Caribbean 12

12'
Length
30"
Width (in)
45
Weight (lb)
$1,749
MSRP

Caribbean 12 Description

Highly stable and lightweight, the Caribbean 12 has an efficient hull design that provides exceptional tracking. The comfortable Cloud 10 seat sits high for comfort and visibility. The large front hatch, the center day hatch and rear hatch give easy access to most of the interior space. The cockpit features adjustable foot braces, handy gear bucket, and and an abundance of mounting surfaces.

Caribbean 12 Specs and Features

  • Structure: Rigid / Hard Shell
  • Cockpit Type: Sit on Top / Open Cockpit
  • Seating Configuration: Solo
  • Ideal Paddler Size: Average Adult, Larger Adult
  • Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate
  • Ideal Paddler Size: Average Adult, Larger Adult
  • Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate

Additional Attributes

  • Optional installed rudder
  • Footwell pads
  • Front hatch liner
  • Stern tankwell cover

Where to Buy the Caribbean 12

Learn More

Eddyline Kayaks
Caribbean 12 Reviews

Read reviews for the Caribbean 12 by Eddyline Kayaks as submitted by your fellow paddlers. All of the reviews are created and written by paddlers like you, so be sure to submit your own review and be part of the community!

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5

My first and best kayak…

Submitted by: Veronica2004 on 8/30/2021

My first and best kayak EVER!

I have had a Caribean 12 by EddyLine for 3 years; have tanken it to Arizona, Georgia & Florida.... rivers, lakes, canyons & the sea and can not be happier with it. Light weight, very good quality material, enough room to pack for multi-day trips, easy to handle & care. I though that I was going to use it just once on a while but living in Florida give us lots of opportunities to use it all year round. It has over 100 trips and still looks like new!! Thank you EddyLine for the great product MADE IN USA!!!

5

This is a great kayak! Very…

Submitted by: DanBollinger on 4/5/2021

This is a great kayak! Very stable, tracks well, easy to manage at 45 pounds. The quality of these is unsurpassed.

5

I LOVE my Carribean 12 kayak.…

Submitted by: paddler861502 on 8/25/2020
I LOVE my Carribean 12 kayak. I got mine this summer. I traded my sea kayak for this one and I am extremely please. Not only it looks great, it is light, very comfortable, roomy, stable and offers a lot of storage. I would strongly recommand it.
5

These are awesome kayaks!! I…

Submitted by: paddler820822 on 7/13/2020
These are awesome kayaks!! I was fortunate to get my Caribbean 12 when it still included the turtle top cover for the stern. Chris at The Kayak Fishing Store, then in N. Wildwood, now in Green Creek NJ has provided us with great support and assistance with the purchase of these kayaks from him. He is an excellent source of knowledge and experience, and a super nice guy. His shop is wonderful--and a great place to connect with other kayakers.
5

This is a fantastic Kayak. I…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 6/23/2020
This is a fantastic Kayak. I have had my Caribbean 12 for 2 years and love it. It is great for a jack of all trades boat. Floating down rivers fishing, paddling across my local lakes , and also taking it off shore in the Gulf. I feel very secure in this boat . And it looks great. Cloud 10 seat is very comfortable. 10hrs with no comfort issues.
4

Love the kayak. Very stable,…

Submitted by: paddler788003 on 6/1/2020
Love the kayak. Very stable, light, and efficient to paddle. Lots of convenient storage and accessibility while on the water. Only drawback is the seats squeak when you paddle. Maybe they fixed that.
5

Upon leaving HI and after…

Submitted by: paddler781873 on 5/24/2020
Upon leaving HI and after nearly 30 years of open water, sit-on-top kayaking there, I discovered it was cost prohibitive to bring any of my several kayaks with me when making the nearly 5,000 miles during retirement/relocation to northern MI. Therefore, I needed to replace them: in HI I had several kayaks--for touring to small, offshore islands, others for near-shore recreation with friends and teaching newbies, and a couple strictly designed for ocean surfing. Although kayak surfing was my greatest love, there are seldom any surf-able waves in MI; I also enjoyed the adventure of exploring places off-shore--sometimes as far offshore as seven miles one way. Regrettably, I no longer have the storage space required to have an assortment of 'specialty' (or even a backup) kayaks. My dilemma then, was discovering a single kayak capable of doing the things I enjoyed most. It was essential I find a stable, lightweight, sit-on-top, and flexible purpose kayak--with a rudder. I am uninterested in floating downstream in a sedate creek or river, guiding a boat to my destination, nor in tooling around in a placid, wave-less lake. When I kayak, I want water in my face as I crest it, the challenge the surf and wind, and getting an edifying workout for a couple of hours. I needed a boat capable of doing more than a $4-500 plastic tub with rounded design and no distinguishing features--built in or added on--could provide. Kayakers who have been formally and expertly trained how to move their paddle into and from the water, how to egress their boat, to right/re-enter it when it gets flipped, and know to paddle using their shoulders rather than simply their forearms, demand more. After researching and demo-ing other makes of kayaks from polyethylene, to fiberglass, to polycarbonate, etc. I decided the best option for me was the Eddyline Caribbean. This was based on several factors, including the following: hull rocker and chine design, weight, strength of material, rudder availability, seating comfort/design, maneuverability, ease of transport, and price. Manufacturer's reputation and 'Made in USA,' were unforgotten sidebar notations. I chose the Eddyline as a result of its capacity to meet my fairly specific and demanding criteria. To boot, its finish is beautiful--much like a new car's! Its weight enables hanging from the mid-wall in the garage. While the Eddy is certainly not cheap, its stellar combination of quality, features, and grace in the water, make it top-of-the-line. It will likely be the last kayak I will ever need to buy! The only drawback I discovered to acquiring an Eddyline was the company does not support adding a rudder (assembly) to an existing Eddyline kayak born without one; you cannot buy one. Understand: I am not a '...merrily, merrily, merrily, gently down the stream...' kayaker; I need a rudder! A generic, after-market system would surely compromise the structural integrity of its Carbonlite material; so one cannot buy it--post manufacture-- as an accessory. After looking for months for a used, ruddered Caribbean, I realized if I wanted one, I'd have to have buy new and manufactured that way. I am elated with the performance of my Caribbean in Lake MI, and I couldn't be happier with my buying decision. The Harbor Springs 'Outfitter' dealer, Josh Baker, was extremely helpful in getting my order placed, and keeping me apprised of the kayak's manufacture/assembly; why, he even drove the 50-mile trip (on a Sunday) to make delivery! Functionally meanwhile, the kayak is easy to get in and leave the water; it is nimble and almost effortless tracking quietly and efficiently through the water. Out in the water, I'm often asked what kind or sports car I'm paddling. If I could only experience more sunny, warm days to be in the water! Ahhh, a wetsuit...
5

Excellent. Very stable.…

Submitted by: Andar49 on 5/23/2020
Excellent. Very stable. Lightweight for a 12' SoT.
5

Excellent kayak for…

Submitted by: paddler780348 on 5/22/2020
Excellent kayak for fishing...stable...paddles and tracks well. Capable of adding nice options.
5

It's a great kayak. I use it…

Submitted by: paddler780199 on 5/22/2020
It's a great kayak. I use it in salt waters where the tide change is enormous and the currents are swift. I trust this with my life. I especially enjoy its stability and features like closed storage bin and open storage with straps. It's light enough that at 70 I can easily lift and put on my car rack. In addition, my eddyline caribbean looks cool to my fishing buddies.
5

Great kayak! Easy to load and…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 5/22/2020
Great kayak! Easy to load and very stable.
5

A great sit on top, close but…

Submitted by: rnsparky on 5/5/2020
A great sit on top, close but a bit shy of perfect. Pluses are: tracking, stability, no wet butt seat pan, decent speed, light weigh, huge hatch, comfort from the clip on seat, and overall fit, finish, and craftsmanship of the boat Minuses are minor: some splash comes in by the low sides due to the side handles and the lower volume bow means larger wake waves sometimes come over the bow. Very pleased and a joy to paddle.
5

Went looking for a LIGHT sit…

Submitted by: paddler550417 on 9/4/2019

Went looking for a LIGHT sit on top. I am 80 years old, I'm not as strong as I'd like , so, at 45# the ability to handle is superb. Stability and ease of tracking is outstanding. Easy to paddle without getting tired. I'm glad they made this kayak

5

This beautiful sit-on-top…

Submitted by: paddler482873 on 7/29/2019

This beautiful sit-on-top kayak finally made it to the water! It glides through over the flat and through small waves (all we experienced on its maiden trip) with little effort, and it tracks very well. Love the low sideboards that don't gouge my hands with buttons or clips while I paddle, like our previous SOT. It's very stable and lightweight -- two things that were important to me. I'm not young anymore and I'm not able to lift even the 45 pounds this kayak weighs by myself, but with two of us or with a cart, I can take it anywhere. I purchased Thule Hullavators to carry it, and they work beautifully, assisting with getting the boat on the roof of our Jeep. Can't say enough good things about this boat. I'd definitely recommend it.

5

I started with one and. now…

Submitted by: horsemarine on 8/24/2018

I started with one and. now I have three. One for each member of the family. These are awesome sit on top kayaks that are stable, easily maneuverable, only 40 lbs, and come in some cool colors. I highly recommend the Caribbean 12 for any member of the family.

5

Absolutely love this kayak!…

Submitted by: paddler446749 on 6/26/2018

Absolutely love this kayak! This is my second kayak. I still have my first one, a Wilderness Tsunami. I use both one on the NC ICW and on lakes. The Eddyline is used more during the summer so I can move around more. The Caribbean is light weight, tracks well and is comfortable except the seat. Time to upgrade that. It's my little red Corvette on the water....not very fast but it looks good and rides good. It's a little pricey but it's well constructed. I got a great year end sales price. It's very easy to load and unload. Lots of room for day tripper gear. Plenty of room for my 5'3 145 frame.

5

Very stable. Great 1st…

Submitted by: Andar49 on 6/1/2018

Very stable. Great 1st kayak...probably will own it for life. Light weight allows my wife and I to cartop.

3

It's a Pretty Kayak

Submitted by: wadeallemand on 9/11/2017

I got to paddle an Eddyline Caribbean 12 a few days ago. I have to say that it's one of the best looking plastic SOT kayaks I've seen. If you love the way [fiber] glass boats look and either don't want to spend that much money or what you're looking for is simply not available in glass, then you'll love the looks of this boat. It's beautiful. It appears to be very well made. While the molded in side handles work well and look cool, in chop you may take on some water there as they do lower the water line quite a bit; while not as cool looking I think standard carry handles would have been better functionally. It is lighter than a comparable roto-molded kayak but quite a bit heavier that a glass boat the same size. Eddyline has a fancy name for the plastic they use but it is the standard thermo-formed stuff... I wouldn't want to hit any rocks with it. The standard strap in seat can be replaced easily so if you don't find it comfortable there are a lot of options available. I found the supplied seat plenty comfortable; I'm male, 5'10" and 190 lbs. The cup holder has a nice drain but is a bit shallow if you carry tall bottles of water like I do. Storage is ample though I wondered about sand/dirt getting under the latches and causing problems. For me, the cockpit was more than roomy and would probably be great for fishing. On the water it's very stable. In fact you would just about have to try to tip it over to flip it. Standing in it to fish would not be a problem with just a little practice. So how does it paddle? I'm going to plagiarize what another reviewer wrote because you couldn't describe it any better... like a barge. It pushes a wake of water in front of it and the faster you try to go the bigger the wall of water becomes. It tracks straight and true; better than most. It's extremely easy to turn. There was no wind when I took it out so unfortunately I can't comment on its' performance in the wind though I did find the lack of being able to add a rudder a tad disheartening. While I do not normally use a rudder when paddling, I do deploy one for holding my position while taking photographs. I don't fish but could see the usefulness of a rudder there too and every boat I've paddled in a moderate and slightly off centered headwind benefits from it, so I don't understand why they didn't even give you the option. So there you have it; my two cents worth. That said, kayaks are probably the most specialized craft on the water. Making one better at one thing will cause it to suffer at another. If you plan on one of these boats as a fishing kayak , add another star. For fishing I would give it only four stars do to the inability to add a rudder, those "cool looking" carry handles, and the need to purchase a center console separately. If you plan on nothing more than looking good and putting around the edge of lakes or floating down open rivers for pleasure.. add two more. Me, I paddle and this is paddling.com. I enjoy long trips across lakes and extended journeys down rivers. Some of the rivers I traverse have fast moving water with shallow areas and big rocks; among other obstacles I sometimes scrape or bounce off of. I often paddle 25-30 miles. So for paddling I give it three stars; mostly because of the way it defies you to move at even a moderate pace. In fact, I would have given it two, if it wasn't so darn pretty.

5

Passed The First Test

Submitted by: traplive on 1/3/2017

Wow! I finally took my Caribbean 12 out for its maiden voyage. I chose a quiet lake on a calm, sunny day. The built in handles were perfectly balanced to carry and load the boat. At 45 pounds, I had no problem keeping over my head and gently laying it down. Once on the water the boat tracked beautifully, and turned easily. I'm 5'10", 200 lbs. and I had a few inches left in the foot pegs, and didn't take undo water up through the scuppers. The seat was super comfortable and supported by back perfectly. I rocked and bounced, trying to feel uncomfortable, and felt stable and safe at all times. This is definitely a great boat. I installed the cup and rod holders on the rails, but I need to play around with placement and position. I found that it was difficult to find a position that allowed access for trolling without hitting the line with my paddle. I'll be adding a few deck fittings, bow line, and installing flush mount rod holders. I really can't imagine a better 12' sit-on-top than the Eddyline Caribbean. It will get some serious testing this summer.

4

A beautifully crafted kayak.…

Submitted by: valsdad on 10/18/2016
A beautifully crafted kayak. However, Eddyline could do better with its seat, which is neither secure nor particularly comfortable. The boat tracks nicely, but it feels a bit like a barge going through the water — I'm 160 pounds. Love the carrying handles, stability and light weight (45 pounds). The Caribbean is just fine for poking around on creeks and small places, but if you do a lot of open water paddling, I'd look elsewhere. Wish I'd gotten the Caribbean 14.
5

Purchased Caribbean 12 in…

Submitted by: paddler236738 on 5/4/2016
Purchased Caribbean 12 in April after researching products and costs for about 1 year. Live in Florida so wanted a sit-on-top, tracked well, lightweight enough that I can maneuver it on car and off for my later years. The kayak is made of a composite material and weighs roughly 45 lbs.

Kayak is everything I wanted it to be. I use J hooks to hold on car. It took me a few tries until I developed a method to put it on my Vibe small SUV. The kayak goes through the water like butter and with the the design of the bottom, tracks very well through waves in the intercostal waterway. Very stable as well. I also looked at several others in this class. All priced about the same. I chose the Eddyline because of the dealer who encourages demos to be sure of the appropriate kayak to user and also because of the more than adequate storage in the caribbean for what I want to use it for. I also have the upgraded seat which may have been an issue as the other seat was not nearly as comfortable.

5

This is a brilliant looking…

Submitted by: Florist on 4/29/2016
This is a brilliant looking kayak. It is very responsive in the water and turns and stops very well. It heals over well also. It is a bit slow because of its weight and beam. I found it difficult to handle out of the water, being large and a bit heavy - still loved it over all.
5

I have had the Caribbean 12…

Submitted by: horsemarine on 9/5/2015
I have had the Caribbean 12 for two years now and absolutely love it. I use it on the Rainbow River in Dunnellon, Fla. for photography and relaxation. It is balanced well for getting those shots you have to turn your body quickly, no tipping which is a wonderful thing when carrying expensive camera equipment.
LOVE MY EDDYLINE!!!!
4

Good solid construction and…

Submitted by: paddler236062 on 11/19/2014
Good solid construction and good looks. A stable dry ride, more so than many. Seat drain works well and no backwash from the scuppers. Seat squeak is a thing of the past and older boats can be retrofitted with an insert.

You get what you pay for. As a past reviewer said, there are cheaper boats out there, but what you are paying for is lighter weight. Eddyline's Carbonlite 2000 can be 20 lbs lighter than a roto boat at 12'. It might not be any faster, but it take a lot less energy to push it through the water. You'll still be paddling when your buddy paddling a roto poops out. It's also a lot tougher when it come to oyster bars.

4

Although very pricey this…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 8/12/2013
Although very pricey this boat is very nice. It tracks well and has good glide when up to speed. It's best attribute is its stability which is excellent. The stock seat is very squeaky against the abs shell which I found extremely annoying creating a loud creaking with every paddle stroke. Maybe some rubber pads under the seat would alleviate this? The side carry handles made from carbon paddles are nice.

Although the boat is great I simply don't think it merits its $1400 MSRP as it doesn't outperform my OK and Hobie poly yaks which are less than half the price of this boat. Take $400 off the MSRP and fix the squeaking seat issue and I think you would have a winner.

5

I bought the Eddyline…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 7/26/2013
I bought the Eddyline Caribbean 12 at the 2012 East Coast Paddlesports & Outdoor Festival. I wanted a kayak more suited to fishing than my Wilderness Tsunami, and also one that I could easily handle solo for launching and for loading onto my vehicle.

The 12 foot Caribbean was perfect for my needs. At 45 lbs, it easily beat out the most popular fishing kayaks that weigh in at 65 lbs and more. I can heft the Caribbean with one hand, if necessary. My Caribbean has two built-in rod holders, and side tracks for mounting other accessories.

On the water, I can easily stand up and throw my bait cast net in the shallows, before paddling out to my target sites. My soft cooler stows in the front, under the watertight hatch. I can secure my pfd and milk crate in the rear section, using the built-in deck cords. The watertight bucket, just forward of the seat, is great for stowing my wallet, keys, and camera. It's also handy for keeping those favorite lures for quick changes. When not on the water, my 7-foot rods store inside the hull under the secure hatch covers.

The Caribbean paddles great, provides a stable platform for fishing, and it's pretty to boot!