izzetafox

A few weeks ago I was contacted by Ant Perkins from System X who are importers of a large range of kayaks and related products including Native Watercraft, Kokatat, Ctug and Scotty. http://www.systemxeurope.com/ Ant was interested in the growth of coarse fishing from kayaks and saw a link to the American Bass fishing scene and wondered how a US boat would fare on UK freshwater. He decided to take a gamble on importing a Slayer 12'. For those that do not know, Native set up a Facebook page in the states for anglers to offer likes and dislikes through the Native range and what they would like to see in a new boat. http://www.nativewatercraft.com/boat_overview.cfm Native already have a wide range of very popular boats in the US but are best known in the UK for the Manta Ray which has a reputation as a competent and well made boat. Many will see links between the Manta and the Slayer but I digress. The Slayer is as I have said a fisherman's boat, stable, comfortable and spacious. First impression was what a great finish the boat had and everything a a 'quality' feel about it' Basic specifications are: Length: 12' 366 cm Width: 31" 79 cm Weight: 70 lbs 32 kg Capacity: 400 lbs 181 kg Like me it is no lightweight but look at the capacity, definitely capable of handling my 15 stone. But as has been said elsewhere custom moulding styles all add to the weight of kayaks. The Slayer has a tri hull design which will offer great stability. Note the 10 scupper holes large and efficient I would guess. Lets start at the bows. The yanks asked for a bow storage area that can be accessed whilst on the water and they got it. No chance of swamping here. A decent sized open area with two scuppers , a bungee cord to secure gear. Note that the cord is secured by clips fitted to the track strips. These clips can be moved or removed completely. The 'Groove' will accept a range of Scotty accessories which can be moved and removed simply. And a cover will be available. The black lid behind the bow storage is a secure access point to the hull for fitting a transducer and battery holder. There is alson another section of Groove for the FF mount or GPS holder. Encapsulated threads ensure security with repeated unscrewing. There is a very large cockpit area with a surprisingly flat floor, ideal for those that want to stand up for fish sighting or casting. There are six large scuppers here all with supplied scupper bungs if you need to keep all water out. Again along both sides of the cockpit there is the 'Groove' system for all your Scotty bits and pieces. There is the obligatory cup holder and a flat area with rubberised base and bungee for tackle box holding. The bungee is just long enough to hold the Flambeau box favoured by P13 owners, but for convenience you would probably use a 2" longer length of bungee if that is the size of box you use. Either side of the battery access area is a grooved ruburized are which is great for laying a rod on. A pair or adjustable foot pegs replace the usual 'wedges' keeping the floor flat. Moving back to the rear area, immediately behind the cockpit is a black rubber cover which when opened exposes a white plastic 'cup' for storing smallitens, the cup in turn can be lifted out to give access inside the hull if required for accessory fitting. The rear storage is very large and more than adequate, again two large scuppers and an embossed ring shape in case you use a bait bucket. As with the bows there is a bungee secured by moveable clips in the accessory 'Groove' track. There are solid carry handles front and rear. Central carrying handles are also rigid and rubberized and at the point of balance making carrying easier. At the reat there are three large screws into encapsulated threads. Some like these some don't but having tried it on tarmac it does what it is supposed to do. When you look closely at the stern there are two recesses in the hull suggesting the screws may be for an optional rudder. Now we come to the luxury part of this kayak ....the seat. Some will criticise this but others are going to love it. This is a very solid seat that will have you smiling when you sit on it. It is designed to be a hi-lo seat. The above pic is low and this is the high which along with the chance to stand may appeal to fly anglers. Seat and back are padded and of a similar material to that which is now being used in garden chairs. The seat is securely fixed front and rear with clips. You may have noticed the lure box alongside the chair. This is another clever feature there is a recess in the hull either side of the chair with a bungee across it. Depending on the size of box it can be stored portrait or landscape. With taller boxes a extra pice of bungee could be added to the webbing to go over the top for additional security. Oh yes....the question frequently asked........ You CAN fit a Ctug in the front hatch. This looks like a great kayak that will cover a wide range of applications and not just coarse anglers. Looking at the bow and hull shape I suspect it should rise over the surf when doing a beach launch. Once surprising omission is a paddle keep. But a couple of minutes with a rivet gun could soon sort this. I guess the anchor trolley could make use of the stern screws to achieve a central fixing point. I hope to get her onto the water over Christmas or the New Year. I will let your know when and where in case you can make it. Regardless it will come to the next CKF meet for everyone to have a try. This is the first of it's kind in the UK and as such it is not in the UK pricelist. I am expecting details soon and will post when I have them. If you have any queries or comments do not hesitate to ask. BTW......I LIKE IT !! I cannot wait to get her wet. Terry

Thursday morning saw the arrival of the Fatyak Kaafu for review. The Kaafu came with two tube style rod holders fitted and before I put it on the water I wanted to put a few extras on to make it more of a fishing kayak. I had to have words with Neil at H20 kayaks to get some bits and Saturday morning saw them arrive. I was ready to go. Firstly lets have a look at the kayak as delivered.....it was bright orange. You won't miss me on the water But hey what is the difference between orange, green or white when a fish looks up through ten feet of cloudy water? She comes in at just short of 10 ft long and 30 ins wide The first things you notice are the two hatches with lids. The lids I can say are really tight, mind you I think the temperature made them stiffer. A quick spray with WD40 made them easier. Two small moulded tubs sit beloe these lids. Useful? I think there is work to be done there. ;D The storage area at the rear is quite big with countersunk scuppers and drainage channel. There is a continuous bungee cord through 6 padeyes. This is OK but I will be changing it slightly to have clips and two bungee that can be pulled over gear rather than trying to squeeze stuff in. Minor point though. It should be noted that all factory fitted padeyes are screwed into encapsulated threads ensuring security, There are two shaped flat areas behind the seat, rod tubed size. There is a flat area in front of the rear hatch and another near the bow hatch ideal for a fish finder. Paddle holders both sides by the rear storage. Side moulded in carry handles are great. It really does make this an easy kayak to lift it does not seem 20kgs. The balance is spot on around these handles. The carry handles either end are part of the moulding too.My wife Steph saw them and tried lifting one end and found it much more comfortable than corded on my other kayaks. The built in 'skeg' moulding looked as if it might aid tracking and the roll of the bow looks as if it will deflect water away from the boat nicely. There are 6 scupper holes which would clear water swiftly if you were swamped in the surf. The front pair are recessed enough to fit a transducer. OK now came the time to get the drill out. First off I wanted to get an anvhor trolley. I had the H2O kayaks anchor trolley kit. Neil has a range of fixings, rivets with neopren seal, well nuts and stainless nut and bolts. You should note that all his nuts are Nylock so you will need a ring spanner ideally to tension the nut whilst tightening. For the trolley padeyes I decided on rivets and aimed for as far towards bow and stern as possible. 5mm holes and a blob of silicon and job done. The kit comes with all you need. http://www.h2okayaks.com/engine/shop/produ...hor+Trolley+Kit I did add one extra though an extra carabine to clip the rope to the nylon ring. Quick and easy job. Then came the zigzag cleat, the ideal place is in the handle recess, I tried it with double sided tape and picked the yak up to make sure the lift wasn't impaired. I wanted to bolt this but to do that I need access to inside the hull. No problem Out came the Drenel ( lookalike ) first a metal cutting disc and then the sander and tah-dah...access and the cleat is done. Next came fitting a rod tube....the flat area in front of the rear hatch is the mould plug and is easilly drilled out and then a bit of sanding and the recessed socket is fitted, bolted again with access through the opened up hatch. Looks fine So all done now to try it on the water to see how she feels. Sadly I would be out alone so no pics other than the view that greeted me at the launch point and at the access to the River Wreake where I had planned to fish. :-[ :-/ :'( Oh well I would try elsewhere and have a paddle. First thing to say is how easy it was to board, I was getting on from the canal towpath with a drop of 18" and she was very stable. I notice that there was water at the top of the footwell scuppers ( possibly down to my 14st 10lbs) but the seating area was dry. I sat at first without a seat and there was loads of leg room, then with a basic OK seat still plenty of room. finally with a Crazy Creek II and now my feet could only go in the last foot prg but that was no problem, I am 6ft 1". I left the Crazy Creek in it to save a numb bum. I paddled along the canal/River Soar and I was immediately surprised at just how straight and swift this 'little' boat was. I have to say the effort to get it moving was not noticably more than the P13 and with only the bare minimum of corrective strokes. It was also obvious that the roll on the bows did it's job. Then I tried manoeuvrability and no surprise there, at 10 ft it did what it should and turned on a sixpence. About 1/2 mile down river I had to haul out for a lock and drag the Kaafu over a field and I have to say the moulded handle made that more comfortable than other hauls I have done. As the fishing was so cr%p I emptied the gear onto the bank and did a couple of self-rescues A doddle to right the yak and to haul back on, again as one should expect. I sat side saddle and as we are nowadays expecting it took more tilt than you are likely to use to tip it. I tried the anchor trolley and I was very pleased with how she settled. Back at the car I checked inside the hull and the self rescuses had caused no water to get in. I ended up paddling about 4 mile and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with the performance. I am not saying I am geting rid of the P13 or my SINK but when I am looking to do just a bit of lure fishing and cutting back on all the gear or to take the wife or grandson out then this is just the job Others have reviewed the Kaafu as a saltwater vessel so I will only comment on it as a fresh/flat water fishing kayak. Hand on heart I found myself smiling as I paddled, it is a a great first kayak for people on a budget but also ldeal for lure fishing, fly fishing. It is stable and deceptively fast and straight. If you are looking for a competitively priced British made 10ft kayak then consider the Kaafu starting at £299. I don't think you will be disappointed, I wasn't ;D To find out more go to Fatyak's site: http://www.fatyak-kayaks.co.uk/virtuemart/...-kayak?sef=hcfp All parts came from Neil at H2O Kayaks who gave exceptional service. If you haven't dealt with Neil then you are one of the few . H2O are regularly praised for their customer service. Rightly so! ;D http://www.h2okayaks.com/engine/shop/index.html

If any of you guys are interested CKF are holding a mini meet on the River Nene in Peterborough on 8th Dec anyone interested? All are welcome if you fany joining us come over to the website and get mere details. Terry

Thanks to Elton for his support. I have been kayak fishing for about 6 years now catching a whole range of sea fish but coming from Leicester I was brought up on fishing local rivers and the Fens. Most of the kayak fishing forums are heavily into sea fishing and coarse anglers like me are in a tiny minority and coarse threads sink down the page rapidly. I was frustrated that we had nowhere to focus our interest and eventually realised that if the right forum did not exist then perhaps I should create one. So I created http://coarsekayakfishing.proboards.com/index.cgi , A forum totally dedicated to freshwater fishing. Kayak are a great way to fish, easy to launch and retrieve, comparatively cheap and give great access to awkward spots, where permitted of course. If any of you are interested in using a kayak for your fishing come over to the site and have a chat. There may be guys in your area who can let you have a try before you commit any cash. You can also contribute essential knowledge on responsible piking to our members. We Very Happy are holding a mini meet on the Nene at Peterborough on Saturday 8th December if anyone wants a look more details on the site. Regards Terry

Mark you have just helped me pass a sizable chunk of a very boring night shift, thanks that was a great read. Terry

I've just brought some gear off this guy. Seems to have a good range of reels at reasonable prices. I think a lot are imports and factory refurbs but have a look and see what you think. http://stores.ebay.co.uk/BFT-BARGAIN-FISHING-TACKLE BTW I have no association with him and am not benefitting.

For a family fun yak I think the Tobago is a great bit of kit. Canals, rivers and lakes are superb even a bit of fun close inshore and the surf. I often have me and the misses and 2 grand kids on it with no problem. I would rather have that than the Malibu 2, but hey it's what you like not what I like that matters. They are much criticised here and on other fishing forums but they should be looked at as what they are....'fun yaks'. If you want a fishing yak then buy a Prowler. But you won't be able to go 4 up. :-)

I launch from canal towpaths a lot with concrete edges and I have a 2ft x 2ft length of carpet. Also useful over trailing edge of car roof when lifting yak on in case balance lost just stops scratching. ( The car not the yak. On a similar point I have dragged my yak up and down the beach in and out of the surf before fitting the wheels and have noticed the trailing corner of the keel is burring. Has anyone tried anything to reduce this wear?

It seems from the comments that the 'horse for courses' adage fits perfectly. The only thing I can forsee is some of that breed of angler where 'newest and flashest is best' ( tackle tarts I appreciate are more common in coarse match angling....Ooh a new 20 metre pole I must have one....) will buy one. They may well then criticise it because it is just not for them, unjustly. I think the 'try before you buy' motto that you guys always qoute is exactly the right policy. My P13 fits the bill perfectly for my circumstances and obviously the Trident is ideal for the more serious heavy tackle guys. Forums like this are perfect for research before parting with your cash. Fairplay to OK for covering all bases.

I have faxed BCU to try and find out what waterways the BWB permit covers...no reply yet. Tried BWB website and links to try and find a full list of accessible waters but no joy. Obviously the insurance is a bonus although only 3rd party. I will have to check with Direct Line to see if yak is covered or if I have to add it. Will post list if it arrives. Apparently you get a licence sticker for your yak to prove authority...

BTW Only print it out if you are at work Its 160 odd pages. :-)

If you use inland waters for your yakking you may find this link interesting. It is a research document done by Brighton University for DEFRA. I cannot find the date but they got the contract to compile it in 2001. So going by DEFRA it is probably their most recent information. http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countrysi.../watersport.pdf It is heavy going but there are a lot of interesting points. Now I am no academic but if i caught the drift right I think they were saying... more access should be given to the water and more people would be encouraged to use it for recreation who have not expressed an interest previously.... God what a lousy sentence. Basically I think it means we should be given more access to rivers and lakes and more people would then be encouraged to take up new watersports as they see access being available. I think that is positive. Well you give it a read and if you don't fall asleep I think you might agree.

One local lake here, ( Bosworth Water Park ) insist on £2,000,000 3rd party liability insurance before you are allowed to lauch. Certificate must be produced.

Once again excellent report on the fishing ,but how did the Trident handle on the windy water? Nice pics too.

I think ' maidstonemike ' is the man to speak to he is a Bic enthusiast, try 'pm'ing' him. I have a tobago for the family but only with the standard seats.