Mariner 124

My wife wanted to try out kayaking as a get away from the kids. So we were looking for a cheap kayak to test the water with. It has been a great kayak for her, and has gotten me hooked on kayak fishing, with that said it has a few issues:
Pros - It is quite stable, low price, relatively light and easy to move, comfortable seat for up to a couple hours, tracks pretty good.
Cons - A few screws have pulled out (plastic seems soft), the paddle holder can take out your knuckle if you aren't careful.

The Mariner 124 is simply put the "best money can buy". The blend of price, durability, looks and overall experience is unparalleled. This kayak is literally the most stable platform in the water. I never feel like I am going to tip… unless I want to for fun. In comparison, my old kayak on river trips I would fall at least once guaranteed. While my friends in the Future Beach Mariner 10.4 the old versions of the Mariner 124 never tipped.

One last thing if you're like me and a larger person, your will want this kayak. After jumping off my Mariner and getting back in gracefully I am fully convinced. Along with the capacity being 300 lbs. Trust me when your friends are jumping in the lake on a 90 degree day. You're stuck because you know you can't get back into your kayak you will regret buying any other kayak.

I should mention the kayak has great storage for entry level kayak. The two compartments do well at holding water out. I found this feature helpful opposed to my last kayak the storage was so bad I always lost cargo when I tipped.

Ergonomics of the kayak are supremely designed. When I heard that the kayak was extremely stable my first reaction was that it must be slow and unmaneuverable. False, again in comparison to my old kayak I found the mariner 124 to be extremely maneuverable. A must own for any person wanting to fish.

In conclusion, if you want the best kayak money can buy under $500 get the Mariner 124. I recommend it because it is so stable, maneuverable and looks awesome!

See more at blog post with Pictures:
http://libertywilderness.com/2015/10/15/the-mariner-124-societal-freedom/

I purchased Future Beach Mariner 10.4 last year. Since I am new to Kayaking I wasn't sure if I would have trouble getting in and out of it and if it would be stable on the water.

I am very pleased with this product. It has a large cockpit that allows me to enter and exit it easily. The bottom is fairly flat making it very stable in the water. It is sturdy and very well suited for new paddlers.

Only real con it the tracking is only fair but for a new or leisure paddler it is fine. The price was excellent too since I did not want to spend too much money starting out. I have really enjoyed this product and would definitely recommend it.

The Mariner is great for the price especially for beginners. It has a large cockpit, is very stable, and has adequate storage. The tracking in this kayak is subpar though. Once you try a buddy's with a better hull design, you'll be buying an upgrade.

I bought two Future Beach Mariner 10.4 kayaks in April of this year! My wife and I love these kayaks! They are awesome! Stable enough to stand in! We have logged on well over 100 miles this summer. We have friends with Pelican kayaks and the Future Beach kayaks are much nicer to ride! They track very well!

Previous to owning the Future Beach Mariner 10.4s we had 2 Sun Dolphin kayaks and riding in the Mariner is like riding in a limo where the Sun Dolphins are like a clown car! I am sold on the Future Beach products!

My son and a friend of mine liked them also and bought the Future Beach Fusion 120. I have also since bought a Fusion 120 and a 10' Spirit sit on by Future Beach. I have not got the Spirit in the water yet but I write a review as soon as I do get a chance to try it out! I think in this price range the Future Beach kayaks are the way to go!

Good starter kayak. It is well made plastic and is easy for the beginner to get into and out of the cockpit. Heavier than some but at 50 lbs it is manageable. The flat bottom makes it more stable in the water.

New to kayaking, so we purchased two Mariner 10.4 kayaks to try it out. Couldn't be more pleased with them! Large cockpit allows for easy entry & exit. Lots of storage space, large rear hatch, small dry hatch on front. VERY STABLE! So stable that jumping in and out in the middle of the lake was no problem. We've been down the river twice and paddled around the lake twice now, and have enjoyed it very much every time. We travel with some folks who have high-end sit on tops, and had no problem keeping up. Light weight and carry handles combine to make them easy to get in and out of the water. The wife and I can carry both with the handles, or I can easily carry mine alone.

Just purchased the Future Beach Mariner 10.4 at Dunham Sports. I've had it on the lake once. I like it. I had a Pelican 100 s.o.t fishing kayak, but I wanted to try a sit-in. The Mariner is much more stable and sits higher and dryer. It seems to track through the water about the same as the Pelican but maybe a little faster. I like the storage space and one is a dry hatch on the bow, however very small. wish the large hatch in the back was also dry. Although it is a few pounds heavier, it is easy to carry because of the way it's made. Quite happy with it, plus got it on sale for just $169.

Understand that this is not my only kayak but it is the one I use most.
I was interested in this kayak for several reasons; mainly stability, cockpit space, price and modification possibilities.

First off, this kayak is incredibly stable. Being a 'sit-in' your center of gravity is lower and the wide beam (31.75 in) make moving and jostling around in the huge cockpit worry free of tipping over. But, I wouldn't be taking this out on the ocean or fast moving rivers.

The cockpit is indeed huge. The seat is moderately comfortable for a cheap kayak. The ample side space in the gunwale is perfect for mounting a hand bilge pump and other accessories such as waterproof wallet and keys box, short fishing rod mounts and slim, side mount tackle box, just in case the fish are jumpin' and you're just out for a quick paddle.

This is by no means a fast paddle, for sure. But it is deftly maneuverable in close to the shore for creeping up on those fishing hole hide-outs. And for a wide hull, it tracks better than you'd expect not soaking up much energy with 'side waddle'.

As for mods, I drilled in a couple of flush-mount rod holders and mounted a Scotty rod holder up front. And of course, no fishing rig is complete without an anchor trolley. A new seat upgrade, of course.

The price was 180 bucks with a coupon at Dunham Sports. Such a deal for this exceptional kayak configuration. I would hope that if this is a discontinued model, that they don't destroy the roto-mold. Every kayak collection should have this versatile model in it.

Purchased my Mariner 10.4 primarily for fishing smaller Michigan lakes, rivers, and streams. Was originally sold on the hull design for stability - and it did not disappoint. It tracks very well in open water, even with a crosswind, while still light enough to carry with one hand. The seat is fine for a kayak, the cockpit spacious, and the easily adjustable foot pegs work perfectly. Even securing the paddle to the starboard side while fishing is a quick one-handed operation thanks to the bungee cord and hook provided. There is no floatation added to the hull, but plenty of space in the bow and stern to trap air, or you can add a beach ball if that is of concern, (I really do not know how anyone could tip this over anyway). The handling in tight spots is quick, much quicker than my old 12' Pamlico. I added two flush mount rod holders behind the seat and an anchor trolley system to the port side for a total of about $25, and it was well worth it. With a new price of $229+tax, there is no better way to spend your hard earned money for taking the hook to the fish.