Classic 12

I purchased my classic 12 new from Dicks in spring 2003. While I am an avid Kayaker sense the early 1990's, and have used several different yaks in the almost 30 years I've been enjoying the rivers, lakes, and creeks of Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois. This boat is my (go to), number 1. Nothing else I've used in my region compares. I have owned it for over 16 years now and can't believe how many rocks and underwater sharp object it just slides by. Never have had to plug a hole or do any repair. 3 years ago a friend of mine swore he had it tide down well on his latter rack when I watched it go flying off at 60 miles an hour on a highway down by Crawfordsville Indiana. It death rolled down the road a hundred foot. The only damage? front grab handle gone. Probably more scratches but after 16 years of river rocks I couldn't tell the difference. Still went 15 miles that day on Sugar Creek at Turkey Run State Park. Replaced the handle later that year. I've been looking for another one. Hard to find now. If u find one, don't let it go! You will not regret getting it. It's best on lazy to moderate current rivers and streams. Brent W.

My family and I own several kayaks and canoes. We try to go out in them at least twice a month. Our twelve year old has chosen the Victory Classic 12. We call it the banana boat. He is the king of the water on this kayak. He cannot be outrun on this kayak. He is always trying to get his brothers and sisters wet. He is always bumping them with the Classic 12. He doesn't have to worry about his flipping.

The Classic 12 is the fastest and safest kayak we have on the water, so my son is the king of the water with the Classic 12.

i bought my classic 12 used and love it... i have had a hard time finding a spray skirt for it because of the large cockpit but found one today at my local dicks sporting goods today.

I bought this as a first boat 4 years ago, and it is the best investment I have made, dollar for dollar, as long as I have been kayaking.
I have read other reviews and agree with the other boaters who state that this boat has very spartan appointments, however the stability and reliability of this Pungo clone is legendary. Most rec boaters consider the Pungo to be the kayak equivalent of the Toyota Camry or Honda Accord, and I believe this to be accurate. What you get with the C12 is not a Corolla or Civic, but a less well appointed version of a proven winner.
The footpegs are O.K., and realistically, anyone should set their feet before pushing off. The seat is bare but solid, and not easily adjusted while afloat, but again, get set before you shove off. Deck rigging is minimalistic, but really, how much is the average rec. boater going to lash onto the deck?
The bow and stern floats are pretty much ineffective except for keeping the boat from sinking when full of water (I am speaking from experience). However, there is a great deal of space available for camping gear and supplies if you think ahead and balance your load. I have gone island hopping with this and even carried several logs and a 1/2 case of beer in addition to campsite essentials.
The poly is thinner than a Pungo, but then again, you get what you pay for. This boat will distort if left on a rack , especially with straps taut and high ambient temperatures. No real need for a spray skirt with this type of boat unless you are paddling an extended trip and may encounter rain, but then again, why would you be on the water if you don't want to get wet?
I have owned numerous kayaks ans currently own Liquidlogic and Necky yaks, and while I enjoy them immensely, the C12 is an outstanding value. If you have an opportunity to snag one, do it.

I have now owned my C12 since 2004 and must say that it holds up quite well. My main idea of buying this low priced kayak was to fish Lake Erie and Presque Isle bay. Since I have purchased it though, I now find myself going kayaking without the poles and having a blast. I added the seat cushon, extra deck rigging, paddle rigging, knee pads (Highly reccommended), and a few other small details. For the 329.00 (Dicks) I paid for this, it is money WELL spent.

I just picked one up used, it's been in the water twice, and I paid $180 for it and a 4 pc paddle. The cockpit reminds me of my friend's Pungo 140, the wife loves the extra room. I haven't had it on the water, but it "looks" like it will be very stable, and should track well. Fit and finish is better than I expected, deck rigging has to go! I'll use existing holes to mount bungie guides and lash points rather than the simple factory rigging. The highback seat is much more comfortable than it looks.

I bought this one simply because it looked like a decent deal, and should make for a good base as a fishing rig. I'd think this would make a very good starter boat for the budget minded. I gave it a 7 now, but I expect that will rise after the first paddle day. In all honesty...if the seller had 2...I'd have bought both at this price each. It screams stability at first glance, and the huge cockpit would also ease the mind of a new kayaker. There's foam bow and stern, but it looks like only enough to keep the boat itself from sinking.

My other boats are...Perception Monarch 15, Necky Looksha Sport w/rudder, and an Old Town Discovery 158 canoe, I'm new to kayaking, been canoeing for 20 years.

Nice boat for the price. I put angler kit on and love it very versatile for creeks & streams (class one & two is all I’ve used it on) but even @ 260lbs I’ve got plenty room for fishing gear, very happy.

This is a very versatile boat. I paddle in moderate current rivers, slow streams, still lakes, and saltwater. The 12 footer tracks well and is faster than you would think. I fish and duck hunt out of mine as well. You can put a skirt on it, and store lots of gear underneath. A good buy and a good entry level boat for sure.

I Love My Kayak. This kayak model was previously manufactured Pungo Classic by Wilderness Systems. Confluence Watersports, recently created the Victory Kayak brand to be competitively priced. The differences between this and the previous model include simpler seat adjustments, narrower cockpit and better attachment of the foam flotation. Pretty much my husband and I have been hitting some of the smaller lakes out here and going up some rivers. The boat tracks well, the seat is very comfortable, there is a lot of room and it is very stable. It has alot of room for extras and with a weight capasity of 325lbs I can fit a lot of our camping gear. It weighs 49lbs but I have managed to put the boat on the car rack just fine by myself. The only thing that is a little uncomfortable for me is how low I sit in the boat and how high the sides are. My husband compaired it to paddling a bathtub. Although I don't think it's quite that extreme after paddling some other kayaks I definitely notice the height difference. But I am having a wonderful time with it and I am very happy with my purchase. 9 out of 10:-)

Looking for a good recreational kayak for a decent price? Confluence started a new company (Victory Kayaks) that has taken some of the old Wilderness System molds and made a line of budget kayaks. The Classic 12 is the old Pungo. I won't go through all of its features and instead I suggest those who want to get a sense of the Classic 12's performance to look at the Wilderness Systems' Pungo reviews.

A friend and I bought Classic 12s a couple of weeks ago and we're happy with them. Given that they are essentially re-badged Pungos, they have the same stability and superior tracking performance that people love Pungos for.

So what don't you get with a C12 that you would if you spent the extra money for a new Pungo? (1) Most noticeable is that you don't get one of those great Phase 3 seats. The C12 seat is pretty basic and could do with some cushioning. (2) There are also no bulkheads in the C12 and only a small rear hatch. The C12 flotation is a piece of pretty skimpy foam in the bow and stern, and I think at least one of these should be replaced with a flotation bag. Like the Pungo, the foot braces are also skimpy and some might want better ones. (3) The C12 has only minimal bungie cord rigging and more would be needed for anyone planning on carrying anything on deck. (4) As of 2004, I think the C12 only comes in the 4 primary colors (yellow, red, green, & blue).

Bottom line: If you want a less expensive, barebones yak that has most of the wonderful attributes of the Pungo, the Classic 12 may be what you're looking for. It's a good recreational kayak for beginners, and for those who'd like to pick up an extra one for not much $. Even though it lacks some of the nice features of the new Pungo, I give it an "8 out of 10" score because it paddles well and is lots of fun.