Native Watercraft Ultimate 12 Propel

What can you say about the kayak that has the most patents in the history of the sport? First, it’s probably one of the best kayaks available for families, fishing, and just plain fun on the water. It’s also a new design, so you don’t see very many out there….yet.

Specs:

Length: 12′1″

Width: 30″

Depth: 12“

Weight: 58 lbs (plus propel unit)

Material: Roto-molded Polyethylene (roto-molded equals strong and light)

Pros:

• The Ultimate has a split hull (tunnel hull)… kind of like a catamaran, but better. The Split hull reduces the wetted surface and displaces less water than traditional kayaks. Less water displaced from the hull makes the boat faster and more efficient. Boats that have more displacement, have more drag…Thus requiring more energy to move the boat. The Ultimate’s split hull results in a much lighter boat in the water,when compared to traditional displacement hulls. Its no surprise that the hull shape is just faster and more efficient than traditional kayak hulls. What does mean? You can go further and carry more gear, with less effort in an Ultimate.
  
• For the gear head…the Ultimate has a seat like no other. The aluminum frame supports a UV resistant mesh that cushions, drains water, and ventilates air. Its 100% adjustable to the paddler and is one of the few seats that can claim to be all day comfortable. This is a seat that allows you to do long trips. The seat also adapts to how you load the boat. It unlocks and slides forward, or reverses. No matter how the boat is loaded, slide the seat and trim the boat appropriately. For example….if you load the boat to heavy in the stern, your bow will rise and make it hard to track. In the Ultimate you just slide the seat forward a little more forward and bam!…perfect trim, no pushing water or getting blown around in the wind. If you have ever owned a canoe with fixed seats, and taken a child out on a lake, you know what I mean.  For camping, release the seat out of the boat and you got your camp chair. Just one less thing you don’t have to bring on over nighters!
  
• The Ultimate series also come with an Adapt-A-Trak gear attachment channel on the outside of the boat. The “AAT” is a J channel that gear can be clipped into. Its there to attach things like  spray covers, paddle holders, rod holders, tie downs, fishing accessories…even a cooler for cold or hot drinks!
  
• The Ultimate 12 Propel is a multi-use kayak. You can paddle it like a regular kayak, or add a Native Propel unit and pedal. The pedals turn a shaft driven prop under the boat at a 1 to 10 ratio. For every one turn of the cranks, the propeller spins 10 times. This is a single gear set up and once you get going and up to speed (15 to 20 revolutions of the cranks) you can spin easily all day with larger muscle groups and leave the paddlers in the dust!
  
  
• If you are  fisherman, the benefit is that you can move the boat forward and in reverse with your pedals, control the boat with the one finger rudder control, and have one hand free for rod/reel. A huge difference with other pedal kayaks is that the Ultimate 12 Propel can be pedaled in reverse. Again for the fisherman, the boat’s angle and position can be controlled regardless of current, wind, drift, and easily without an anchor.
  
• Comfort patents? Yep. The Ultimate’s split hull increases the boat depth for your feet. Increasing the foot room and keeping the heel well below the bottom of the seat.  This increases blood flow through knees and ankles and keeps your feet warmer and from falling asleep. The Foot rest are over sized and give a large footprint of support unlike simple pegs. The deck of the boat is open style like a canoe. Its easy to get in and out of like a canoe but comfortable because you and sit just like in a kayak.
  
• For those with any shoulder or upper body issues, this might be just the boat to get you on the water. Let your legs do all the work, and control the rudder with one finger!
  

Cons:

• Just because it’s a propeller that spins fast, doesn’t mean you are going to be able to overcome the small displacement a kayak makes in the water. The boats speed tops out at 3-4 knots, about as fast as you can paddle a comparable kayak 12 feet long and 30 inches wide. You cant pull a water skier.

The verdict:

• The first time I paddled the Ultimate I knew it would be stable, I had seen other fisherman standing up with ease but I had no Idea how light on the surface of the water the boat would feel. It turns with ease, and getting the boat up to speed was and an effortless exercise gentle fwd strokes. But it can carry as much gear as a Canoe. It’s the prefect balance of canoe/kayak hybrid. Blending Capacity, Comfort, speed and stability, it’s the ultimate watercraft.

If you are looking for a versatile sit inside kayak that is well made, has great features and won’t cost an arm and a leg, the Native Watercraft Marvel series (10,12 and 14.5)  is definitely worth investigating. The CKS staff just paddled the Marvel for the day and the general consensus was that it was a stable, versatile boat that was easy to maneuver and very comfortable to sit in (the first class seating is super cool. See the post below for more information on this.

Specs:
Marvel 10

Marvel 12

Marvel 14.5 Tandem

Lots of boats to demo and a beautiful day at Cottonwood Lake.

The back side of Mt. Princeton and Cottonwood Lake. Joe and Jen get ready to do some performance rec boating.

Pros:
We had the opportunity to paddle a the 10 and 12 foot version of the Marvel.  There were a few noteworthy features worth mentioning. The first class seating (a boat seat that doubles as a removable camp chair) was comfortable and supportive, the maneuverability (10 and 12 foot versions) of the boat was great for any level of paddler, the rear cargo hatch was in a convenient location and had an abundance of storage and there was a cool paddle holder (clip) that allows you to free your hands and do other things like reeling in large fish.

The seat of the boat (first class seating) is constructed out of aluminum and  synthetic cloth that is comfy to sit in, and dries easily.  The entire unit is easy to remove (we figured it out in less than 5 minutes), and makes a great camp chair. It also lightens the weight of the boat by 7 lbs,making loading and unloading that much easier. Although I did not actually put anything in the cargo hatch, I did take the cover on and off, and noticed that it was very easy to remove, and that there was a lot of room inside.

When paddling a Marvel, the ease of turning and primary stability is noticeably obvious.  With only 10 feet of boat to turn and slightly rockered ends, paddlers of all sizes and abilities will be able to point the boat where they want, and paddle with ease. The 12 footer, was also very easy to paddle even though it was 2 feet longer. This boat would be a great choice for a pet owner that wants to try to bring their pooch with them on trips.  Native makes a dog mattress (looks like a sleeping pad) so your dog will be assured a first class ride too.

Aubrie's getting ready to take the Marvel 10 out for a quick paddle/fish. Notice the "first class seating". Take the chair out of the boat and use it as a camp chair. Looks comfy huh? The bungees, thigh straps and the hatch are nice touches too.

The first class seating is breathable, comfortable, intuitive and makes a great camp chair.

Part 2 of Aubrie's fishing trip. Heading out to sea.

Megan's paddling out in the Marvel.

Cons:
The Marvel is a pretty basic boat. If your looking for a recreational kayak with a lot of features because you plan on doing a lot of fishing, or overnight trips this is not the boat for you. There are plenty of accessories for this boat but they are aftermarket products that would increase the cost of the boat.  Another drawback to the Marvel is that you cannot stand up and fish out of it.  Serious fisherman will want to look at the Ultimate, which is meant for seated and stand up fishing.

The Verdict:
The Native Watercraft Marvel would be a great choice for people who do a bit of everything. It is a sit inside boat which could be beneficial for people in cold environments.  If your primarily fishing, this may not be the best boat. The Ultimate has more features for the serious angler, and you can stand up fish in it as well. We like this boat because it is made of bomber plastic (out of the liquid logic factory), the price is competitive and it

The Liquid Logic Remix XP series (10 and 9….feet long) is new for 2009. It is a TRUE multi-purpose whitewater /recreational kayak that is much needed in the consumer industry. Liquid Logic basically took a Remix, and made it longer and wider. It also has a cargo hatch (”backcess” hatch) on the back, a skeg (really cool!) and bungee cords for attaching gear and maps to.
Specs:
Length:10′3″
Width:28″
Volume:105 gallons
Bow Rocker:14.7″

The Remix holds it's line in flat water (remember...it's got a movable skeg! You can see the lever just behind the back right part of the cockpit rim ).

Megan's first day in a kayak ever.....The Remix XP10 must be stable.

Pros:
This kayak is loaded with many appealing features. It’s got an adjustable skeg, cargo hatch, bungee ties, great outfitting and a huge cockpit that add to the versatility of this boat. The skeg sits inside of the back of the boat, and is completely out of the way, when it is in the raised position. There is a hand lever just to the right of the cockpit that allows the paddler to raise and lower the skeg while he or she is paddling in the boat. This is great for areas that have lakes that are connected by rivers, and for people who paddle in flat water as well as rivers. We took the XP10 out for a paddle at our local lake. The CKS staff noticed that the boat was very fast and stable for a whitewater kayak, and that it tracked amazingly well when the skeg was down. It even tracked pretty well when the skeg was up. I imagine that the XP12 will be even faster and more stable.

The “backcess” hatch in the back of the boat has a removable top. It is not water-proof, but it does hold out most of the water. There was plenty of room in the back, enough to store a weeks worth of gear or so. This boat would be a perfect choice for The Grand Canyon, Rogue or Middle Fork self support trips (click here to view or large selection of river and flat water guide books).

The bungee ties on the top of the boat were a nice touch and reminds me of what you see on high end touring kayaks. This is a great place to put maps, guide books and small storage bags.

Check out this link from the Ottawa river. This is a perfect spot to test the Remix XP10. There are big rapids and fun waves to surf in a whitewater boat, yet huge pools and lots of flat water with tasty fish.

Slick looking hybrid appearance...Half touring rec boat, half whitewater.

The front looks like a regular Remix with bungee ties. You can see the skeg lever on the right side of the boat behind the cockpit.

Close up of the

Cons:
The Liquid Logic Remix XP10 is a big boat. It is great for stuffing a lot of gear into the back, and paddling off into the unknown for a lot longer than you could with a traditional whitewater boat. The drawback to paddling such a large and heavy (loaded with overnight gear) boat, is that it may be difficult for some people to control in tight, technical whitewater. Smaller paddlers especially will be fully aware that they are paddling a 105 gallon boat. Keep in mind that the Remix 47 is 1/2 as many gallons. If you are a beginning kayaker and are looking for a boat to learn in, this may not be the best boat in the Remix series…..Perhaps a smaller one would be better.

The Verdict:
This boat is a great option for people that paddle on all types of water (lakes, ponds, rivers and ocean). It tracks amazingly well on flat water because of it’s retractable skeg system, and handles whitewater just like a Remix on steroids. Self-support paddlers will love the cargo hatch, as well as fisherman who want a place to keep their catch. This boat is 105 gallons so keep that in mind if you are a beginning whitewater kayaker, or small and light…. It’s a lot of boat. Overall, this boat get 2 big thumbs up from the CKS staff.

Specs:
Length: 9′7″
Width: 34″
Weight: 17 lbs.
Tube Diameter: 11″
Kick\Rocker (Bow\Stern): 18″
Number of Air Chambers: 3
Valve Type: Leafield C-7 & Pressure Relief
Weight/Denier of Tube Fabric: 20/840
Weight/Denier of Floor Fabric: 20/840
Number of D-Rings: 3
Warranty: 3 Year Retail, 3 Year Commercial

The NRS Bandit is a high performance IK, capable of navigating around all types of water including lakes, ponds and rivers, although it was primarily designed for whitewater use.

Pros:
This thing only weighs 17 lbs….. about 1/2 as much as comparable IK’s! Your back, and other family members will thank you for this year after year. Besides being very light, the Bandit is durable, stable (yet performance oriented with lots of rocker) and priced very competitively.  Constructed out of 840-Denier nylon, with Leafield C-7 valves, The Bandit is built with commercial use in mind (it’s not priced like one though). There are no bladder tubes, which make The Bandit very easy to patch (Clifton urethane adhesive). This is also why it is so light. As with most inflatables, NRS built this thing with primary stability in mind. Kids, Seniors and populations without much whitewater experience will find that the learning curve with this IK very easy, and that it is very hard to flip.   There is 18″ of rocker, so besides being stable,  The Bandit turns really easily too.  Whitewater paddlers will find this particularly helpful when paddling on technical runs that requires precise maneuvering.

Cons:
The Bandit is a bare bones, high performance inflatable kayak. It lacks D-rings and lash straps, and is not really meant to attach large items (like gear bags). There are however, holes on the bottom of the self bailing IK that you can run ropes through. It is also very light with a lot of rocker, which makes it a poor choice for flat water paddlers.

The Verdict:
2 thumbs up for whitewater day trippers and people who want an ultra portable IK! The Bandit can handle as much whitewater as you can throw at it.  It’s light weight material and kick rocker make it a hoot in all types of whitewater. If you’re looking to to load your IK up with gear and venture off for a few days, The Bandit is not the best choice. There is a lack of tie down straps, and it’s light weight detracts from the overall stability that some may want in a IK gear/expedition boat.

The NRS Bandit is also available in a tendem version.  This may be a good choice for paddlers who do want to store some gear on thier boat, or paddle with someone else.