Awesome snap. Narrow waist which is perfect for my size 8.5 boots. The narrow waist helps me do quick rail to rail turns. | Driveway Gates

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Adjustable pedals for steerable rudder work very well and the rudder makes paddling much more enjoyable if there is any wind or current. Adjustable, padded seat back is a big plus as well. Plumbers

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the perception captiva my first kayak is a great stable kayak. a bit heavy with the rudder as one ages in the past 3 years.
very stable for any skill kayaker.
easier to use is my wife's kestrel but not as stable.
people weight at 150-220# nice day boat.
wish it was lighter..mine is a poly model.

Customer Service

good

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kestrel by current design

After doing extensive online reviews and attending two demo days, I bought the Captiva boat to accomodate my size. It was the most comfortable touring kayak I sat in. I wish the deck was little higher to allow more movement. My legs fall asleep after paddling a couple of hours and and I get a bit claustrophobic. Very good lower back support in in seat.

Captiva is a little slow like most plastic boats, but still much faster than a canoe. Boat is incredibly stable even in big water. Have paddled off North Carolina coast in 6-ft swells with no problems. The boat is also very manuverable with the factory rudders.a Boat has held up extrememely well.

Customer Service

Bought kayaks for the whold family at once and the seat cushions were omitted form two of the boats. Called dealer and they mailed them directly to me.

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My wife and two boys paddle Perception Carolinas.

I purchased a Captiva to give me more of a touring boat than the Acadia. I have mixed feelings. While the Captiva is 16' long, for the same relaxed paddling cadence, I feel the Acadia gets up to speed quicker. My main problem with the Captiva is that my legs fall asleep. This has been an ongoing problem since I got about 220 pounds in weight. I think a large part of it is due to the fact that the deck is lower and narrower than the Acadia. I can't put my knees as far apart and it pushes my thighs down on the seat. Of course any boat "can" put legs to sleep. My canoe does and it doesn't have a deck. Overall, the Captiva manuvers pretty well. It turns fine on flat water. Moving water as in around a sand bar gets tricky sometimes. It is a stable boat, but not very fast. This seems to be a common problem. I find it somewhat tiring to paddle all day when compared with my Acadia. The price is excellent for this type of boat. The Carolina had too low a deck for me to get under, so I chose the Captiva. If I was doing it over, I think I would give serious consideration to the Dagger Savannah. It has more room under the deck and is supposedly more nimble. As of the present time, I am pondering if I should buy the Wilderness Systems Tarpon 160. It is a sit on top with touring qualities. No sleepy legs or having to balance with a paddle while trying to slither out on a muddy river bank. Just sit down, paddle, stand up. "Nuff said! I will say that the Captiva is a good deal for the money and not terribly slow. If you want a solid boat at a good price, that is stable, with HUGE cargo capacity, and faster than a canoe, this is your boat. I paddled the Okefenokee Swamp in it, and I had a tent, sleeping bag and pad, lawn chair, tripod, food, clothes, fireplace logs, a case of Diet Coke, water (including a collapsable bag), a radio, camera, small grill to use on the chickee platform, and probably other things I can't remember and there was enough room to load all that! It sat low in the water and was sluggish to paddle, but it held the gear and me! It was heck though to try and get out of it to take a pee in a swamp. I had to pull it against a peat bog, up on a tree root, hold on to a tree, precariously pull myself up and hope the ground did not give way and I would fall back into the swamp. Then I had to balance on the tree root and whiz. That is the biggest problem of a decked boat for chubbier people. It is hard to sometimes crawl back out of the cockpt, especially if there isn't much to hold on to, or if your legs fall asleep. Happy Paddling! ~Steve

Customer Service

Friendly reps. Sometimes takes a while to get email responses.

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Perception Eclipse (tippy but FAST) Perception Spectrum (predecessor to the Carolina) Swifty 3.1 and Acadia by Perception Current Designs fiberglass yak (don't remember the model, but SWEET to padd

Researched a number of boats and bought the Captiva to accomodate my ample size (6'1" Two Hundred & Plenty). I'm quite comfortable for 4-5 hour trips. Adjustable pedals for steerable rudder work very well and rudder makes paddling much more enjoyable if there is any wind or current. Adjustable, padded seat back is a big plus as well. Also own 3 Carolinas that my wife and boys paddle. The boats aren't super fast, but great for the rec touring we do. All these boats are incredibly stable even in large (3-4 ft) waves and can be surfed to shore without flipping if you manipulate the rudder and know how to brace. No problems other than slight corrosion on some hardware. Our boats have had about 90% saltwater use. The boats have a great deal of bulkhead storage that is easy to access and well designed deck cords that are easy to use. They've been great boats that I would highly recommend.

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Perception Carolina

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football

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I bought this boat as my first touring kayak earlier this year. Being a former football player, a primary concern of mine was that the boat would be large enough to accomodate me, but still handle well. The model I bought has a retractable rudder, which I strongly recommend, particularly if you are a novice. The rudder is invaluable when paddling in current or in wind, and it is a big help while you are learning how to handle your boat. This boat tracks very well, yet still handles well in the turns. It''s a great beginner to intermediate boat at a reasonable price

Customer Service

No comments

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Perception Carolina, Perception Catalina, Perception Eclipse

Paddled one for the first time this past weekend on the Chesapeake Bay. I own a Wilderness Systems Manteo, so I guess I can compare it to my boat. The Captiva tracks great, has plenty of room and is very stable. I was suprised by how nimble it was. It turned nearly as easy as my Manteo. This Captiva was equipped with a fixed rudder which helped tracking in following seas. A steerable rudder would be better. Not a fast boat, but handled the wind and waves. A great choice for someone who needs a recreational touring boat.

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I purchased a Chinook which look alot like the Captiva. I have had great results with my (perception). Paddle in the Bay of Fundy (highest tides in the world). Kayak handles great in any conditions. Wonderfull product for a first time buyer.

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