More new Native Propel models

[J.A. Veil]

The Outdoor Retailer show is taking place this week in Utah. It is the second large show this summer for new kayaks and accessories. Several kayak companies introduced pedal drive models at the I-Cast show last month, and Jackson introduced their pedal version this week.

Native introduced a Propel version of their Manta Ray hull at the I-Cast show. This week Native introduced two new models. One is a huge stable hull called the Titan. It is 13.5' long and 42" wide. It can be moved by the Propel drive or an electric motor. The second is a thermo-molded version of the Slayer. After a merger with Hurricane kayaks last year, Native is looking to use some of Hurricane's thermo-molding techniques to make a lighter hull weight. The new Slayer is the first product with those features.

See this article for more details. https://www.rapidmedia.com/kayakangl...new-boats.html. I have not yet seen the actual boats or detailed photos or videos of the new models.

[silasvirus82]

I don't think Native will do well with the Titan. That's a two man boat that only fits one, what on Earth do you need that battleship for? Maybe duck hunting. The thermo-molded Slayer sounds interesting though, excited to see what that looks like in it's final configuration.

[Hobie angler 25]

Yea that's like the pro angler 14 that thing is a freak n beast for one person to handle hell my 12 a pain sometimes to load


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[Huntrava]

I like how it looks, and I bet it's a lot of fun, but the Native Titan looks more like a small bass boat than a kayak. I can see it being useful on big flat lakes, maybe where motors aren't allowed. Not sure why you'd put a trolling motor on it...could probably pick up a welded aluminum jonboat for 1/4 of the price, and it would be far more versatile. More seats, and probably about the same weight.

[yakscientist]

I like the idea of lighter pedal yaks but yeah i'm confused by the titan. It looks like a jon boat, only it'll be 1/2 as practical, cramped (comparatively), and still require a trailer. I'd take a used craigslist jon boat, and a 15hp 4 stroke outboard any day, plus trolling motor of course. The big heavy kayaks that almost require electric power seem to be the farthest you can get from actual kayaking, it's a shame if that's where the market is heading.

[DanMarino]

Way back in college I took two plastics manufacturing courses and in my experience rotational molding was a better process than vacuum forming with a sheet of plastic that is heated up and sucked into a mold. Rotational molding took plastic granules/powder and put it in a mold and heated the mold in an oven and spun the mold in different angles so the plastic inside would melt and form a thick layer coating inside to make the product. The only way I'd be interested in a thermoplastic sheet that is vacuumed into a mold to make a kayak, is if the plastic somehow was super tough and durable....like if it had kevlar in it.

[silasvirus82]

Way back in college I took two plastics manufacturing courses and in my experience rotational molding was a better process than vacuum forming with a sheet of plastic that is heated up and sucked into a mold. Rotational molding took plastic granules/powder and put it in a mold and heated the mold in an oven and spun the mold in different angles so the plastic inside would melt and form a thick layer coating inside to make the product. The only way I'd be interested in a thermoplastic sheet that is vacuumed into a mold to make a kayak, is if the plastic somehow was super tough and durable....like if it had kevlar in it.

anybody doing that?

[DanMarino]

From what I can tell, most of the cost in kayak manufacturing comes from the cost to design the molds. Having 2 halves of a kayak mold created that when clamped together will form a single piece plastic kayak, seems challenging. Then you gotta put the huge mold onto some sort of rotisserie system and throw it into a giant kayak sized or room sized oven and spin that sucker around.

I can see how vacuum forming a bottom piece and top piece separately and then bonding them together might be a cheaper manufacturing process. I am curious how they permanently bond the two halves together to make a durable kayak. I'll have to look on Youtube to see if there are any kayak manufacturing videos out there.

[J.A. Veil]

Tom -

I visited the Native factory in 2014. I wrote a series of posts that describe the rotomolding process they use. http://www.snaggedline.com/showthrea...native+factory.

I have not seen the process for thermomolding.

[J.A. Veil]

The Native Facebook page has some photos and a video showing the prototype for the thermo-molded Slayer Propel LP. It will be available from Native rigged for fishing and from Hurricane (sister company) with the seat and Propel but no fishing gear.

https://www.facebook.com/nativewatercraft/?fref=ts

The initial specs are 12'6" long and 31" wide. The weight is expected to be in the upper 50s.

[silasvirus82]

The Native Facebook page has some photos and a video showing the prototype for the thermo-molded Slayer Propel LP. It will be available from Native rigged for fishing and from Hurricane (sister company) with the seat and Propel but no fishing gear.

https://www.facebook.com/nativewatercraft/?fref=ts

"estimated hull weight 58 lbs"

I wonder how that compares with the fitted weight of 85 lbs on the rotomolded version. I'm guessing that the propel drive and seat probably weight close to 15-20 lbs, that's really not much savings. Considering the durability advantage of having a rotomolded hull, I'm not sure where this kayak fits in. I think thermo-molded kayaks are better suited to touring boats than fishing setups, at least with current technology. Looks like they still ended up with a rotomolded chunk around the Propel drive to make it work. There is a lot of discussion out there for lighter weight boats, but when you factor in economy and durability I think rotomolded kayaks aren't going anywhere any time soon.

[J.A. Veil]

"estimated hull weight 58 lbs"

I wonder how that compares with the fitted weight of 85 lbs on the rotomolded version. I'm guessing that the propel drive and seat probably weight close to 15-20 lbs, that's really not much savings. Considering the durability advantage of having a rotomolded hull, I'm not sure where this kayak fits in. I think thermo-molded kayaks are better suited to touring boats than fishing setups, at least with current technology. Looks like they still ended up with a rotomolded chunk around the Propel drive to make it work. There is a lot of discussion out there for lighter weight boats, but when you factor in economy and durability I think rotomolded kayaks aren't going anywhere any time soon.

The hull on the current Slayer Propel 13 is 85 lb. With the seat and Propel drive the total weight moves to 104 lb. If the thermo-molded Slayer Propel LP hull comes in at 58 lbs (and from my experience with earlier Slayer Propel models, the estimated weight based on the prototype overestimated the actual production weight) it will be 27 lbs lighter. Fitted with seat and Propel it would be about 77 lbs. These figures are pretty close to the existing Slayer Propel 10 weight. The new LP will be sleeker and faster than the Slayer Propel 10.

Stay tuned -- with all the new pedal drive boats going into production over the winter, it should be an interesting season next year.

[PigPen]

The looks like they are after the nucanoe market, but add a dog and kid to it and I think the boat makes some sense. I'd sooner paddle it than a john boat if the gas or battery die. I really like the vacuum molded one though. Here im considering making a CLC fiberglass version and they beat me to it. I wonder if they'll sell me just the hull?