
We added half-covers to keep drips out of the boat and to provide a little shade for our knees from the sun. I'd also like to have something to put my heels against with my feet on the foot braces. The boat is wide enough that I find it a bit awkward to hook my knees under the gunnels for maneuvers like those. The Acadia is very, very stable, enough so that anything that approaches a lean or what might be loosely termed edging, actually takes some substantial effort. With a pond in the neighborhood, we can go from loading to launch in about 10 minutes. The boat stores easily and loads quickly, making it handy for those after-work "let's go paddle for a little while" trips. We mostly paddle flat water - local ponds, lakes, swamps, tidal marshes, occasional blackwater streams - and the Acadia does fine in those areas. I have not been bothered much by wind or current (such as we experience), but those conditions can give you a workout. At 5'7" and 145 lbs, the Acadia is a boat I can handle into the pickup by myself, but its volume is such that I ride pretty high in it on the water. Maybe perceptions touring boats are better, I don’t know but I will not spend that kind of money to find out.Ī number of the comments about the Acadia indicated that the writers were, shall we say, BIG people. I hear Necky is very good and not yet willing to mass produce junk.

There was water in the stern when I picked it up from the store. The first thing i had to do when I got the Acadia was reseal the bulkhead. Perception is scaring me right into selling all of them and replacing them with anything but watermark products. Some of my wait was the store I bought from. I can also say from experience that if something happens to the boat and it needs to be warranted, expect to wait a very long time for a replacement. I can’t give it a 10 for being a good rec boat because it is Perception and out of 4 of them I can see that the quality gets worse every time. The 7 rating is because it is a very good paddling rec boat. It is also the very last perception i will ever buy. I was glad to see that it reacts well to leans. I took this one out for the first time today and I like the way it rides. If you're a paddler on a budget, a lot of creativity, and just want to get out on the water for some light touring, this boat will work great. If you're after a good performing touring yak, get a Necky. I've abused the heck out of it, rescued swimmers, rode 4 ft swells in a 40mph headwind, and even used it successfully in a game of battleship against a team of scuba divers. Probably because of its 400 lb load capacity its stability is excellent. Pros: I may bash its performance because it is a recreational kayak, but at the same time this boat acts like trusted old war horse. It weather cocks like crazy and forget about edging in it. This is a boat to learn in and grow out of it quickly. I have put over 500 miles on this boat in just 13 months, and I live in the middle of the desert.Ĭons: The boat paddles like a barge, has got a wide cockpit that will most likely dump you out if you capsize in it or try to roll it.

I've taken it on several multi day self support kayaking camping trips, open ocean paddling, class 2 whitewater, kayak races in Big Bear and Havasu, and have even surfed it several times. Let me first state that I've used this boat for a lot more that its designed for. I will continue to promote kayaking and the Perception brand! Four couples we met on the road tried our kayaks, loved kayaking, and all bought Perceptions! What more can I say about this great love affair I have for my kayak!!!! We still travel during the winter, the kayaks go into the fifth wheel, and we head to Florida to paddle with the gators! We have bonded!! We have a small place on a lake now and each night I take my awesome kayak out fishing. I am now 71 years old and I know I will never part with my kayak. It has taken a beating: Blew away in a wind storm, crashed into rocks, and dragged over gravel which proves how durable it is. Over the years, my confidence in the boat has never wavered. It is so versatile because it handles well in class three rapids, and stormy, windy weather as well as flat water. In the waves of the Rogue River in Oregon, I was amazed at how maneuverable my boat was! The kayak held all my overnight gear for a camping trip into the Boundary Waters of Minnesota. So I have paddled the Atlantic, Pacific, the Gulf of Mexico, the Sea of Cortez (during our trip down the Baha Penninsula of Mexico), and many, many rivers and lakes.

My husband and I lived in our fifth-wheel camper for ten years while we traveled the US, Canada and Mexico.
