Ocean Kayak Malibu Pedal

Size, weight, capacity

The Malibu Pedal is just 12 ft. (3.7 m) long, but this short stature is expanded somewhat by the 34.5 in. (87.6 cm) width. This kayak is both easy to transport and store, but also really stable on the water.

As a kayak for all the family, as well as fishing adventures, you would expect the Malibu Pedal to have a healthy weight capacity. With the ability to carry up to 450 lbs. (204 kg), it doesn’t disappoint.

Of course, no pedal powered kayaks are on the light end of things. Even with its smaller stature, the Malibu Pedal weighs in at a hefty 105 lbs. (47.6 kg).

Features

The pedal drive system is efficient and easy to use. For launching and landing, the drive can be raised out of the way, so you can hit the beach without worrying about your propeller. Ocean Kayak covers this system with a five-year warranty. The rudder is robust and controlled by a hand-operated lever beside the seat.

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The seat on the Malibu Pedal is fully adjustable. As well as the ability to alter the back rest, you can move the whole system back and forth along the slide-track. This quick adjustability means you can change paddler without a rigorous set-up every time. The seat’s mesh design makes it highly breathable and lets it drain any water that might collect on it.

First and foremost, the Malibu Pedal is designed for anglers. Two rod mounts behind the seat and one forward facing mount let you take your rods with you on the water. A universal transducer mount makes for a quick installation for your fish finder and two accessory mounts let you fully customise your set-up.

Storage on the Malibu Pedal comes in the form of two tank wells, located at the bow and stern. These are both secured with bungee to keep your boxes, bags and coolers safe.

Carrying handles at the bow and stern, as well as two alongside the seat, give you plenty of options when moving the Malibu Pedal around on the land.

Performance

The Malibu Pedal has an extremely efficient pedal system, which allows you to take to the water for hours at a time without any undue fatigue. This is aided by the comfortable and well ventilated seating system. The only issue noted is that particularly tall kayakers may struggle to move the seat far enough back to not feel cramped when pedalling.

Away from the pedal system, this is a stable and easy to manoeuver kayak, but making tight turns with the rudder system can be a tricky task. The angling features are well designed and overall this is a kayak which performs well on a range of lakes and rivers.

The easy-docking system, where you can move the propeller clear of the water, is a bonus too.

The drawbacks tend to come off the water, where the huge weight of this kayak makes it difficult to move around and load into trucks.