Brooklyn Kayak PDL 10 First Additions and Fixes

I’ve been enjoying my kayak immensely, and now I am working on the steps of making it better suit my way of fishing. This can be a slow, deliberate process, so please bear with me.

[@joeyrayburn283]

Glad you are liking it! Just bought 2 of the pk11's with the pedal drive for the wife and I. Should be here in 2-3 weeks! Any advice for some beginner kayakers?

[@bitefishing]

Thanks Joey! As I play around with it, I like it more with every outing! Number 1 would be gear for me. Do the kayaks come with paddles? I know mine didn’t, but I have several already. If not, you’ll want them before the kayaks arrive. Life Jackets/PFDs would be my next objective, though that depends on the water you’re going to be on, as well as your state’s laws. You’ll probably also want to eventually see how hard it is to tip over, and how hard it is to recover if tipped over. I have played around with stability, which has been amazing, but I have not pushed it too far as of yet. I’ll do those tests without gear in the kayak. You do want to know this kind of info, especially if you’re going to launch somewhere that winds and waves can get bad. If you’re going to fish, the main rules are as follows: - Try to keep the rod tip near the nose of the kayak. If a big fish runs and you are holding the rod to the side of the kayak, it can really increase the chance of capsizing. - Remember that you are not on shore, and are not reeling in a fish: you are reeling yourself TO the fish. It’s best to keep them at a distance until they tire out a bit before trying to land them. Big and green fish, connected to a line, connected to you and your kayak, can spell trouble. - Secure the lure you are using as quickly as possible when landing a fish. If they flop and the lure is free, it can hang into a multitude of things, including you. - Everyone likes different things when it comes to fishing. Don’t mimic someone else’s layout without doing some testing of your own. Find what you like best, and what suits your fishing style. You also don’t need name brand items. My paddleboard crate was being thrown in the garbage at my work. - Depending upon your financial situation, and how much you want to add to the kayak, prepare to spend either money or time. Enough money can save you time, because you can often purchase ready-made solutions. If not, it’s a lot of trial and error trying to make things work for you and your craft, often out of items or equipment that may not be a perfect fit or work as intended despite your best efforts. I am sure there’s about a million things I have forgotten, so hopefully we get some more comments that help you get the most out of your new kayaks. I hope you have many years of enjoyment with your kayaks! It’s been the best purchase I ever made! Thanks for watching!

[@AxelfoleyTheGreat]

I’m glad I came across this video. This Kayak is on Amazon and it has no reviews. This video gave me a more realistic view on how this looks. Thanks for the video.

[@bitefishing]

@AxelfoleyTheGreat Thanks for watching!! As a follow up, I’m still very happy with the kayak. I should also add, make sure to look closely at the Amazon models. They can sometimes be confusing. The older model is a PK10, and this one is a PDL10 or 10.0. The PK10 is a bit different body style and hatch layout, and it is also a propeller drive instead of a fin drive.

[@tdok]

Can you show the design of the bottom? I can't get Brooklyn Kayak to respond for that request at all. You can PM me if it's easier. Also, how do you like that fin drive? How is the steering going left vs right? My current kayak's steering tends to not move the rudder to the right as much as to the left.

[@bitefishing]

Thanks for watching! I plan on getting a second video up sometime soon, but I keep spending too much time on the water. I will make sure to show the bottom. I swear I saw a picture of the bottom design on the BKC website, but I could be mistaken. The rudder on the kayak is very good. I have not had any issues with it at all. It turns very evenly, and can make a nice tight turn. I’m sure someone else has done this before me, but I have become a fan of what I call “rudder bumping” where I move the rudder back and forth in the direction I want to turn the kayak without pedaling. It’s great for fine tuning your positioning on the water.

[@tdok]

@@bitefishing I went and watched your other videos and saw the bottom when you first received it. Thanks. But yeah, love to see more of your experiences with it.

[@tdok]

@@bitefishing Do you have any friends with a Hobie? I wonder if the Hobie's drive would fit in this.

[@bitefishing]

@@tdok I don’t know anyone with a Hobie sadly. I did do a lot of research before I purchased, and this does appear to be a mirror image design of a V2 mirage drive, so I am 99.9% sure it would fit. If the drive ever goes out, I’ll probably get a Hobie drive, in fact