Carolina 15.5

I have about 2 years of kayak experience. I’m not a professional by any means but I have traveled on the Mississippi River several times. About 2 months ago I had been searching for a kayak for a friend when I ran across a buy on Craigslist too good to pass up, so my friend and I went in together and bought 2 of the Perception Carolina 15.5’s for $750( plus 2 paddles and 2 PFD’s). They were pretty dirty when I got them from sitting out in the weather for over six weeks, according to the previous owner. But after several hours of cleaning they were actually in really good shape. I have two other kayaks an Old Town 17ft tandem and an older model 17.5ft Neeky Looksha IV. Compared to them the Perception Carolina 15.5 is the best of both. It has a rudder which helps keep it straight in high wind conditions, but in my experience even in steady 7-10mph winds the Carolina 15.5 isn’t hard to keep on course due to its low profile in the water. It’s extra length helps it track really well and it glides easily through waves as compared to the Carolina 12ft (which another friend of mine has) . The thigh pads are well placed for a secure fit and helps you feel one with kayak. The boat is very stable even when loaded down with a good bit of gear for camping.
The Perception Carolina’s adjustable back rest height plus the ratchet system to tighten the back rest, makes it one of the most versatile and comfortable seats I’ve been in. There are a few minor things that needed to be addressed, mostly due to these being older used boats, such as replacing the deck bungee cords due to dry rot, a few of the tie down points being cracked, and the seats foam pads having some hardening and drying on the outside layer due to being exposed to weather. Once firmly washed, the foam layer underneath is still usable, but I will still probably upgrade them with the cloth material used on the newer model Carolina’s seat pads. The Rudder let down system near the cockpit was also damaged when I got them and I was able to repair it with a 1.5ft piece of paracord, so now it works fine. I also took the rudder apart and cleaned and greased the fittings with small amount of vaseline and it extends and retracts butter smooth now. The rudder cables were in great shape and work smoothly without any binding. The foot pedals are easy to adjust even while on the water and feel very secure. So if you can find one of these used and it’s in decent shape, they are easily worth $400-$500 each. Overall I am incredibly happy and consider this as the best investment in my kayaking hobby I have made to date. 11/8/17

I won the Perception Carolina 15.5 from Paddling.Net several years ago! I LOVE this boat. It has not bowed like a lot of "plastic" boats do, but rather has kept its shape really well. The locking nuts for the rudder had to be tightened (I lost one on a trip), but other than that, I have ZERO complaints.

The boat is comfortable, the thigh/knee braces are perfectly situated, the seat is as comfortable as a kayak seat can be, the adjustable foot braces have lasted these past (wow, has it been this long?) 7 years without a problem, and the hatch covers also keep out water better than I expected.

I have to add the kayak has always been stored in my garage. And, she's not seen a lot of action in the past two years since my hubby built me a cedar strip kayak (Spring Run by Redfish). But, when I want to do photography or for some other reason want more stability, out comes the Carolina!

She's about 70lbs, a bit heavy for me to put on my Jetta after paddling 5 hours. Other than that, NO COMPLAINTS! GREAT BOAT!

This is my first Kayak so I have nothing with which to compare. I've been out almost every weekend since ice-out and have taken the boat out in lots of different conditions. I am 6'3" with size 12 feet. I wish the rudder pedals had another notch of travel, I have them all the way extended and still have to wiggle, squirm, and sometimes partly lift myself out of the cockpit to get my feet on the pedals. Once seated in the boat it is impossible to move my feet to the pedals if I fail to place them while entering. (I wear Chotas while paddling) As the spring has progressed, I've left the rudder up most days, only when experiencing strong crosswinds and waves do I deploy, and then generally when I am heading back to the barn and worn out. Waves around a foot make for a wet ride, but I haven't felt "over my head" in any conditions yet. The boat feels stable, and compared to my Grumman canoe, quite fast. I guess it helps to not be spoiled eh? Workmanship on the boat is questionable at best. I should have rejected it at delivery as there was an obvious, although admittedly only cosmetic, blemish where the hull didn't separate cleanly from the mold. But I had waited weeks and wanted to paddle. I also found the bulkheads leaked like a sieve. The rudder sticks, I need to diagnose where the hangup is, somewhere on the cable. I purchased some 3M Marine Caulk, redid the bulkheads and the compartments are now dry. I am an easy to please individual so I have to say I am happy with the boat, and have had lots of fun this spring. But I am already looking to my next, not Perception, kayak.