Otter XT Review

One of the cheapest yaks just might be the Ultimate Microfishing Vessel

By Randy Parker

Imagine what it would be like to literally sit on the surface of the water with your feet in front of you and paddle yourself around. The closest thing in real life is paddling the Otter XT. There's barely any boat there. Yet it can take you on great adventures. This is a review of the venerable Old Town Otter XT as a casual paddling kayak and also as a fishing boat.

First, a warning

The Otter XT by Old Town is modest in every way, minimalist, even. That's why I like it. The standard Otter (sans XT), however, is too minimalist. It has no foot braces or paddle park. In order to paddle correctly, using your legs and torso, you must have foot braces. It is unfathomable to me that Old Town would sell a kayak without them. Also, the smaller the boat, the more necessary a paddle park becomes. You will want one on the Otter. So, if you think you'd like an Otter, make sure you buy the XT. Drilling holes in the side of your boat to add foot braces just isn't something you are going to want to do.

Performance

The Otter XT is fun. Everyone in my family likes to paddle it. It is light and maneuverable and responds to your every movement. Getting it up to speed and maintaining speed requires little effort. Of course, a boat's waterline determines its ultimate speed. A 9' 6" foot boat isn't going to break any speed records, although you may feel like you are flying. A short boat like this won't track very well, either. In other words, when you take a deep stroke on the left side, the nose of the boat turns right. So, every stroke has your boat waddling its way forward. You quickly learn to take quick, shallow strokes to minimize the zigzagging. On the plus side, a short boat like this is perfect for paddling rivers and streams that have tight turns. Also, the short length allows the boat to be transported inside many vans and SUVs. And at 39 lbs, it can be handled easily by just about anybody.

Stability

Like all kayaks of this type, stability under way is very high. It's when you are sitting still that you have to be careful. The bigger and taller you are, the more careful you have to be. I have flipped out of the Otter XT while trying to get out dockside. My teen-aged daughter, on the other hand, has never had a problem.

Fishing on a budget


As you can tell from the photos, my Otter XT has been converted to the Otter B Fishin'. It just might be the ultimate microfishing vessel. I added bungees fore and aft. Perfect for keeping things like my bilge pump and tackle box handy. I also added an Attwood removable rod holder. Fish usually go on the floor between my legs until I can get back to shore and an ice chest. Or you could use a stringer. Total bill for everything, including the boat? About $350. That was a few years ago, and the boat, itself, has gone up a bit. Still, pretty cheap for a fishing platform. One bungee kit from Harmony was enough to do both decks.



Reality check

Okay, so do I prefer my Otter B Fishin' to my Perception Caster 12.5 for fishing? Well, no, not for longer fishing excursions. A boat like the Otter XT is very stable when under way, but, sitting still, it is a bit tippy for someone six feet tall, 175 lbs. This is not a problem if I'm going out for a paddle. However, for fishing, staying centered in the boat is critical, and that takes constant vigilance. I can never fully relax in the Otter. That said, I don't mind using it for fishing in shorter periods of time, say an hour or two. There's something magical about a 40 lb. boat. The idea that something so small and light and portable can take you to where the fish are.

Doing more with less is always appealing to me. Less length, less bulk, less money. That's the Otter XT. Although the MSRP is $339, you can still find it on sale for $299.

For a little more about my experiences with the Otter XT, go here.

	Otter XT
Length	9' 6" / 2.9 m
Width	28.5" / 72.3 cm
Cockpit	19" x 38" / 48.2 x 96.5 cm
Depth	12" / 30.4 cm
Weight	39 lbs / 17.6 kg
Max Load Range	225 - 275 lbs / 102 - 124.7 kg
Suggested Retail	$339.00 US