Our 1st of 4 kayaks ... With…
Our 1st of 4 kayaks ... With us since 1999. A fun toy .. Good to learn the basics with. Low gunnels make for a wet ride... Rides low in the water ... Tracks very very poorly. Easy to flip but also easy to reboard in the water. Sharp low volume bow so bogs down badly in any ajar waves.
Tarpon 140 is a much better boat.
I have had my Sandpiper for…
Submitted by:
paddler234516
on 5/4/2012
I have had my Sandpiper for over 12 years now & I still love my Sandpiper!!! Although it is not advised to take down a Class IV or higher river (it is an open top), it is possible by attaching eyelets for a skirt, as I have done to mine. It is a perfect starters kayak as it makes you learn to hold your balance. It doesn't have a high center of gravity unlike a comment I read on here. We have 6 in total & several different people pf all height & weight have paddled these down a class II river with no problems. For several, it was their first time down a river & I have had nothing but praises for my Sandpipers. I just wish I could find about 3 more!! If anyone has any for sale, please find me!
Have tried this model out…
Submitted by:
paddler233733
on 8/2/2010
Have tried this model out three times in the past month at a local stream. At 270 pounds, I am way over the weight limit of 225. Still the boat handles great and is fun to play with.
I bought one of these 2 years…
Submitted by:
paddler230964
on 2/21/2005
I bought one of these 2 years ago and have had a lot of fun with it; it's an excellent beginner boat and good for paddling alone as it's stable and you can't really get into too much trouble with a sit-on-top. My only complaint is that I can't paddle in the early spring or fall because it’s too cold, but that's the case with any sit on top. Pick one up if you can, it’s a good boat for the price.
I bought one in 2001 and have…
Submitted by:
paddler230844
on 10/13/2004
I bought one in 2001 and have had a blast in it in the ocean, bays and creeks. I have since rigged it out for striper fishing in the ocean. I have caught over 100 stripers in it between 20 and 42 pounds. It was plenty stable enough to handle these fish and for the price is a really great deal. It has far exceeded what I thought its capabilities were. This year I am going to use to silently access deer hunting spots on my property soon. All in all, for the money I spent, it has more than met my expectations.
This boat is pure fun. Old…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 6/22/2004
This boat is pure fun. Old Town no longer makes this style of boat and it is a sad thing as this is one terrific product. It is stable, nimble and fast. It offers a lot of comfort and is easy to pop in and out of on a lake or slow river. It is a light 33 pounds and can be carried very easily by most folks. If you come across one of these boats, it is a great little friend for a quick paddle in local lake or river. Throw in your PFD and paddle and you are ready for some fun.
This rating is for a sit on…
Submitted by:
paddler230221
on 6/30/2003
This rating is for a sit on top recreational kayak, not for a kayak. Although I would never paddle this thing again, I have to give it respect since it did provide the stepping stone to get me into the sport. I bought this thing thinking that it was a real kayak when I was like 15. I paddled it on a class IV river and it looks pretty beat up. It has an extremly high center of gravity that really is not good for beginners (which is what its intended for) and the material is fairly weak. Good for kids, lake cruises, flatwater fishing, introduction into the sport. Not much good for anything else.
Purchased our Sandpiper last…
Submitted by:
paddler230198
on 6/18/2003
Purchased our Sandpiper last summer and our entire family has had a blast in it. It is a great kayak and our friends have purchased them too. I would encourage anyone to demo a boat before purchasing as there is no way to know how a boat will handle by looking at it in the store. I have demo'd many kayaks now in search of another to get and I have not found any to compare to the Sandpiper. The kids play and romp, noone ever has to worry about getting hurt with the SOT. Mom and dad can cruise around and enjoy nature very comfortably.. We like that all is one piece and molded in. No parts to break or lose. Love this yak!!!
I was very impressed with the…
Submitted by:
paddler229643
on 4/18/2002
I was very impressed with the handling of this small craft. I am new to the kayaking world but the sandpiper was a great choice. I mostly do bay rideing and in this case the sandpiper handles very well. Even though the top speed is not unbelievible, the sandpiper still has a very good top speed. The seating positioning is very comfortable and the back pack space in the back can be nice to. This was old towns intentions but i do not think it works very well. I wish there was a waterproof compartment for sunscreen or other tools.
I also use the sandpiper for surfing. I was very surprised to see how durable and how well the sandpiper handles on the larger swells. The reason I gave the sandpiper a 9 out of 10 is because of there is no compartment for tools and there are no self bailers.
I have been looking for a…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 3/19/2002
I have been looking for a small boat that I could tie on top of my pop-up camper for fishing. After looking almost everywhere I went into a store in Lexington Ky. they sold Old Town products after looking at all of their boats I was impressed with the Sandpiper I have never Kayaked before and was impressed with the leg room it had I am 6'2" and didn't have any problem having enough room. I purchased it and can't wait for the weather to warm up so I can try it out. I will write and let you all know how it does but I think I will be pleased.
My daughter and I both got…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 12/31/2001
My daughter and I both got kayaks for Christmas this year. I received a Scupper Classic(which I love) and she was given a Sandpiper. She has fallen in love with kayaking and loves her little blue boat. She was busy with some of her other gifts today so I borrowed the Sandpiper to see if it works as well with a 185lb man as it does with his 100 lb daughter. I went out in the bay had a blast. I was surprised at how comfortable the cockpit was without any added seat or padding. The high back really makes for an easy ride. Paddling was a breeze. I had no trouble keeping it straight, and though it is not as fast as my 14' Scupper, I moved along at a pretty good pace. At 9'6" it is quite easy to manuver. The Sandpiper is considered a play boat and as such it easily rates a 10. This boat really exceeded my expectations.
I recently rented a Sandpiper…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 10/17/2001
I recently rented a Sandpiper sit on top and paddled it 10 miles in a small, slow moving river. I was with a group and was thus able to compare it to Old Town's enclosed cockpit models during the trip. The Sandpiper is light at 33 pounds but stable. It is rated at 225 pounds capacity. I am 6'4" and 210 pounds. With a little gear I was near the weight limit. However, I think that the Sandpiper can carry a little more than 225.
I was a bit handicapped in the top speed area. Loaded to the max, the Sandpiper was still quick and nimble at cruising speeds. The only evidence of a heavy load was the production of a bow wake as it "plowed" at high speed. This slowed me down and let the other kayaks outpace me. However, I could catch them when they encountered obstacles and shallow water due to the Sandpiper's agility and shallow draft. Not to mention the carrying handle.
This little boat gets a 10+ for fun. The seating position is the most comfortable of any kayak I have ever seen. You sit slightly reclined back with the high back seat supporting your own back. It is a bit like a recumbent exercise bike's sitting position. This position increases both comfort and stability by lowering your center of gravity. If you have back pain, you must try a Sandpiper. Or if you are like me and like to cruise and relax, the Sandpiper is hard to beat.
At 6'4" I was not cramped at all on my 10 mile trip. You can stretch your legs straight, lay them on the deck and still paddle fine. Not that I needed to though. The regular sitting position is fine. There are some trade-offs for having so much comfort. The sitting position is too low to allow self-bailing holes. There are none. Also, near capacity as I was I noticed that water lapped over the side a little if I turned 90 degrees quickly as in a "trick" move.
In summary, the Sandpiper is a great recreational yak for slow to moderate waters. At a retail price of $299 from a major manufacturer like Old Town Canoe, it's quite a bargin.
