I’ve been (still) looking for a lightweight solo and have an opportunity to pick up an OT pack royalex mint
I realize the limitations of this model and have read
many posts here good and not so good. my situation is
having had back fusion and trying to get back on the water and fish, I need something light cheap that will
get the job done.I’ve never paddled one. my old solo
was a Merlin II (sold) and I wouldn’t dare compare.
asking price of 250$ ash/cane 1988 model garage kept etc.my thoughts are that I’ll use it this season sell it cheap put the cash towards something better when I
can. is this a silly idea ??? sarcasm is welcome
Who us, sarcasm?
It gets you on the water. There are lighter speedier boats… but at that price
Are you NUTS? Even I a non aficionado would buy it if it floated by at that price.
Don’t wait for us to make fun of it… Go grab it and
Go paddling!
What Kim said! ^^^^
it’s a fun little boat
I had the opportunity to try an Old Town Pack and it was actually a fun little boat to play in. You already sound like you know what you’d be getting into with it. It’s short and wide, so it’s probably not something you’d want to take too far or expect to go too fast. But paddling around a lake and doing some fishing would be right up it’s alley I’d think.
Based on some of the comments I’d read about it being unstable, I was also a little surprised at how stable I felt in it. I’m a really big and tall guy and it handled my size just fine.
It paddled nicely with a double blade, but I must be doing something wrong with a kayak paddle because every time I try to use one I get wetter than I want. With a single blade I had to switch sides often.
It was very light, and way less expensive than a kevlar hull of similar weight. All in all, I enjoyed my time in it. I imagine you’d have fun with it.
Buy it
it’s a fun boat and very light for a royalex hull. You will find a use for it. Could be the perfect thing to get you back on the water. Great price.
many thanks
I appreciate all the replies, I think I posted the
question due to lack of confidence having not paddled
since my surgery a few years back I kinda gave up.
here’s a link to the pack…
http://southjersey.craigslist.org/boa/5076464178.html
they sent me the hull Id, last 4 digits are 6188,
I pointed out the age and offered 250$ they didn’t
even know the model when I asked.I looked up the specs.
called OT and they said it was a good year for the pack and to snatch it up. there’s a few youtube vids
of guys bigger then me = (5’6" 160#)that look comfy
paddling the pack. I’m thinkin this hull would be
better off with a smaller paddler guess I should
go for it. they’re waiting for my final reply.
oh boy !
The Pack is short but
rather bathtub shape which is good as it is definitely not for a smaller paddler.
Not bought it yet???
Not yet
Going over later tonight. Seems that the pack is better
off with a dbl blade too. One thing that does concern me is the amount of oilcanning, kayamedic would you
know if a smaller paddler like myself would help
keep the canning down a bit. I don’t know how weight
of the paddler contributes to canning.
heck even the merlin II flexed a bit.
picked up the pack
It’s in very good condition and should be fine for what
it is, Seems that the owner rigged it up for WW ,I met
up with his wife who doesn’t really know much about
canoes and couldn’t give me Info about how it was used.
It has stainless steel eyelets bow and stern that were
done nicely. another interesting point is that instead
of plastic end caps that double as handles it has
2 small ash thwarts. little more uptown looking.
The seat is still high which is good, I can
fit my feet cross legged underneath and paddle
3 point style.like a combination of kneeling and
sitting. I paddled the merlin the same way.
New Jersey has some really nice small creeks in
the pinelands, I always wanted to do the Mullica
from Atsion to the wading river
I’m thinking the pack is the right tool for the
job. thanks again for your replies you guys !
Happy Trails!
For the Mullica take a single blade too.
The double is going to chop brush and fill your canoe with debris. Also you will spend lots of time untangling it from the jungle.
Packs do just fine. The bottom is flexy but really in a 12 foot boat it doesnt matter.
whitewater Pack
I recently picked up a Pack that was outfitted for whitewater. Laced up fore and aft, D-rings installed, kevlar skid plates bow and stern. I guess it wasn’t just that guy who used a Pack in WW. I’d never heard of it before, but I’m sure curious to give it a try.
Have fun with your new boat. I hope you enjoy it.
Comeback with a Pack
Glad to hear that your back is letting you, get back, on the water. A Pack is a fine platform for fishing. Lower the seat and install a backrest and you will be playing the guitar from it as well. A double blade might benefit your back situation but I would agree that you’d want a single stick at times in the Pines. Speaking of backs, I still have the scratchers you gave me at Raystown. I think of you every time I get an itch. Good luck with the comeback.
-Conk
Flexy bottom
I stick a Coleman 6 pack/lunch box cooler under the thwart to cut down on oil canning.
thanks again for the help
Hi Conk,I still have my duckhead sittin on my TV
I forgot all about those back scratchers.in the
early years of raystown it was sort of a tradition to
give modest trinkets I don’t know who started it
probably NT. I still have a wonderful beaver tail he made for me. he loved to make paddle related things
and give 'em away. good to hear from ya brother.