Cruise 12

I have owned my Cruise 12 for 7 years. It is a well built kayak that is a great fishing platform, but has a few traits that are undesirable. Speed is a problem, when fishing with people using sit in kayaks good luck keeping up. I am an avid paddler and cruising speed on this hull is about 3.5 mph. Anything over 4 mph is paddling like a madman. The Cruise also sits high out of the water so it is a dry ride but not the greatest in the wind. Really makes it tough to fish and paddle if the wind is up in the 15-20 mph range. It is also a fairly heavy kayak, get a wheeled trolly if you are hauling it to water more than 100 yards. Great stable platform for fishing, not great if you have a distance to go in wind or with friends in canoes or moderately fast kayaks.

Great to fish off of, but put secure lines on your gear ! Very easy to turn over & dump you.

the Bite is a little slower, but much more stable.

This is one of the best paddling fishing kayak hulls out there. Looks like Jackson may be phasing it out since they now only make the recreational version. Very stable, fast enough, tracks nice, and turns easily. With manufacturers going with heavier and wider kayaks, the cruise 12 is a manageable weight. The front storage compartment has the tupperware type lid and is large enough for rods and an extra paddle. The rear tankwell is huge. The con for me is the hull cracked where the seat legs make contact with the kayak. Jackson did honor their warranty and replaced the kayak after I paid the amount the warranty required. I wish they would update this hull, but not make it too wide and heavy.

This sit on top has an exceptionally comfortable seat, I felt like I was sitting at home on the couch! The Cruise is very stable and tracks as well as a sit-in. It maneuvered well even in tight and faster moving spots. I never felt like I was going to turn over or go astray.

I am 60-something 5'10 225 lbs so this is a kayak I can keep for the rest of my life.

At 12'3" the boat has good volume and is roomy, much more so than my Perception Tribe 11.5. I still recommend the Tribe to those on a budget though, very good kayak. The Cruise however basic it may seem compared to Jackson's pricier models, has so much potential for using the mounting points that are given, and doing some additional upgrades of your own, that you can make it into what you need to fish out of. Hopefully I'll slowly learn to stand in it from the high seat position. 10 years ago with the old style WS Ride I had no problem, but my legs aren't what they used to be.

This is also a very quiet hull design with zero noise in most conditions, making for a stealthy fish stalking craft. There is only one slight negative, it is a little on the slow side and if you need to cover lots of ground this wont be your boat. All that being said it's not a slug and you'll get a comfortable middle ground pace without too much effort. It's not a kayak to be pushed in the speed department. I'll compare it to my Necky Vector 14 in terms of speed. The Vector is effortlessly fast and efficient. It's drawback is it's niche, but when I want to get down to the Chesapeake Bay it will be my choice. Otherwise the Cruise will do nicely in terms of comfort stability quiet and things most fisherman want.

Great all around boat that I highly recommend. If you are ever near Phoenixville, PA I also highly recommend French Creek Outfitters where I bought this boat - great selection and service.

All in all it's a great kayak that holds value and can be easily outfitted to your needs thanks to the ram mount screw-ball fittings. Wouldn't recommend if your trying to paddle long distances like extended bay fishing or BTB though it's stable enough for that kind of fishing.