Carolina 12.0

Got the carolina 12 after selling my inflatable decathlon boat. Although upgrading from an inflatable to a hardshell is an upgrade in itself, the carolina is truly a magnificent boat!

Steers well, seat is very comfortable and adjustable, and can stay straight effortlessly. I've take it out around 15-20 times so far and it did not disappoint. The hatches have generous storage. I've taken it out in bays and rivers and hope to take it out for coastal tours as I build up my experience. Its definitely built for it.

My quips with the carolina 12:

1. The deck height is pretty snug for big guys/tall people. My feet are size 47.5/12 and I could definitely benefit from an addition 2-3 inches.

2. Knee/thigh support foam pad adhesives are wearing off due to rubbing with my wet suit. I think it's a $10 fix though when it comes to it.

Overall a 5 star boat and couldn't recommend it more!

This kayak is really easy to handle, does great on rivers and lakes. It also has great storage for food and water and anything else you would need like an extra paddle. Honestly such a great purchase! Really happy with it!

The lakes and the rivers of the Adirondacks are phenomenal kayaking grounds and this kayak excels for those three to four day camping excursions needed to get to the most remote water ways. It is stable, light for its class but durable enough for the punishment of wind, waves, beaver dams and granite rocks often encountered.

Its sufficiently large enough to hold all my supplies, versatile enough for open water day trips to eloquently cross lakes quickly while still being able to navigate the twisty low flowing river like the Oswegotchie, which has miles of 180 degree switchbacks shallow waters, beaver dams and strainers to navigate.

I love polyethylene boats because they are so tough; taking abuse from granite sand, beaver dams and rocks for years and still showing only slight wear. And because I’m not worried about damage to the kayak Im more engaged in experiencing my trip unconcerned about about every bump, scratch or branch. Even electing to shoot occasional rapids like those in the upper reaches of cold brook.

I really like the bow and stern hatch covers which provide a simple but effective means for covering and keeping gear dry even in rough, windy, rainy conditions. It keeps the boat dry during transport as well, are easily removed and replaced in wind, rain, hot or snow with a quick snap. The seats, bulkheads and foot braces just work; simple but effective. I especially like the adjustability of the seats lumbar support making a six hour paddle less impacting on my lower back.

I've got several kayaks but this one is my go to boat! It is quick and agile for a day paddle, a beaver dam warrier, easy to load with my gear, quick and agile but stable.

It is not only my most versatile personal water craft, it truly is, "better living through plastic".

Handles fairly well, but a little slow in rapid fire turns, especially if you want to do a 180 or 360 degree turn. Quite stable through small rapids, waves and choppy water at 12'long and 26"wide, but feels a little tippy till you get used to edging and entry, mostly due to the mild V-shape hull and soft chines. Robust poly construction that handles colliding with rocks at speed quite well.

Comfortable for long hours at a time, handles lakes, small to medium waves, small rapids easily. Not sure if I'd take this boat in real whitewater, though as handling isn't the best (and neither am I). Can handle going UPRIVER in significant current at decent speed for some distance with some effort reasonably well. Lots of storage room in bow and stern. Smaller cockpit than a rec boat but fairly easy entry and exit. Easily adjustable foot braces via a handle that you can change without getting out of the kayak.

There are sexier/faster/more stable/better handling/cheaper kayaks (and MUCH more expensive, too) out there, but this is a nice compromise-every weekend kayak when you want to step-up from your recreation boat. I'd buy it again.

Early on, I realized that recreational kayaks were not for me. I needed something that handled better, tracked better, and in general, performed better. I needed a touring kayak. Among the boats I tried were Wilderness Systems Tsunamis in several lengths (which I liked), Pungos (which I didn't care for), Dagger Alchemy, Native Watercract Inuit 14 (which I thought I was going to buy, til they stopped making them) and Carolinas. I rented Carolina 14s quite a number of times to take out on lakes and liked them. The new ones, like the one I bought, are even better. I decided on the 12, partly for ease of transport in the back of my pickup and partly because it just felt better to me than a 14.

I've been extremely happy with my decision. The boat handles well, tracks well, is pretty quick, and is comfortable. I'm 5'9" and 165, and it's a good fit. I basically like everything about the boat and plan on using it a lot. Now if I could only find a PFD that's comfortable....

The boat has good speed and tracking. The bow and stern hatches provide good storage and safety in case of a rescue. I'm a 46 year old woman and I can load this on top of my Ford Explorer without much problem.

The seat could be more comfortable. I use a kitchen seat cushion on top of the Zone seat. I wish it had a day hatch so I could store my stuff. I settle for using a plastic ziploc bag that I store behind the seat.

So, it is a great first boat for me. Highly recommend it. I would have given it a 10 except for the seat.

I like the dry storage in the front and back, and there is plenty of room behind my seat and in front of me to put items that I would like accessible. So far the choppiest water I've been on is by the Hoan bridge on the Milwaukee river and it handed very well, it was only me that felt a bit unsure due to lack of experience.

I am thrilled with this purchase and look forward to many days paddling with my Caroline. The only reason for not giving a 10 is because it is a bit heavy and I have some problems transporting it, but I am figuring it out. Keep that in mind if you are a small individual.

I have paddled the Perception Carolina 12 a handful of times so far and I have been very impressed. I have been on the river as well as the lake. I primarily enjoy flat river water paddling and this boat suits my needs well. I am a big guy (5'9" 275 lbs) and this boat is what I call "big guy friendly". It has superior tracking and stability. I will say that it is very hard to turn, but it is a touring boat that is made to go straight. My most recent paddle was up river in high water and moderate winds and I had no problem getting it to go.

I bought this boat used after some research and reading reviews and I will say that it has lived up to what other people have said. I paid about half of the $1000 retail price and found a boat that was in great condition. Both dry hatches have stayed completely dry and they offer a decent amount of storage. The seat is pretty comfortable and is plenty wide enough for me. The back rest adjusts up and down and forward to rear. The cockpit is large enough to allow and easy in/out and even allowed enough room for my dog. The foot pegs are adjustable from the seats reach with a quick adjustment bar.

If you are looking for a boat that tracks well and has good stability, I would definitely recommend the Perception Carolina 12.

Basically, every other boat that was faster than my Prodigy 10 had such a tiny cockpit that my enjoyment of my time on the water would have been limited. I like to be able to have free access to cooler and camera, wiggle around, and hop in and out to swim and explore. I'd actually like this cockpit to be a bit larger, but I can live with it in return for the greater speed and fore and aft bulkheads. I've paddled 8-10 miles each of the last four days in conditions varying from calm to 2' powerboat wakes to 15 mph wind, and must say it has met my expectations well. I like the adjustability of the seat, but I'm not sure I've found the right spot and actually think the fixed Prodigy seat might have been more comfortable, but I'm sure a pad or something will resolve this problem if I can't find the right adjustment.

My top speed in the Carolina 12 is 5.2 mph, compared to 4.3 mph in the Prodigy 10. Those are sprint speeds that I couldn't possibly maintain for more than a few minutes, but the comfortable cruising speeds are comparable, about 3.8 vs 3.2 depending on wind and energy level.

Again, if you are looking for a rec boat that can easily handle short trips, and can't live with a tiny cockpit, then I think the Carolina 12 is the best choice!