Old Town® Introduces Pedal-driven Predator PDL™
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Advanced human-powered fishing watercraft offers unrivaled hands-free boat control and fishability, including forward and reverse
Old Town, Maine (July 8, 2014): For over a century, Old Town® Canoes & Kayaks has raised the bar in personal watercraft, offering paddle-driven solutions for passionate anglers and boaters.
But it isn’t all J-strokes with the iconic Maine, USA-based watercraft builder. Although the company is renowned for its strong boat-building heritage, they’re also a progressive team committed to innovating new watercraft technologies.
Case in point, in 2014 Old Town partnered with Minn Kota® to launch the Predator XL Minn Kota—an “Ultimate Fishing Machine” powered by 45 lbs. of stealth-quiet saltwater-grade power. Media and buyer enthusiasm was palpable, culminating in ICAST’s highest New Product Showcase honors—“Best Boat” and “Best of Show.” Since, the Predator XL Minn Kota has put anglers on fish faster in hard-to-reach waters.
This year, Old Town introduces another paradigm-shifting watercraft after three years in development. Unequivocally, it is the most advanced pedal-driven personal watercraft on Earth—an angling assault vehicle that offers unrivaled hands-free boat control and fishability.
Please help us welcome the newest member to the Old Town Predator family: Predator PDL.
“The Predator PDL completely redefines the pedal-driven fishing kayak category,” said David Hadden, Brand Director for Johnson Outdoors Watercraft. “Our engineers spent over three years building not only the most durable, dependable, fastest, quietest, and easy-to-use pedal-driven mechanism in the industry, but the perfect hull and boat design complement from the ground up. Our goal was to create a Predator that offers the best pedal fishing experience on the planet.”
He continues: “Anglers were unanimous. The ultimate pedal boat had to have forward and reverse, which are essential for boat control and pinpoint positioning in wind, current, and around structure.”
The result is the perfect boat for avid kayak anglers who need forward and reverse dexterity, prefer casting over paddling, yet still want some form of exercise. Similarly, the Predator PDL offers hunters a great way to access waters where motors are restricted.
The Technology: Old Town PDL Drive™
To that end, the Old Town PDL Drive is a brilliant piece of engineering founded on proven technologies in the lifecycle market. The result is an easy to carry, operate and stow system that efficiently converts modest pedaling into maximum propulsion. A 10.3:1 gear ratio means that anglers can reach speeds up to 5.5 mph to reach fishing spots fast and efficiently. A proprietary weedless prop design creates the perfect combination of efficiency, speed, and torque. Additionally, Pedal Drive allows smooth forward and reverse and a small turn radius allow for the ultimate in boat control via one-handed rudder control on the boat itself.
“We also knew the system had to dock, deploy and stow quickly and easily, run in shallow water, but also pivot up quickly for navigating underwater obstacles. That was another considerable engineering hurdle,” said Hadden.
What Old Town engineers designed is a compact, lightweight and rugged machine, with 16” of draft for navigating skinny waters, and a unique pivot and docking system that allows users to go from parked to peddling (or vice versa) in seconds. This also means anglers can avoid obstacles almost instantaneously and beach the boat virtually anywhere. A mere 21 lbs., the PDL Drive console is easy to transport; it even floats. Padded pedals allow for bare-footed comfort, and a carry handle makes for easy transport.
Predator PDL specifications
- Length: 13’ 2”
- Width: 36″
- Weight: 117 lbs. (Pedal Drive: 21 lbs.)
- Carrying Capacity: 500 lbs
- Predator PDL MSRP $2,799.99
- Forward and reverse for exact boat control in wind and current
- Smooth, quiet and easy to pedal
- Removable pedal drive installs in seconds and tips up instantly for shallow-water docking
- Fast and maneuverable, with one-hand-operated rudder steering
- Specially-designed hull with generous width for stability and storage
- Includes accessory mounting plates, Element Seating System and other standard Predator features
- Ease of transport
- Low maintenance
Like other Predator models, the Predator PDL is infinitely customizable with rigging accessories from Cannon®, Scotty™, YakAttack®, RAM®, and more. Launching at ICAST (booth #3647) this month, the Predator PDL will begin shipping to dealers in September 2016.
