker colored kayaks.
There is a built-in folding seat in the cockpit that can be adjusted by adjusting a number of different straps to move the back of the seat forward and backward. This seat has a high back, which makes sitting in the boat more comfortable than some other boats I’ve been in with lower seat backs. There’s also a cup holder in the seat, which lets you rest a water bottle or a can of soda easily without having to worry about it tipping over. The seat itself is a basic plastic seat, but it is covered in high-density foam (like the sleeping mats), which gives you a comfortable cushioning on the seat and makes it much more comfortable than similar seats without the padding.
There are adjustable foot pedals in the Pamlico 100. This gives you a place to rest your feet and your legs in the boat. The pedals easily slide to adjust for your leg length and the system can handle most leg sizes. The only problems I could see is if a child was using the boat (they likely wouldn’t reach the pedals) or if a very tall person was using it (then they might have to just rest their legs on the boat and ignore the pedals).
There is a cargo hatch in the back of the boat. The opening is 12 1/2 inches wide and 18.5 inches long, making it slightly oval and providing a decent amount of access to the interior space in the rear of the boat. This makes it easier to store items back there and access them without having to get out of the boat. However, twisting around to get to the hatch, can be a bit tricky, so I’d suggest having someone paddle up next to you to access it while you are on the water – otherwise access it while you’re on land.
There are carrying handles that are attached via a heavy duty loop of rope located at either end of the boat. The handles are contoured plastic that make it easy to grip and hold on to them. It also makes it more comfortable when you are carrying the boat.
Finally, the boat has rigging on its front, which is basically elastic roping that you can pull up from the boat body and tuck items underneath. We haven’t used it very often, but it does come in handy if you want to secure a pair of gloves or an item of clothing you’ve taken off for the moment.
Choosing the Pamlico 100
Shortly after I got my boat, I knew I had to get my partner one too. He anxiously wanted to join me on my paddling trips and switching back and forth at various lakes and rivers just wasn’t working for either of us.
So we started to shop and what I wanted was another boat like the one that I had. A boat that was small and light, easy to carry and that was big enough for me to fit in (I’m 6’ 2”), but comfortable for him (he’s about 5’ 10”). We also wanted to find something that wasn’t overly expensive should we want to upgrade to something bigger or more specialized in the future, but I wanted something that was slightly better than the simple entry-level boat I had gotten.
There were several trips to various outdoor stores and we ended up looking at the Wilderness Systems Pamlico 100 in Dick’s where my partner fell in love with it. Mind you, that was mostly because of the way it looked, but what could I say – the technical details impressed me enough that I thought it would be a good choice. We both liked it and it wasn’t that expensive, so we went ahead and purchased it.
One thing I noticed besides its reasonable price (about $420) was that it was a comfortable boat, especially with the foam padding on the seat. In addition, with the large cockpit opening, getting in and out was easy and there was more than enough room to stretch out once I was in the boat. I was able to even slump a bit in the chair and still have enough leg room to stretch my legs out in the boat.
The Pamlico is small enough and light enough that it’s fairly easy to get up on roof racks and get it back off without too much effort. It can be done with a single person, though two make it a lot easier and prevent the boat from slipping away while you’re racking it up. It’s also not that bad to drive with because of its smaller size, you don’t feel like you’re driving with an elephant on your roof.
Experiences
The Pamlico isn’t designed for whitewater and we haven’t used it there, we have used it quite often in the slower waters of the Charles and Blackstone Rivers here in Massachusetts, along with several lakes and ponds both here in and in New York.
Overall for both of us we have found that the boat is easy to get in and out of along the river, has proved to be very stable once it’s in the water and is easy to paddle and maneuver both on the rivers and in the lakes and ponds.
Compared to my Boat, which is slightly smaller, this boat is much more stable, easier to paddle on flat water (it tends to hold a straight line more easily) and the seat is more comfortable. That’s why I always try to get him to switch boats from time to time now – I like his boat better! Plus when I go out on my own – I tend to bring his boat now – mine stays at home unless we’re both going out.
I would say that overall, the Pamlico 100 is a great boat for beginners or for intermediate paddlers who are looking for a small, easily maneuvered, knock around kind of boat that really isn’t a master of any one kind of water, but more of a jack of all trades. It’s also a step above the very lowest entry-level kayaks, providing more stability, comfort and handling in a slightly bigger and pricier package.
Final Thoughts
If you already know how to kayak or you’re looking to get into the sport and want to have an all-around boat that you can use on lakes and slow rivers and streams, the Pamlico 100 might be just what you are looking for.
At only 10 feet in length and 42 pounds in weight, the Pamlico is fairly easy to secure and carry on your vehicle. The boat is light enough for a single person to carry and load onto a roof rack or carry down to a river and then , it’s also easy to maneuver once you are in the water and it can handle a multitude of different conditions from the placid surface of a lake to the quicker water of a small rapid in a river.
Not only that, but this boat is a step above a true entry-level recreational kayak with improved stability, handling and comfort, that you won’t find in those less expensive boats, which really don’t cost all that much less.
So if you’re in the market for a general purpose recreational kayak, do yourself a favor and check out Wilderness Systems’ Pamlico 100 kayak. You might just find the boat that you are looking for.
Many thanks to Openroad for having this added to the database.
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