New Here/Intro/Native Watercraft Slayer 10 Propel Questions

[mjkeith13]

Hi all - I'm a fairly new kayak fisherman and glad I found this very helpful site. I'm from Crofton, MD and looking to finally purchase my own kayak. Been borrowing and renting and now ready to pull the trigger.

After much research, I've decided on the Native Watercraft Slayer 10 Propel. There are so many great kayaks out there but this one meets all my criteria and excels in my most important criteria - ability to load/unload by myself - due to its weight. For me, my biggest hurdle to being able to spend quality time on the water is just getting my kayak from my garage and to the water and back; well that and my job getting in the way.

If anyone can help, I have a couple questions regarding the Native Watercraft Slayer 10 Propel.

I'm vertically challenged, 5'5". Admittedly, I've not had a chance to actually sit in a Slayer 10 but I've read in several places that the seat does not slide forward enough for anyone below the height of 5'6" to pedal comfortably. Is this true?

I'm a retired infantryman and both my shoulders and back have sustained some damage over the years so lifting a heavy kayak is very much a challenge. At my towering height of 5'5" with gimpy shoulders, will I be able to get the Slayer 10 on top of a Toyota Highlander SUV by myself?

Probably a stupid question but has anybody had any luck loading/securing a 10' kayak inside of an SUV of normal proportions like a Highlander?

I'm looking forward to meeting you all out on the water in a couple months. I'll be the one taking an hour to tie a knot and using the wrong bait while everyone else is catching fish. Thanks all.

mike

[yakscientist]

Really look forward to meeting you. Snaggedline is hosting a table at Basspro in Arundel Mills all weekend, and I will be there on Sunday, you should stop by on either day. I'm sure there will be lots of info you could gain from doing so. Also, a member here, J.A. Veil fishes from a slayer propel 10, and I believe he loads his into the back of his minivan, but I will let him explain his setup. Enjoy this forum, and come out to BPS or one of our monthly M&Gs, they are a great chance to meet people and fish some new areas. I will be hosting the next one on March 11 at Marshall Hall targeting Blue Catfish, and will start the thread about that sometime soon.

[J.A. Veil]

Hi all - I'm a fairly new kayak fisherman and glad I found this very helpful site. I'm from Crofton, MD and looking to finally purchase my own kayak. Been borrowing and renting and now ready to pull the trigger.

After much research, I've decided on the Native Watercraft Slayer 10 Propel. There are so many great kayaks out there but this one meets all my criteria and excels in my most important criteria - ability to load/unload by myself - due to its weight. For me, my biggest hurdle to being able to spend quality time on the water is just getting my kayak from my garage and to the water and back; well that and my job getting in the way.

If anyone can help, I have a couple questions regarding the Native Watercraft Slayer 10 Propel.

I'm vertically challenged, 5'5". Admittedly, I've not had a chance to actually sit in a Slayer 10 but I've read in several places that the seat does not slide forward enough for anyone below the height of 5'6" to pedal comfortably. Is this true?

I'm a retired infantryman and both my shoulders and back have sustained some damage over the years so lifting a heavy kayak is very much a challenge. At my towering height of 5'5" with gimpy shoulders, will I be able to get the Slayer 10 on top of a Toyota Highlander SUV by myself?

Probably a stupid question but has anybody had any luck loading/securing a 10' kayak inside of an SUV of normal proportions like a Highlander?

I'm looking forward to meeting you all out on the water in a couple months. I'll be the one taking an hour to tie a knot and using the wrong bait while everyone else is catching fish. Thanks all.

mike

Mike -

Congratulations on your choice of a high quality Native kayak. I own a Native Slayer Propel 10 and find it to be a fish-catching machine (I troll four lines at once from my Slayer Propel 10). I am at the opposite end of the height spectrum from you (6'4"). The seat slides front and back quite a ways on two tracks. It would be a quick test to actually sit in one to make sure the leg spacing works for you. You can come to my house in Annapolis and sit on my Slayer Propel if that would help you make a decision.

I have a bad back and do not want to lift any kayak onto roof racks on a regular basis. I am able to slide my Slayer Propel 10 fully inside my Toyota Sienna minivan and close the rear hatch. That makes loading and unloading simple and quick. You probably could not get the kayak completely inside your Highlander (although it would be interesting to try). You may be able to leave the rear hatch open and tie the kayak inside your vehicle. If you need to put it on the roof, there are several types of lift-support devices available to help support the weight of a kayak while you are lifting it on the roof.

If weight plus pedal drive are your decision criteria, I suggest that you also look at Native's new Manta Ray 12 Propel. It is longer and narrower than the Slayer Propel 10 and offers a retail price under $2000.

[mjkeith13]

Thanks for the great advice and letting me know about the table at BPS. I will definitely be there! I need all the help I can get :-)
I've read quite a few extremely helpful threads here from J.A. Veil regarding Native Watercraft kayaks; probably one of the main factors I'm dead set on the slayer propel 10.

Thanks again!

[mjkeith13]

John -
Thanks so much for the great help! I probably do need to sit in one to be sure if I don't get a definitive answer. Thanks also for the offer to test on yours.

Pedal drive is definitely for me. I can paddle fine with my gimpy shoulders but I've had a couple experiences down in S.C. on the backside of Pawleys Island having to paddle against the tide for a couple miles and then swearing to never get in a kayak again :-) Plus, I spent a couple decades as a competitive bike racer and still ride so pedaling is like breathing for me. But just like cycling, I'm sure that seat position is critical on a kayak.

I checked out the Manta Ray 12 propel hard and liked it a lot. Ultimately, though, I feel more comfortable in a shorter, wider kayak, even if the tracking isn't as good.

Thanks again John.

[Mark]

Mike,

Welcome to the forum and to the hobby.

I car-top both of my kayaks on a Toyota Sienna, which according to Toyota's specs is slightly taller than your Highlander:

P1010554.jpg P1020243 (1).jpg

My Native Ultimate 12 is 49 pounds and my Hobie Revo 13 is 62 pounds, which is slightly heavier than Native's stated specs for the Slayer 10.

I do use a Yakima roller attached to my luggage rack which eases the loading process. It extends and retracts over the back of my van and serves a weight bearing pivot point for loading.

I will be at the Bass Pro event on Saturday and Sunday mornings tying flies and talking kayaks. I'll be glad to share any kayaking advice I can offer with you.

Lastly, here's a photo of John Veil's paddle kayak inside his Sienna van.

P1020524.jpg

[mjkeith13]

Thank you Mark! I'm very much looking forward to this weekend a Bass Pro shops. Will be nice to meet all of y'all.

I've thought about the yakima roller but wasn't sure it would work for me. Sounds like it should since I should be able to get the bow up to the weight bearing pivot point and simply push from there. I'll need a step ladder to secure and tie down but that's not a big deal.

Thanks again! You guys are awesome!

[Mark]

I use a small two-step ladder for the strapping function.

[dasher]

I urge you to sit in and try out the kayak you intend to buy. There are lots of kayaks for sale by people who found their kayak is not a good fit.

Either find a dealer that will let you try the specific model you'd like or find someone here that will let you borrow theirs.

[supfisher01]

Welcome to the forum!! Great group of fisherpeople that are willing to help you in a moment's notice. I love it and I'm sure you will too.

[silasvirus82]

Don't rule out the inflatable option. If I was going to buy a second boat right now I'd get the Hobie i11s. It breaks down to 35 lbs for the hull and about 30 more for the drive and seat. No problem getting this inside your vehicle, and you can even take it on a plane! I'd love to be able to bring my boat with me anywhere I go.

I'd also take a strong look at the Pescador Pilot 12.0. It's more weight than you want, but you really can't beat the price given the features. For the amount of money you'd be saving you can easily afford a roof rack with lifting assisted system and have it all.

[FishMoken]

I can't speak for the slayer propel 10 but I will say that loading it on a roof rack will be a challenge just because of its short length. The shorter the kayak the greater the angle from the ground to roof top. I'm not saying it can't be done, but it might be a challenge to keep the kayak upright while you head to the other side to lift the other half onto the rollers. Just my two cents.


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[J. Rentch]

John Veil put me onto a Slayer 10 three years ago and have never regrettd it. It's a very stable platform to fish, even standing if you are interested . I have lugged it over some fairly big water with little fear of tipping, however I set a limit of 15 mph for fishing. Hope you enjoy your purchase!

[mjkeith13]

Thanks guys for the great advice. I've been wanting to get started fishing with my own kayak for over 4 years now so I'm definitely taking it slow to ensure I get the right kayak for me. I will definitely sit in a slayer propel 10 before I buy it.

I had not thought about the increased angle from the ground to the roof top with a short kayak. That is a good point and I'll have to figure out a way to deal with it.

Next thing to figure out after procuring a kayak: I need a couple fishing rod/reels. I have one extremely old rod/reel that will not cut it any longer. Any advice on a good fishing rod and reel for out in the kayak? I prefer spinning reels but am open to any/all advice on what works best for y'all.

Thank you again everybody. What a great source of help this forum is!!

[mi327]

I am around 5-7" and have a propel 10 and I have no issues at all with the seat being too far back I still have a good few inches of forward adjustment on the seat as well. As for rods and reels setups what are you planning to fish for? For everything I use out on the bay I use Medium or Medium heavy spinning rods with decent spinning reels.