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I first tried the Prowler 13 in Monterey, CA. Loved how it handled in the waves, the stability and tracking. Came back to Ohio and tried to find one but rarely are they on the used market here. Finally bought a blue camo one from Austin Kayak ($679 delivered) and absolutely love it.

I use it on moving water (up to Class II rapids) and well as flat water. At 28" wide its fast particularly compared to the newer, wider SOTs. Use of scupper plugs keeps the rider dry. But I pull them on moving water with rapids.

I have a 15' OK Scupper Pro for long distance on lakes and rivers and a Scrambler 11 for tighter rivers. But if I had to choose and only keep one kayak, as a versatile, do anything kayak, can't beat the Prowler 13'. Sure its a bit heavy but its a sit on top. Get a set of wheel and you can take it anywhere.

The Prowler 15 was always at the top of my list of kayaks I wanted to own. Luckily I found one at REI for a great price.

What do I like about it:
• 29" width combined with over 15' length makes this one fast kayak compared to some of the wider ones that paddle like barges
• great tracking
• Lots of legroom - I'm 6'2" and even with footbraces designed to accommodate rudder, I still had more than enough leg room
• Tons of storage - large front hatch, center rod storage allows access to entire kayak, small cover for fish finer which doubles as great storage for keys, small dry boxes, etc and large tank well
• 550 pounds capacity - at 240 pounds, I do not feel I am riding on the water - lots of freeboard

Cons - with rudder its tail heavy so handles not longer are centered to the load.

I rated a 10 as it fit my needs exactly. Your needs may vary...

Conditions on local lake was strong wind blowing directly to shore. First impression was how stable it was with small waves hitting it broadside. I turned into the wind and was amazed how fast it was and how easily it handled - turned like a 10' kayak, tracked like one much longer. Very comfortable seat. Will try soon on Class I/II rivers to see if it works as an all around kayak. River has some wave trains so will be interesting to see if with 13' length hull can quickly recover from first wave and not plow through second wave but rather ride over it.

I've owned a Riviera for years but dismissed the Regal until a friend decided she wanted to part with it. It paddles just like a Riviera which is great. The other positive is I can but a skirt on it and paddle through bigger rapids without filling the kayak as I did with the Riviera. So I now use the Riviera on slow moving streams and the Regal on faster moving streams - great pair of kayaks!

I had the Rip 12 recreational kayak out this week on the Flatwater River in Indiana. This is a Class I/II stream. Flow was up where the playboaters like it. The Rip performed flawlessly during the 7 mile paddle. Stable through the rough stuff and easy to turn when changing a line through a rapid. The contour of the bow allowed the kayak to ride over the wave rather than punch through it like some of my other rec kayaks. Very comfortable ride with the great Necky seat. Dry compartment in the back kept everything in it dry.

If you are looking for one kayak to use on Class I/II rivers or on flatwater, I highly recommend the Rip 12.

I bought the Necky Rip 12 last September to use over the winter as my sit inside kayak. It's very stable and tracks quite well. The speed isn't bad for a kayak 28 inches wide. I love the large cockpit. If you don't want water in it, just buy a skirt. The rear hatch is water tight and provides a large amount of storage.

I've owned several Pungo 120s - probably the best selling 12' rec kayak. The Rip 12 compares favorably to the Pungo 120 in every respect - impossible to tell them apart when paddling.

I picked up the kayak used with a paddle for $200. Added a back band rather than a full seat as you sit so deep in the kayak that is all you need. I've had it on rivers and lakes. I agree with everyone who said the kayak is fast and stable. I'm 6'2", 230 pounds and have no issues fitting in the kayak. Very comfortable for extended paddles. I use scupper plugs so the ride is dry. Only drawback is that is has very little rocker so the waves will roll over the bow.

If you can only have one kayak but you want to do moving water as well as flat water, plus maybe an ocean then this is the kayak for you.

The quality is top of the line. Mine is 10 years old and looks brand new. Only other item I added were side carry handles as this makes it much easier loading into J-rack.

I just purchased my second Jackson Riviera. The newest addition is the version made from crosslink. I highly recommend this sit on top. It's great for exploring small streams as it has a shallow draft. Its great on flat water lakes but with a length of 11'4" long don't try to keep up with longer touring kayaks. Its great on flowing streams. And it surfs great.

• No scuppers - no problem. Just carry a bilge pump if you want the water out.
• You can easily attach padeyes for thigh straps.
• The built-in front and rear carry handles makes it easy to secure if storing outside or while on your rack.
• The built in seat back in extremely comfortable.
• And as it was designed for livery use, it's one tough boat.

If you are looking for one kayak to cover a range of uses, this is the kayak to buy.

Picked these up as I was too tired of wrestling my OK Scupper Pro into the J-racks. They work great. The kayak fits perfectly. While they have no adjustments other than location on the cross bars, they are a great product for the money. I have 6 other kayaks. If the hull doesn't conform to the saddles. I'll just flip the kayak over as the decks will fit.

Picked this kayak up recently to use on both lakes and rivers. I'm 6'2 - 220 pounds and it fits great. Just got done with a 2 hour paddle on a lake and for a sit on top it was extremely comfortable. A lot due to the built in seat and the position of the foot pegs. Construction is solid. Stability is top notch - very similar to my Ocean Kayaks.