Perception Cove Tandem 14.5

Among the best in its class, the Perception Cove Tandem 14.5 offers a spacious cockpit that you can easily board and exit, accommodate your family and take a long trip sitting in comfort, paddling your way supported by the kayak’s performance and stability.

RELATED: Best Tandem Kayaks

Size and Weight

With a bulky length of 14’6″ (445 cm), width of 31.25″ (79 cm), deck profile of 15.75″ (40 cm) and at a weight of 71 lbs (31 kg), the Cove Tandem 14.5 is surprisingly portable and easy to manage with the help of your paddling partner and some transportation gear.

Perception optimized the kayak’s weight and load distribution, making it ultra-light, yet capable of bearing a maximum load of 550 lbs (249 kg). This allows you to go on a weekend camping and paddling trip with your partner, not compromising on the gear you bring. Depending on your stature, and being careful not to load the craft with more than 80 percent of its maximum weight capacity, you can also take your child and dog on a cruise with you.

Materials

Perception makes their kayaks from a proprietary High-Density Polyethylene material using the company-specific, one-piece rotational molding technology. The process involves pouring beads of polyethylene into the mold, which gets heated up and slowly rotated so that the material fills up every nook and cranny. After the mold cools down, you get a one-piece, leak-proof construction that is extremely rugged and durable.

Features

Perception Cove Tandem 14.5 comes rudder capable – a feature than less affordable sit-inside recreational kayaks don’t provide. It also comes with a replaceable skid plate.

You can carry the boat’s weight by two toggle handles at the front and rear.

Having a sturdy foam bulkhead at the stern enables efficient buoyancy, improved safety, and a sizeable water-resistant storage area accessed through the round hatch.
Outfitted with bungees in the rear and throughout the whole front section, both paddlers in the Cove have plenty of room to stow their gear or access it on demand. The bungees at the bow often double as paddle parks.

The roomy cockpit with its dimensions of (LxW): 90″x22.75″ (229×58 cm) is padded along the edges to protect the paddlers’ legs and serves in maintaining the appropriate posture for a multiple-hour activity.

The trimmable seats offer all-sized yakkers a comfortable seating fit, matched with the adjustable foot braces and your partner in the cockpit.
The bow seat slides fore and aft on a set of rails providing solo paddling configuration. The backrest and base seat are durable and padded with thick foam covered with quick-dry fabric. Having a quality ergonomic design, the Cove 14.5 seats can support your back and paddling style on longer trips.

Performance

Perception Cove 14.5 Tandem is a well-rounded performer.

The sleek, spear-shaped hull gives us the right idea of how fast this kayak can be. If the paddlers are synchronized, the 14.5 footer can achieve excellent speed.

The Covet offers superb stability with its 31.25″ beam, but more important is the low seating that keeps the paddlers centered. The added flotation from the bulkhead is another factor why it is difficult to capsize this kayak after you get used to its construction and behavior on the water.

In terms of maneuverability, the Cove has a fast response to paddle strokes, but the length prevents a sharp turning radius on a dime. This is entirely normal for a light touring kayak. Under the circumstances, the Cove handles well on the water.

On calm waters like sheltered open lakes and peaceful bays, the Perception Cove 14.5 tracks remarkably well and can hold the line independently. This may change if you enter more choppy, open-lake water, but if a rudder is deployed, the kayak can track remarkably well in rough and windy conditions as well.

Warranty

Perception kayaks are warranted against material or manufacturing defects in the hull and deck for five years from the date of the original purchase of the kayak. Parts, accessories, and outfitting are warranted for one year.
To learn more about Perception Kayaks’ warranty terms and conditions, click here.