Wilderness Systems Pamlico 145T

Size and Weight

The Pamlico 145T has a length of 14’ 6” (442 cm), a width of 31” (79 cm) and a deck height of 16″ (41 cm). It is almost a foot longer than its smaller sibling, the Pamlico 135T.

With a weight of 73 lbs (33 kg), this boat is relatively light for a tandem. The cockpit is 90” (229 cm) long and 22.75” (58 cm) wide, which is enough for two people. The maximum capacity of this boat is 550 lbs. (249 kg), which means that two average sized individuals with some gear will not overload it.

Features

When looking at the Pamlico 145T, the first feature on the bow is the carrying handle. It is made of heavy-duty plastic and can be used to attach a strap or bungee cord to secure the kayak while transporting it. If you wish to use the carrying handles as an attachment point, make sure that the strap is fastened securely, and there is no fraying whatsoever.

On the front deck, there is a bungee cord to secure anything you need at hand while on the water. There is no designated storage compartment inside the bow, but you can still use the area forward of the cockpit by stowing a medium-sized dry bag inside.

The Pamlico 145T comes with Wilderness Systems’ “Phase 3 AirPro” seats. The backrests adjust for height and tilt, so it is easy to find a comfortable position. Moreover, the front portion of the seat can be raised to relieve stress on your legs. Both paddlers also get foam knee pads that add a lot of comfort on longer trips.

A strong point of this boat is how easy it is to convert to a solo configuration. Just take out the rear seat and slide the front seat back towards the center. The footrests will accommodate for this move as well. Not all tandem kayaks can do this.

Further back, a foam bulkhead seals off the storage compartment in the stern. It is accessible via a waterproof Orbix hatch. There have been some complaints about the flimsy plastic of the hatch locking mechanism, so pay attention here.

Pamlico 145T is rudder ready but does not come with a rudder. A foot-controlled rudder will set you back about $300, which is pretty significant considering the price of the boat itself.

The stern carrying handle is the same as the one on the bow.

Performance

This kayak performs reasonably well in most conditions including light currents and moderate wind. Note that the handling characteristics of this kayak are going to be more reliant on the teamwork between the two paddlers. Since it is quite long at 14’6″ (442 cm) long, you can expect this boat to track quite nicely.

The rounded hull allows quick acceleration and good speed, letting you cover larger distances. However, this hull design is not the most stable, so it may take some getting used to.