Old Town Sportsman BigWater PDL 132 Review
The Old Town Sportsman BigWater PDL 132 is one of the most capable pedal fishing kayaks on the market — and one of the heaviest. Here's the full story.
If you fish big water — open bays, tidal rivers, large reservoirs — the Old Town Sportsman BigWater PDL 132 is built for you. It’s stable, fast on the pedals, and loaded with smart fishing features. The catch: it weighs 130-plus pounds rigged and costs around $2,700. This review covers what you get for that money, what the on-water experience actually feels like, and where the boat will test your patience.
Specs & Build
The BigWater PDL 132 is a purpose-built offshore and big-lake angler. At 13 feet 2 inches long and 36 inches wide, it sits in a category of its own — wider than most pedal kayaks at this length, which translates directly into stability. The hull is roto-molded polyethylene, the same tough-but-heavy construction Old Town has used for decades. It holds up to sand launches, dock rubs, and the occasional rocky bank without drama.
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Length | 13’2″ |
| Width | 36″ |
| Weight (hull only) | ~115 lb |
| Weight (rigged with drive + seat) | 130–135 lb |
| Max Capacity | 500 lb |
| Pedal Drive | Old Town PDL (drop-down prop, instant reverse) |
| Seat | Ergocast Dual-Position suspension seat |
| Tankwell Volume | XL rear tankwell with bungee and rod staging |
| MSRP | ~$2,700 |
The 500-pound capacity is genuinely class-leading. You can load gear, a full crate, a cooler, and still have headroom before you’re pushing limits. The deck layout is organized around fishing: molded rod holders fore and aft, a bow hatch with a dry storage compartment, and a large rear tankwell that fits a standard milk crate or tackle bag with room to spare. The standing platform in the cockpit area is broad and flat enough to stand and cast without white-knuckling the gunwales — a legitimately useful feature for sight fishing. If you’re curious how it stacks up against other designs, our stand-up fishing kayaks guide covers the field.
On the Water & Pedal Drive
The Old Town PDL drive system is the centerpiece of this kayak, and it earns its reputation. The prop-based design (as opposed to fin-based systems like Hobie’s MirageDrive) delivers strong forward thrust at a comfortable cadence — you’re not spinning your legs furiously to maintain speed. Cruising at 3 to 3.5 mph feels relaxed, and sprint bursts to 4-plus mph are achievable when you need to reposition quickly ahead of a tide change or beat weather.
The standout feature is instant reverse. A simple lever flip engages reverse thrust without stopping, lifting, or resetting anything. For anglers who need to back off a flat quietly or hold position against current without an anchor, this is a genuine advantage over fin-drive systems. It works. It’s smooth. You’ll use it constantly once you get used to having it.
Stability is the other headline. The 36-inch beam and deep-V-meets-flat-bottom hull design creates a platform that doesn’t punish you for leaning hard to net a fish or reaching past your gunwale for a rod. It tracks well in open-water chop and handles beam seas better than narrower kayaks of similar length. It’s not a touring hull — don’t expect it to glide like a sea kayak — but for fishing in exposed conditions, the ride is confidence-inspiring. For a broader look at how pedal fishing kayaks compare on the water, see our best pedal kayaks roundup.
The Ergocast suspension seat is legitimately comfortable for long days. It mounts in two positions — low for paddling or rough water, high for sight fishing and casting leverage — and the adjustment takes seconds. Lumbar support is real, not cosmetic. After six-plus hours on the water, fatigue is in your legs from pedaling, not in your back from a bad seat.
One honest note on weight: 130 pounds on the water is manageable because the kayak is stable and balanced. The problem is getting there. Loading and unloading without a cart and a second person is a back injury waiting to happen. Plan your logistics before you buy.
Pros and Cons
After extended time on the water, here is where the BigWater PDL 132 earns its stripes — and where it will frustrate you.
- PDL drive with instant reverse — genuinely one of the best pedal systems available; smooth, powerful, and the reverse works flawlessly in real fishing scenarios
- Exceptional stability — the wide beam lets you stand and cast, reposition, and fight fish without feeling like you’re negotiating with the hull
- 500-pound capacity — room for serious gear loads, multi-day trips, or heavier anglers without sacrificing freeboard
- Built for big water — handles open bays, tidal rivers, and large reservoirs where narrower kayaks get nervous
- Ergocast dual-position seat — all-day comfort and fast height adjustment are real, not marketing copy
- Smart deck layout — rod holders, hatches, and the tankwell are placed where anglers actually need them
- Tough hull construction — roto-molded poly handles hard launches and rough handling without drama
- Very expensive (~$2,700) — you’re paying a premium for the PDL system and Old Town’s build quality; budget-conscious buyers will find capable alternatives for $1,000 less
- Extremely heavy (130+ lb rigged) — this is not a solo car-topper; without a wheeled cart and a helper at the ramp, this kayak will wear you out before you fish
- Needs a trailer or serious cart — roof rack transport is technically possible but impractical at this weight; factor in trailer or cart costs if you don’t already own one
- Slow to load and unload alone — the weight and size mean launching and retrieval add real time to every trip, especially at busy ramps
- Not a touring hull — efficiency suffers on long-distance paddles if the drive is out; this is a fishing platform, not a distance boat
For context on how this fits within the broader fishing kayak market, the best fishing kayaks guide breaks down the full range from budget to premium.
Who It's For & Value
The Old Town Sportsman BigWater PDL 132 is built for a specific angler: someone fishing exposed, challenging water who wants to do it from a pedal kayak without compromising stability or capacity. If that describes your fishing — coastal bays, big tidal rivers, large reservoirs with afternoon wind chop — this kayak delivers in ways that cheaper boats genuinely cannot. The PDL drive’s instant reverse alone changes how you fish current and structure. The platform stability changes how confidently you stand and cast.
If you fish calm ponds, small lakes, or calm rivers and rarely load more than a rod bag and a soft cooler, you’re paying for capability you won’t use. A lighter, less expensive pedal kayak will serve you just as well and be dramatically easier to move.
The weight issue is real and worth planning around before you commit. Anglers who solo-launch regularly — especially at unimproved ramps, sandy beaches, or launch sites with long carries — should either budget for a high-quality kayak cart as part of the purchase or honestly reconsider the fit. This is not a criticism of the design; it’s the physics of a premium, full-featured fishing platform. The 500-pound capacity and wide hull have to come from somewhere.
On value: at $2,700, the BigWater PDL 132 is expensive by kayak standards and reasonable by fishing-platform standards. You’re getting a pedal drive system that would cost $700-plus standalone, a seat that costs $200-plus standalone, and a hull that will outlast multiple seasons of hard use. The total package is priced like what it is — a serious tool, not a toy. If the budget is there and the use case matches, the value holds up. If you’re stretching your budget to reach it, the honest advice is to buy one step down and spend the difference on fishing days.
