Old Town Discovery 119 Solo Sportman

Size and Weight

The Discovery 119 Solo Sportsman is a hybrid kayak/canoe that boasts a 11’9” (3.5 m) length and an 18” (45.7 cm) bow height. Thanks to its reasonable length, this boat offers naturally good tracking ability for a solo paddler, but is still small enough to cartop on your own.

At 56 lbs (25.4 kg), the Discovery 119 Solo Sportsman has a manageable weight for a boat this size but is not the lightest in its class. For reference, the similarly-sized Native Ultimate 12, which is also a kayak/canoe hybrid, weighs in at 44 lbs (20 kg). While we wouldn’t call this boat very light, its two built-in carry handles do make it fairly easy to transport.

Capacity

Thanks to its hybrid canoe design and three-layer polyethylene hull, the Discovery 119 Solo Sportsman is capable of carrying an impressive 354 lbs (160.5 kg) on the water. After accounting for the fact that you shouldn’t load a boat more than 80% of its maximum capacity, this hybrid canoe can still hold up to 283.2 lbs (128.6 kg).

That’s more than enough to accommodate most paddlers and a day’s worth of fishing and hunting gear. Since the boat has an open-deck canoe-style layout, it also provides ample gear storage and enough space for your dog, too.

Features

Perhaps the most important feature of the Discovery 119 Solo Sportsman is its expansive cockpit. Since this boat is a canoe/kayak hybrid, it combines all the comforts of an open-deck boat with the performance that comes with sitting closer to the water line.

Additionally, Old Town outfitted this boat with a contoured kayak-style seat. This seat is also fully adjustable for added comfort. Therefore, the Discovery 119 Solo Sportsman provides way more in terms of back support than the bench-style seats normally found in a canoe.

When it comes to hunting and fishing-specific features, the Discovery 119 Solo Sportsman doesn’t disappoint. It has a built-in shotgun shell and tackle storage system for easy access to your gear. Plus, the boat comes with two flush-mounted rod holders located just behind your seat for added convenience.

Should you want to mount fish finders, GPS devices, GoPros, or other accessories to your boat, this model also comes with a recessed accessory track located on the forward thwart. Moreover, it has plenty of cargo space for your camping gear, duck decoys, or even a cooler so you don’t have to worry about transporting all your equipment.

Performance

As we’ve mentioned, due to its longer length, the Discovery 119 Solo Sportsman naturally provides decent tracking ability in calm water.

Additionally, Old Town gave this hybrid canoe a shallow arch hull. This means that it provides a good mix of primary and secondary stability. That way, you can comfortably paddle in both calm and slightly choppy conditions without sacrificing speed.