Kayak or Boat? Pelican Bass Raider vs Old Town Kayak....1 year later.

One year ago I compared my Pelican Bass Raider to my Old Town Sportsman PDL kayak. Today, I revisit that review and comparison to see if anything has changed after 12 months of boating and kayaking. What is the best small fishing boat? Is the Bass Raider the best? Is the kayak the best? "Best" is of course just opinion and based on different needs, but my experience might help if you are looking at making a purchase. Thank you for spending time on my channel and tight lines!!
#kayakbassfishing
#oldtownkayak
#bassfishing
#fishing
#kayaking
‪@OldTownCanoeKayak‬

[@monzsterman]

Congratulations on 1 year!! To be honest i was suprised you still lean more to the kayak but I have never had one. I have been tossing the idea of getting one but not sure i want to invest until i can get my back straight. Time will tell.

[@yakkittymack]

@monzsterman thank you so much! And thank you for being a faithful participant during my 1st year on KZbin!! I think you are in the right boat for you. As much as I love the kayak, it isn't the best for back or mobility issues. The twisting to get things from behind would prove to be an unpleasant thing. Thanks again. I appreciate you 👍

[@DcnRichardAbbey]

I do like a kayak but when you say that putting stuff in a Bass Raider takes up space the same goes for the Kayak. It is just placed better but to reach it you must get out of the kayak to get to some of it.. When you talk about the top speed with your dad in the Raider against the speed of the kayak you failed to say that with the kayak your dad would have either been on the shore or home. A lot of the addons you mentioned in the kayak are available for the back of the raider also when alone. Seems to me if you compare the two with only one person the kayak still wins but is a lot closer test. To finish, I have truly enjoyed your videos and want to thank you for your time and effort. This has been great watching. Thank you again.

[@yakkittymack]

@DcnRichardAbbey thank you for watching and commenting. I was trying to be careful about saying usable space. Kayaks have so many places to put things that are kinda tucked out of the way, that it doesn't interfere with the cockpit. I'm pretty lucky I guess with my specific kayak that I am able to reach everything while onboard. You hit the nail on the head with regards to being with my dad...and that's one advantage that the BR has that you really can't put a price on. My main goal behind making the comparison is to try to help people who are looking to get on the water but may not know the pros or cons of each type. I was that guy a couple of years ago. Thanks again, you are very much appreciated 👍

[@justjivie]

I’m shopping now. had planned kayak but have pivoted, I think my 75lb basset hound deserves to accompany me around south NJ, DE, MD, PA. Really looking forward to 2025 and putting a Bimini top on a 10’ Pond Prowler or similar.

[@yakkittymack]

@@justjivie definitely, the small pontoon style boat would be perfect for you and the pooch. I would like to into a Bimini for mine too. Summer sun is brutal! Thank you for watching and commenting! And I hope your 2025 plans work out just as you want them to!!

[@DcnRichardAbbey]

Keep up the good work and keep catching those fish whichever boat you use. Also thanks for taking your dad. As I am 70 now I don't get to go near as often as I used to. Blessings.

[@yakkittymack]

@DcnRichardAbbey thank you so much. If you lived near me I'd take you fishing too!

[@billreddochoutdoors5968]

Good job Mr. Jeff! Lots of good information !

[@yakkittymack]

Thank you Bill! I always appreciate hearing from you ☺️

[@CryptoGearHQ]

I am having trouble grasping your arguments. If you take the second seat out of the pelican you have the same size vessel (internal space) as the kayak. You can set pelican up in the same exact configuration as the kayak. You have one seat located the same distance from the front of the boat as the kayak. place a crate with rod holders right behind the seat (same as the kayak) so you can reach back and grab a combo. You say yourself the pelican is more stable. The pelican is easier to get in and out of. You sit higher up out of the water in a pelican. The pelican is basically just as fast while at the same time pushing two passengers around. Please don't take my critique wrong, I enjoyed watching your review, and I believe you were trying to be fair, but in my opinion, this was not an apples-to-apples comparison. I took your point to be, you just seem to enjoy fishing out of the kayak more than the pelican and that's a fair assessment.

[@yakkittymack]

@CryptoGearHQ I love the way you framed your counter argument. Well done 👍 I actually made a video last weekend where I took both vessels out and demonstrated but I'm not sure if I will release it. The reason is, it's over 20 minutes long and I'm not sure people will be interested enough to watch. It addresses many of the points you make. For example, I can only move the seat back so far before I lose the ability to make tight turns or access some electronics. I did put the crate behind me and stored my rods as well as everything else I normally keep in my kayak and that created a little problem with accessing my rudder. I think the biggest issue for me is clutter makes it feel confined and less user friendly. Because everything is stored in the floor, including wires and accessories, it feels less spacious. The speed test I did in the solo testing is actually quite surprising to me. The kayak was only faster by .2 mph... I was shocked at that. I plan on taking out the Raider solo again this weekend and try to make a video just focusing on it and not the kayak. Thank you so much for watching and commenting and for articulating your thoughts so well! Much appreciated 👍

[@CrankingYanking]

Good information

[@yakkittymack]

@CrankingYanking thank you sir! Much appreciated 👍

[@fishingwithhouse]

Great informative video !

[@yakkittymack]

Thank you House....much appreciated 👍👍👍

[@jrchefal]

I would argue that in the kayak the way you are sitting takes most of that front usable 54" space away due to your legs being outstretched, where as you sit upright in the BR plus you can't reach that far forward due to how you sit in a kayak...at least I can't :) Its also much harder to mount a transom trolling motor on a kayak or a small downrigger. I would still pick your sweet ass kayak though over the BR just for coolness points! Great video thanks for sharing and tight lines.

[@yakkittymack]

@jrchefal haha 😆 thank you! You make a couple of very valid points. In fact, a stern motor is virtually impossible on my yak and it's something I'd really like to have. I'm gonna keep trying to figure out solutions for the BR to make it more user friendly. Lack of storage is so frustrating, especially because it "looks" so roomy and yet I can't take nearly as much gear and accessories with me. Thank you so much for watching and commenting! Tight lines!!

[@VernonPerdue]

There is an old saying, compare apples with apples. To many of your comparisons aren't equal. I'm not being mean, just truthful. I have had both. In your statements you kinda criticized having to put gear behind your back seat in the boat but it's OK in the Kayak? Also you said a Kayak has more space? If one person is going to fish from both boats, How much more room do you have by taking out the front seat? I can then walk to the front of my boat, can't do that in a Kayak.

[@yakkittymack]

@@VernonPerdue thank you for watching and commenting. I don't subscribe to the notion that we can only compare nearly identical things. The purpose of the video is to help people who might be trying to figure out which type of vessel is right for them. I was that person 2 years ago and it was these two kinds of boats I was trying to decide between. I tried to distinguish between space and usable space. I don't think I did a very good job which is why I plan to put both boats on the water this weekend and demonstrate what I think I failed to articulate. I hope you'll watch it and let me know what you think. I really don't mind hearing a counter argument and you presented your take in a very mature and respectful manner and I appreciate that! 👍 Hopefully I will do a better job with my visual comparison. Thanks again and tight lines!

[@pdfahie]

There is no way the kayak has as much storage. Also, any product you purchase to save space on a kayak can also be used for the raider. The reason everything in kayak is within reach is because there is less room to put things.

[@yakkittymack]

@pdfahie I am going to respectfully disagree. The things you buy for a kayak to help with organization can be stored out of the way and in one of usually several water resistant hatches. And the large hatch in the front runs the entire length of the kayak, allowing me to store Plano boxes, dry bags, wiring for my electronics, batteries, spare parts, first aid kits, etc. And it's all out of the way and unseen. The Bass Raider has tons of "space" but it's open design means all of your stuff is in the way and takes up floor space which is already limited. However, I understand a kayak isn't for everyone. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@Hazel66781]

@@yakkittymack If you're handy with your hands, you can build a deck space to stand on and have storage underneath. I'm sure there are some KZbinrs that have modified theirs that way. By the way, over all, good review.

[@yakkittymack]

@@Hazel66781 thank you sir. And yes... adding some sort of decking or storage to free up the clutter would be a game changer. I've thought about it but I'm afraid if I raise the floor it will make sitting uncomfortable due to the knees being up high. I'm gonna keep trying to figure it out. Thank you for watching and commenting, much appreciated 👍

[@bryanhammer264]

Interesting take. So the BR with two people, didnt move as fast as the kayak with one person?! Lol...make it make sense. 😂 You aren't even attempting to compare apples to apples, hardly seems like a fair comparison. Not to mention all the accessories and storage for the yaks are astronomical in price. The BR would also seem to be much more modable and versatile overall. You could pull the front seat on the BR, add a casting deck, storage and a livewell and still be cheaper than most fishing kayaks, especially if your talking about pedal drive with the trolling motor add on. Which if that is the case, you are almost definitely going to trailer that as well, so thats a wash. I definitely agree on the tracking aspect though, one of the downsides to the pontoon style boats. If we are talking actual apples to apples its much more close, but ultimately comes down to preference.

[@yakkittymack]

@@bryanhammer264 thank you for commenting. So the reason for the comparison is to help people who might be trying to decide which type of vessel could be the right one for them. So you are correct, it isn't apples to apples, but rather pros and cons in an either/or scenario. One could add a casting deck and add storage, but at the expense of space and comfort. Kayaks come with those features already built in and with an emphasis on comfort rather than a compromise. The accessories added to a kayak are the same accessories one would add to the BR, so those wash. In fact, the BR accessories would be more since they come with exactly 0. Kayaks come with storage hatches, gear tracks, bungees, tackle storage, rod storage, rudder, cup holders, anti-slip flooring, power pole mounts, scuppers, steering, paddle holders, etc...the BR has none of those. To be honest, the speed test was closer than I thought it would be, and while I admit it was 2 people versus 1, the weight difference isn't as much as one might think. My dad isn't a large man and we only take a fraction of the gear I normally carry due to space constraints. I'm planning on doing a head to head comparison/demonstration on the water this weekend if the weather cooperates, I hope you get a chance to check it out. Thanks again for commenting, I appreciate all feedback! Tight lines.

[@johnnybrown7542]

Great Video ,The Pelican Bass Raider is a lot more stable then i thought it would be for a boat of its size even when bigger boats pass by it and the price lets more people get out side and play . i don;t know any thing about a kayak but they look like fun. Thanks Jeff🐟🚣‍♂

[@yakkittymack]

@johnnybrown7542 thank you! Yes, the Bass Raider is incredibly stable. I will say, the Old Town handles waves even better if you face them head-on. It would be cool to see you try kayak fishing one day. Thanks for watching and commenting, much appreciated 👍