Native Slayer help please...

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fishindawg
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Native Slayer help please...

Post by fishindawg »

Well, it is time to upgrade from my Pescador 10 to a more comfortable boat. I have really enjoyed my Pescador and even slimed it a few times. But, I find that my feet, legs and butt go numb after an hour or two on the water. Being not as young as I once was, the seating and open deck has led me to the Slayer. I am wondering if the 12 or 14.5 would be best. The Propel is out of my price range. What says yall?
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bk
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Re: Native Slayer help please...

Post by bk »

Fishndawg. Because no single kayak is a perfect fit for every kayak angler, knowing more about you and how you plan on using the yak, will help provide the best advice. So, before answering your question about the slayer (or any other model or brand for that matter), I would typically ask a couple questions first.

How often do you fish?
Do you fish salt, fresh, or both?
How old are you? What is you ht and wt?
How would you transport the kayak?
Would you use the kayak specifically for fishing?
if salt water fishing, are you interested in offshore fishing?
Or only shallow?
What distances do you feel comfortable paddling?
Do you plan on fishing open water or mainly protected waters?
Do you plan on hunting out of it?
Do you want to stand or sit, or both.

And lastly,

Have you ever paddled a slayer? 12? 14?
"i said flotation is groovy and easy. Even a jellyfish would agree to that." - jimi
fishindawg
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Re: Native Slayer help please...

Post by fishindawg »

5'11" 245lb, fresh and salt. no really big water. definately not offshore. mostly inshore and small lakes and ponds with an occasional river trip. I really would like to stand if nothing more than to stretch the legs. I have a rack on my truck for transport. I have been in the propel 10 at BCO in Jax, but am going back in 2 weeks to hopefully paddle the non propel. 45 years old so the elevated seat is looking very attractive. I have paddled the Diablo Adios, Ocean Kayak Prowler, and the Wilderness Tarpon. I have discovered that in my pescador I really dont use the front storage hatch, but would if it were stable enough to get to front of boat while on the water. I like the idea of the open hatch on the slayer (ascend fs12 also) but that is apples and oranges I know. Anyway, hope this helps and thanks.
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Fishbaitbilly
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Re: Native Slayer help please...

Post by Fishbaitbilly »

Hi fishindawg! Like BK said, one size does not fit all. I would recommend that you try several different boats. The Slayer is awesome! Depending on what might suit you best, maybe try a Ride 135, or a Jackson Cuda. I'm not a "stand up " guy myself so I really like the WS Tarpon (best boat for the money), even though my boat of choice is a Hobie Revo. Lots of things to consider. Always, try before you buy.
fishindawg
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Re: Native Slayer help please...

Post by fishindawg »

Thanks, I like the looks of the Ride 135. I am in valdosta, where can I try out a couple of different boats? gonna be in Jax in a couple of weeks, but I dont know which ones I will be able to try over there. May be going back to Levy soon to fish, maybe somewhere over there?
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bk
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Re: Native Slayer help please...

Post by bk »

Perfect. Ok so you probably noticed that I'm somehow fortunate enough to be affiliated with native. I don't really consider what I do so special, except I believe in their product and I really like the company. I get a free shirt out of the deal. But I would promote their stuff for free. Before being with native I fished out of a hobie and promoted their brand for quite a few years and I like their yaks as well. I switched because I was looking for a kayak platform style that hobie didn't really offer. And that was the slayer. So enough about my background.

Most people will tell you to "try before you buy", and I'm no exception. If you haven't paddled the slayer 12 or 14, I would strongly suggest doing so prior to buying. I will be glad to meet you at a local lake and let you paddle mine around for as long as you'd like. I have a slayer 12. Here is my take on it.

Transporting it. I have the 12 because of a couple reasons. 1. I car top it, and I'm not getting younger or taller at this point, so every lb matters and the 12 is slightly less than the 14. 2. I tend to fish small waters. Salty marshes and creeks, ponds and lakes. I find the that the 12 is easier to maneuver in tight spaces.

Stability. . We're about the same build and I have zero issues with the slayer stability. Standing or sitting. Though I really only stand occasionally, usually to stretch my legs or to move about. The seat is awesome in either the high or low position. The seat is crazy comfortable and keeps you dry as a bone. Comes out easy as well. I use it as a beach chair whilst awaiting tides sometimes.

Speed / Tracking. The 14 will track better than the 12 and as a result will also be slightly faster. However, I'm not a speed junky. There are plenty of fish close in. But I have no problem paddling the slayer 8-10 miles a trip if need be. I do not have a rudder on mine, as I prefer a minimalist approach. Less rods, less, straps, less gizmos, less frustration. At least for me. I have always kept the paddle in my lap and so control over tracking is a non-issue. Learn how to one-arm paddle and you don't even need to set your rod down to paddle. Back to speed for a second. The slayer isn't the fastest or quietest hull out there, but it isn't the slowest or noisiest. Just wanted to add that.

Features. I've already mentioned the seat. But one of the reasons I like the slayer so much is the open deck. Take the seat off and it's almost like a dry paddle board. It's that open. It has 10 huge, easy to grasp scupper plugs for draining any water. You can even leave the plugs out when you're fishing, water won't come in. The built-in wheel on the back is an absolute bonus! At first I wasn't sure about it. But I now use it all the time. It's not for wheeling it a 1/4 mile, but is great for getting the yak to and from the ramp. It can be taken off and put on in less than 3 minutes with a screw driver and socket. The hull remains totally waterproof on or off.

The compartments as you mentioned are open. Native sells an optional hatch cover of you so choose. I originally thought about getting one, but have been just fine without one.

The foam deck pads. Love these too. Keeps hull noise down and softens things up for my old tired knees. And keeps things from rolling and sliding

The sides and rear handles are perfectly located and large and strong. The yak has bungee straps to keep things tea tethered if you want. They can be easily removed as well. There are also plenty of recessed rails for mounting rod holders, electronics, paddle holders, etc if that is your thing.

Natives approach to the slayer and most of their yaks has been to keep things simple, yet versatile. Easily customizable to the individuals personal needs. We see a lot of kayaks these days with built in gizmos and gadgets that are cheap ornaments that do little to improve the functionality of the yak.

To wrap this up, I would lying if I said that there weren't other good brands and models out there. And like I said, there is no one size fits all when it comes to fishing kayaks. The slayer is a great yak. Paddle, peddle, 12, or 14. You won't be disappointed.

However, try before you buy. I will be glad to meet you. - tight lines. Bk
"i said flotation is groovy and easy. Even a jellyfish would agree to that." - jimi
fishindawg
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Re: Native Slayer help please...

Post by fishindawg »

Thanks bk, that surely helps.
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zeke392
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Re: Native Slayer help please...

Post by zeke392 »

I'm new to the kayaking scene, and my 1st kayak was the 12' Slayer. When I was absorbing all the information about all the kayaks out there my main concern was the seat. I love the open deck concept and the only thing I wish for is dry storage, but that open front is also something I like (can't have it all). It paddles great and fishes easy, it stays dry and tracks good with no rudder. I have not stood up much but I am sure with more practice I can. I recently bought a 14' Cuda but have not had the chance to fish it yet so I can't give you any comparisons. My wife and 2 sons (and their girlfriends) all use the kayaks so the Slayer is not going anywhere. Mine is the Oak Camo color, I would rather have a bright color now but that is just my preference now. Hopefully something I posted will help you decide
Good Luck
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Re: Native Slayer help please...

Post by GoodCall »

I'm a little late to the party on this, but i'll share some brief opinions on the Slayer 14.5

Pro's:
-Very, very stable. I frequently stand up and never feel like it's getting squirrely.
-I love the open deck layout. Simple, yet easily customizable via all the rail mounting space. If you want rod holders and fishfinders and GoPro's and all that, you can have it....or you can keep it stock.
-I really like the wheel. I have a bad back and not having to muscle the entire weight of the thing around is a big plus for me. I was curious if this was a gimmicky thing or if it actually added functionality and i have to admit, it's been a pleasant surprise.
-Love the open front hatch. I had a Tarpon 140 for several years and i utilized the closed front hatch exactly zero times. It was out of reach and you'd have to risk rolling your yak climbing to the front to open it, or find somehwere to get out if you wanted something out of it. I actually use the front area every time i go fishing now. And if the closed bow concept is your thing, Native offers a hatch cover for it.
-Really like the 2 options of seat height, though i pretty much always leave mine elevated. The most comfortable kayak seat on the market IMO.
-Love the built in storage holders for the Plano tackle boxes. Every trip i have water-tight Plano boxes in both sides, and i also invested in the under-seat organizer from Native which holds 2 more, as well as places to put stuff like your fish grips, pliers, etc.

Con's:
-Heavy as hell. One of the heavier yaks i've seen outside of a Hobie PA. Can be tough to load and unload a 14.5 footer by yourself (at least it is with a bad back)
-Slow. One of the tradeoffs for having all the stability and ability to stand up and fish is that it can sometimes feel like paddling a jon boat (especially if it's really windy)
-You will likely need to invest in a longer paddle. Due to the elevated seat, traditional paddle lengths are gonna leave a lot of your paddle blade out of the water and you'll waste energy. I think a 230 cm paddle or longer is ideal so you can maintain the proper depth of your strokes while sitting up higher.
fishindawg
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Re: Native Slayer help please...

Post by fishindawg »

Thanks for the input guys. I have a bead on 2. A slayer 12 in roadcone orange (not my favorite color, but after having a 20' carolina skiff bearing down on me once...orange may not be a bad idea) and a Jackson Cruise 12 in the dorado color. Decent price on the slayer, but an even better price on the cruise. Both have open layouts but Cruise doesn't come with the tracks. Not so sure that's a big deal.
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