Recreational and Touring Kayak Buying Guide
Which is Best for Lakes: Recreational or Touring Kayak?
Beginners Guide to Recreational Kayak Gear
The Old Town Castine 140 Touring Kayak is a day touring kayak that comes in three different sizes, making it easier to find a model that fits just right. The Old Town Castine 140 Touring Kayak is built for the perfect balance of comfort and performance, all three models feature the all-new Slide-Away Day Hatch, adjustable thigh braces, and the ACS2 Seat you will feel like you are floating on a cloud all day long.
Old Towne Castine 140 Touring Kayak Review
Hey, my name is Rylan McCarthy. If you don’t know me I’m a photographer and filmmaker from the Lakeland, Alberta. I’m now in Calgary and a die hard lover for paddling.
I’m both a SUP and tour kayaker and have been paddling for about 8 years now, mainly flatwater. I got my Old Town Castine 140 kayak 3 years ago. This boat has gone through almost every condition and has been my vessel of choice and quickly became one of my top choices for touring kayaks on the market.
Today I wanted to share what I think is a need-to-know about the Castine 140, before you decide to purchase one yourself.
Old Towne Castine 140 Kayak First-Hand Experience
I’ve been paddling for many years and have had the chance to paddle a spectrum of different styled boats. From recreational kayaks, to some of the higher end touring boats, I’ve dabbled in a bit of everything when it comes to flat water paddling!
Over the past few seasons I’ve had the chance to paddle Old Town’s Castine 140!
I have put this boat to the test and paddled it into situations I’m not sure I was meant to go. It has been a stellar experience and I wanted to share my quick notes on the boat, so you can make an educated decision on the boat.
Old Towne Castine 140 Kayak PROs
If you’re looking for a higher end boat without breaking into the fibreglass lines, the Castine is a great option for you. It is fast, efficient and snappy on its turns. With its 14 feet in length it makes tracking across lakes easy, but has cutting edge performance for a boat of that length.
With that in mind, the Castine 140 in my opinion should only be bought with a rudder. With its rounded out hull this boat carves in the water like no other sea/ touring kayak I’ve paddled. Because of this the boat itself doesn’t track very straight without the rudder, but rig this kayak up with a rudder and it makes it the perfect crossover for oceans, lakes and slow moving rivers.
This boat would be a step up from the Wilderness Systems Tsunami in performance. Comfort is a must-have in a touring boat – Old Town’s performance seat is without a doubt my favourite seat in a kayak.
I tend to get a lot of lower back pain when kayaking – the Old Town’s seat is fully adjustable and positions perfectly to help with comfort while out on the water.
Before I broke into the Old Town boats I paddled the Wilderness Systems line. The seats are very comparable. If you’re looking for more of a cushiony seat, Wilderness Systems has everyone beat, but I found the Old Town seat to be perfect for my back!
A concern that is voiced by many paddlers is the fear of being trapped in the boat, feeling claustrophobic and stuck. Though, if you’re looking into touring boats, this point probably isn’t for you. The Castine is a great boat for those paddlers. It has a large cockpit making it easy to get in and out of and is very spacious and less confined.
Speaking of the cockpit, if you’re looking for a touring boat for paddling with a dog or kids, the Castile is an excellent choice. I paddled with a full-grown husky in my Castine 140. I'm not overly recommending you paddle with large breed dogs in a touring boat, but this would be an excellent choice for small dogs and kids!
And let’s not forget, Old Town has a sick lineup of colours to choose from!
Best for last, my favourite feature in the Castine, and something I wish all other kayaks would have, is the dry day box. It is located right underneath the bow of the boat and slides out on tracks to access it, but tucks away when not needed. An excellent bonus to the boat.
Old Towne Castine Pros
- Durable
- Tones of storage, perfect for longer trips and overnight adventures - Perfect boat for more advanced paddlers
- A step up from the Wilderness Systems Tsunami
- Snappy on its turns
- Stellar boat when paired with a rudder
- Tracks smoothly in the water
- Has a nice ratio between speed and performance
- Comfortable and adjustable seat
- Large cockpit
- Perfect for paddling with small dogs and kids
- Stellar colours
- And The Dry Box!
Old Towne Castine Kayak 140 CONs
Things you need to know BEFORE buying! Although I personally paddle the Castine and love the boat itself, it does come with its drawbacks that may be a deal breaker for a you.
What I feel to be the biggest fault with this boat is its weight. This boat is recognizably heavier than its competition. It is a lot to lug around by yourself, especially after a long day on the water.
I personally transport my Castine alone, but it surprisingly takes a lot of energy out of me when loading and unloading. If the majority of your time is spent paddling with people, the weight may not be an issue for you.
Secondly, with weight you would assume durability, and although this boat is durable it wasn’t as rugged as I thought it would be.
Don’t get confused, this boat is built tough and can take a beating, it can be rammed on shore and you can beat the daylights out of it. What I mean is the haul is softer than most touring kayaks.
The problem I’ve found with this is when I’m transporting it – you can’t just toss this kayak on your roof and tie it down, you need carriers and more specifically, J-Rack Carriers.
The hull is easily warped when tied down and I found this to be the case with every styled carrier other than the J-Racks. If this does happen don’t panic, the material does have a memory so it will warp back into shape over time, but still something to consider when buying this kayak (you will need J-racks for transporting, or at least recommended).
With performance comes a sacrifice in stability and traction. This boat is tippier than the Tsunami from Wilderness Systems, but the haul is shaped more for performance. If you are looking for a kayak that is stable and fast, I’d recommend the Tsunami over the Castine.
The Castine does track well, but you’re going to work harder than the 140 from Wilderness Systems. Speaking of traction, one thing I’ve also found with the Castine is packing your gear into the nose of the boat.
I’ve found if you are really paddling, the nose of the Castine will start to lift out of the water, rather than cutting through. Putting the weight of your gear in the front does help this. With that said if you are at a constant cruising speed there is no problem with traction, but if you’re racing your paddling partner or sprinting, the Castine will have a lot more drag with sudden speed.
Not a big issue, but something to note.
And finally, this boat needs a rudder. Without the rudder this kayak does not track straight in any manner. This has its purpose, but for touring around, the rudder needs to be installed and adds a little bit of an extra cost.
Old Towne Castine Cons
- Heavy
- Softer hull then the competition
- Extra Cost for special carriers
- Bit more unstable and doesn’t track as efficiently, but built for performance - Extra cost for rudder
Old Towne Castine Touring Kayak Review Summary
I hope you guys found this information helpful. Hands down I recommend this kayak to paddlers and has become my favourite boat to paddle to date.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us or visit us in store!
Cheers!
Rylan McCarthy
Photographer | Filmmaker | Adventurer
@rylansphotolife
Specifications
| Activity | Touring |
| Style | Sit-Inside |
| Number of Paddlers | 1 |
| Propulsion | Paddle |
| Material | Single Layer Polyethylene |
| Seat Type | Active Comfort System 2.0 (ACS2) |
| Length | 14' | 4.3 m |
| Width | 24.75 in | 62.9 cm |
| Cockpit | 38 in x 20 in | 96.5 cm x 50.8 cm |
| Deck Height | 15 in | 38.1 cm |
| Weight Capacity | 375 lb | 170 kg |
| Number of Bulkheads | 2 |
| Hatch | Stern, Bow |
| Bow Hatch Capacity | 4619 cu in / 75.7 l |
| Stern Hatch Capacity | 4851 cu in / 79.5 l |
| Total Hatch Capacity | 9470 cu in | 155.2 l |
| Weight | 53 lb | 24 kg |
| UPC | 0759239297483 |
Features
-
ACS2 seat with low profile backrest
-
Removable slide-track day storage
-
Quick Seal Hatches with CrossLock
-
Bow & stern bulkheads
-
Thigh braces
-
Phone cradle
-
Adjustable foot braces
-
Deck rigging rope & bungees
-
Bow & stern carry handles
-
Rudder ready (rudder sold separately)