Loon 138T

Bought a used Loon 138t for my wife and I to "enjoy". What a HUGE mistake that was! I'm 6"0'. Wife is 5'9". To say adapting the Loon 138 into a 138t was an afterthought would be an understatement. To say the weight is under reported also an understatement. Specs say 58lb. This tub is not an ounce under 78lb! The cockpit width is only 18" and that's being generous. Even moving the rear seat further back than stock and the front seat all the way forward, it was still VERY cramped for my 34" inseam, my knees were still way in the air, and foot position very uncomfortable. No foot pegs for the rear paddler. Had to wrap my bare feet around the back of the front seat. Front passenger can barely get into their seat. Tracking was barely so-so. The only good thing I can say about this kayak is I liked the bungee cords that hold the paddles at the edge. THANKFULLY, I only paid $300 used with one original paddle plus another $50 for a 2nd paddle. After only 5 times out I sold it for $525 and with another $100 bought a Perception Prodigy II 14.5. So glad to be rid of the Loon 138t I can't even put it into words. If you're looking for a tandem, STAY AWAY from the 138t! It is not a tandem.

138T Loon was my 1st kayak I have logged over 2000 miles in it and never turned it over That is in floods on 40+ mile trips Some class 3 on regular basis Places I was told I shouldn't have been I bought a 120 but turned it over 5 times Still have my 138T Looking for another I have been clocked at 25 miles an hour in floods Took a friend fishing double and the small mouth were biting we fished till dark and had miles to go So I know at 20 mph we hit a rock and came to complete stop It never even chipped it Its tough stable Many good times fishing double I'm 5 ft 9 175 and taken friends 250 lbs Made the paper once in a flood went and got a woman stranded Love it Comfortable That's one boat they got right

Bought my Loon138T used for 400.00 and what a great little Kayak!! It is a 2000 model and still in great shape Tracks well even without a rudder. Perfect day cruiser with me and my wife here on Lake Chelan and feels quite sporty with just me in kayak paddling.Love the large cockpit and sprayshirts can still be found online for it. Having had several kayaks over the years, I would have no issue using this on a summers long trip down the Yukon with drybags And a skirt. There are faster/better kayaks made,but none for this price. sad is they no longer make these model. Compares quite well with my old EasyRider Tatoosh which was same design but four times the price. Now I will be looking for used single Loon 138 or Loon 16T which would be a bit better for two on weekend camping trip.Comfort is wonderful with our Loon and leg room is not bad for me at 6ft. 250lbs

My wife and I have had this tandem for quite a few years now, installed a rudder several years ago to reduce a lack of synchronization issue. Great for flat water. But as stated in other reviews, a real problem if it fills up, as ours did once by Beaufort, NC when a large yacht went by in a narrow channel. Luckily the shore was nearby!

As we are getting older (mid-late 60's) now, the weight is becoming bothersome in getting it on/off the car or truck roof, so we are looking at selling it and getting two smaller, lighter kayaks, that can (almost) fit in the back of the pickup, and that I can maybe tie a rope between so my wife can still relax...

We're happy with our Loon 138T after two lake outings. It was purchased used with a few scratches, but otherwise in decent shape. Stability seems good. I risk taking my DSLR camera + expensive telephoto lens with us to photograph shore birds. Front person has plenty of room, but rear seat is a bit crowded for knee space. Easy to get in and out. Hardware seems good quality: footpegs, seats, etc. We like the bungie paddle attachment, it's very handy at launchings! I have yet to try it solo, but the front seat slides on rails to a mid-ship position so I think it will be fine. And by the way, this thing is really fast! When we both paddle consistently, the shoreline just flies by!

Acquired this "cloud" color yak at a "end of summer sale" and found it hard to resist the excellent price. The polylink 3 hull holds up well to bumps and scraps. It loads and transports easily on the roof rack of a minivan. In ideal conditions, two people are needed to load/unload the yak from the roof, but it can be done by one person if needed. I can paddle and steer the yak with confidence, even with a child on board. I've found it to be responsive to steering in lake or slow moving river conditions. The seats are "ok" and I've been comfortable sitting in them for long periods of time. The yak is very stable but will roll under the right conditions. The paddle holders are a nice touch and I store an extra paddle in one of them. There is plenty of storage space in the bow/stern for gear, just make sure you balance the weight for an even ride. I like the ability to slide the front seat into the position needed. With the front seat moved back as far as it can go, there is still room for my legs in the rear position...I'm six feet tall. If you roll the yak, make sure you have a bilge pump or sponge handy. It can be difficult to empty all the water out without those items. All in all, my kids like this yak and we've had fun with it. I would recommend it to friends.

We bought our 138T in 2001 from LLBean. It was our first Kayak. It is stable, fast, and comfortable with one paddler or two. My family of 5 uses this boat for primarily for recreational paddling on an inland lake. We have never accidently tipped this boat (we have tipped it on purpose and it is a chore). You must have a high capacity hand pump with you if you do tip, the large cockpit fills immediately with A LOT of water! The seat and front footpegs are great. In "tandem" mode it can be a little tight for a big guy like me (5'11", 220lbs), I do prefer using it as a solo kayak. We chose the 138T over the 160T to keep transportation as simple as possible. I would buy this boat again.

This is our first kayak (Loon 138T Polylink). Our first launch was into the Manistee River, Manistee, Michigan. We bought it primarily to fish from. I am amazed by its stability while touring and casting. Plenty of room for paddles and poles. We landed Small Mouth Bass as well as a Brown Trout. It is the perfect boat.

Well my new, bright yellow, Loon 138T has been launched!!! Her maiden "voyage" was on St. Patrick's Day… a sunny, 40-degree day in Boston with light to moderate ocean winds. The boat was stable, fast, warm, controlled GREAT and at no point did I not feel compleatly safe. I really did my homework (with the help of paddeling.net) before selecting this boat, and what a GREAT time we all had because of that!!!

So, here goes… review time… I chose the Loon 138T for a host of reasons: Foremost, it was just really important to me to always have the option of bringing a guest along, and for that reason I had to go with a tandem. Mind you, the Loon 138T is not geared towards two tall adults, but my friend and I (she's 5'4 and I'm 5'7) both fit very comfortably. However most trips out will be just the dog (a 20 lbs. Terrier) and me, so it was important that the boat not be overwhelming in terms of its size (the tandem Loon is 13 feet 8 inches.). I also really like the versatility afforded to me by the Loon’s open cockpit, i.e. on hot days I get to feel the sun and air coming off the water, while on cold days I have the option of adding a skirt for protection; what could be better!?!?! If there is a down side to the Loon 138T it’s that it is heavy, at 60 lbs I wouldn’t want to have to walk it a great distance. But hey, that’s what wheel attachments and friends are for, and frankly I wasn’t willing to pay for fiberglass or Kevlar. Which brings me to my final reason for selecting an Old Town Canoe product…affordability!!!

I really love this boat, and feel very comfortable recommending it!

Greetings ..I have owned a 138 loon for about four years now ,Used in rivers ,lakes ,oceans ( try blue fishing in this ) ...I purchased this via owner reviews ....Thinking there might be an even better boat on the market I also purchased a Pungo for my wife (actually so my friends could go with me) now it's a issue on who goes ..Both these boats have it all ,take the abuse rocky rivers dish out ,load capacity,etc..although I highly reccommend skirts for both ..

The Old Town Loon is not an unsafe boat! The method of attaching the grab loops has been changed on all Loons that are currently being sold, the bow and stern have been pinched so the grab loops go through solid polyurethane. I have a four-year-old 138 that had he old style grab loops. After years and hundreds of times of being used for front tie down line the front holes did get loose and in heavy weather could take drips, though less than from the paddle.(e-mail me if you have an older loon, its easy fix but takes a bit of time to explain) Since the holes are only an inch below the deck the only way I could imagine the rear loop taking on large amounts of water is if the boat was so badly trimmed to the rear the stern was nearly below water. (The cockpit is more than half the length of the boat; so if paddling solo with the rear seat all the way back this is possible). As to the cockpit being too narrow and hard to get in (18" for the Loon, 19" for the Pungo) I have never found a kayak easier to get into or out of than my Loon. The Loon is indeed a foot and a half longer and 10# heavier (5# for a solo 138 to compare apples to apples) than the Pungo. I currently own four kayaks by four different manufactures; the Loon is the most versatile, most comfortable, and most stable and my favorite. I'm sure the Pungo is a great boat, but so is the Loon family of boats. Sure I'd like the Loon to be 10-15#s lighter, but that's the only complaint I truly have, but I'm sure a kevlar Loon would would be beyond my budget.

Bought the Loon 138T after having a 138 Single for a year. The tandem version tracks better than the single and is faster! Never thought I would find anything better than the 138 single in a rec kayak, but I was wrong! Seats are not the same as the 138 single, and cockpit is a bit narrower, but the performance is great! Loads of room for swimming fishing, picnics. Let the young kids have their performance- we aging boomers have our Loons!

Purchased my 138T because of the reviews it received on this sight. I bought it primarily as a single to hunt and fish in, but it works great as a tandem for my twelve-year-old and me. It is a great yak and it does do it all pretty well. I like it better than my friend's Pamlico Excel. I'ts a smaller boat but ride,tracking and overall performance don't suffer from it's lack of size. I find it to be a great creek boat and it handles well in small swells. I'ts a fun yak and I would highly recomend it to anyone who wants a light duty tandem kayak that doubles as a great single.

Purchased the 138 for my wife to paddle with the dog. Large cockpit and adjustable sliding seat [Max rear position] provides plently of room and OK trim with the extra canine passenger. Very stable and tracks well. Seat back folds for access but its not truly adjustable in terms of back support. Extra stiff with the 3 layer makeup which gives it a more solid feel. I don't know how forgiving it when its meets some river rocks! A good boat for under $500.

I bought the Loon 138 so I could bring my dog, Tupper, kayaking with me. I have taken the Loon on lakes, coastal kayaking in Maine (get a spray skirt) and in class II rapids on the Delaware river (with Tupper trying to eat the whitewater). The boat is a bit wide by traditional kayak standards, but it handles quite well. It tracks well, turns easily and is very stable. I am able to haul Tupper out of the water and into the boat without worrying about tipping over. This is a great family boat (my nephew loves to sit in front) and can hold lots of geat for a day trip. It is not meant to be a serious kayak (just look at the size of the cockpit!) I would recommend it for anyone who is just starting out, or anyone who wants a stable boat.

My family is pleased that we purchased a Loon 138 (not 138T, the tandem version). We have used Otters and Loon 120 but prefer the bigger, faster 138, clearly the flagship of the Old Town Loon line, for recreational lake paddling.

The 138 handles my 220 lbs. well but is also easily managed by my 10 year-old, 62 lb. daughter. New paddlers are comfortable getting in and out. I have used several other boats and find the Loon 138 the best for my calm lake. This boat is a classic-in-the-making, or so says I. Check out the construction and the design.

Advantages:
1. Tracks well, but others, like Pungo, track better
2. Very maneuverable, especially in shallows
3. Sleek, so cross-winds not a bother
4. Tough shell takes a hit--alas, I found out the hard way
5. Easy to get in and out
6. Fine recreational boat for the money

Borrow a 138, then another in its class. Let me know if you find a better recreational boat for the money. My canoe is a 85 year-old Old Town, still going strong: I have confidence in the company.

Final tip: Spring for the 138 over the 120, which has become scarce anyway. The 138 is well worth the extra money.

I recently purchased 2 Loon 138's.I've had them in both lakes,and the ocean,and found it more than capable of either.I had a friend buzz me in his Boston Whaler,to see how it handled the wake,it took it like a champ! I then took it to the ocean,and the waves didn't effect it's great handling at all.I let my 7 year old take it for a cruise in the ocean,and SHE could handle it with ease.My only complaint,once you get in,forget about readjusting the foot pegs,do it on shore,and get it right before you head out.Good luck,and happy paddling.

I have a loon138 single and find the loading and unloading a bit awkward but once the boat is in the water. The stability is great. I use mine for large lakes and salt-water day trips ...a great day tripper.

Two seat, single cockpit polyethylene construction. Weight 59 lbs. Purchased to use mainly as a saltwater craft for bay fishing. Have had it in the water two times so far, both times with a stiff wind creating a good (12" to 16" chop) The first time out was solo, the second time out was with my wife as a passenger. Kayak handled well, tracking with just a little effort. Drifting sideways with the wind while fishing I stayed nice and dry, the waves that did break onto the hull were turned back nicely by the cockpit flare. The boat will, I believe, evolve into a very nice fishing platform as I do occasional mods to it, plus it will serve well as a nice day tripper with another passenger aboard. Solo it can carry a fair amount of gear, although it can be a bit awkward accessing it when stored aft. Hull seems to hold up pretty good, with only minor abrasions from contacting the many oyster reefs in our bays around here.