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MK 4.4

discontinued

This Product Has Been Discontinued

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MK 4.4 Description

The MK 4.4 is a kayak brought to you by Malibu Kayaks. Read MK 4.4 reviews or submit your own review to share with the paddling community. Check out a few other kayak recommendations below or explore all kayaks to find the perfect one for you!

Malibu Kayaks
MK 4.4 Reviews

Read reviews for the MK 4.4 by Malibu Kayaks as submitted by your fellow paddlers. All of the reviews are created and written by paddlers like you, so be sure to submit your own review and be part of the community!

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5

Since going to a single layer…

Submitted by: paddler233835 on 10/4/2010
Since going to a single layer hull the boats are less than stellar. The top deck is concave instead of convex and the bottom shape is hogged. Malibu claims a carrying capacity of 240 but it is more like 180. The hulls are so thin (to keep the weight down I guess) that they crack near the scuppers on the top and bottom and sometimes near the front of the foot well. The original vision was a fantastic boat. Since Malibu took over they have destroyed the boat. It used to be one of the best recreational kayaks on the market, now its a piece of junk.
5

Sean at Malibu Kayaks honored…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 7/2/2009
Sean at Malibu Kayaks honored the warranty of my 4.4. Problem solved. I own two 4.4's.Young people love them, they fly in the water. Very well suited kayaks for the sounds and beaches of North Carolina.
4

Amongst the fastest SOT's!! I'm 6'3" and 240lbs and still learning…

Submitted by: paddler233147 on 6/9/2009
Amongst the fastest SOT's!!
I'm 6'3" and 240lbs and still learning the sport. I've also paddled OK Scrambler, Prowler 13, Peekaboo, Zest 2 and Old Town 125, 160. I just purchased this kayak and have had it out a couple of times. My first impressions were that it is slightly ugly (the red has all these specks of gray, black and white in it that you don't see in the photos. Also the Malibu logo on the side has these black triangles in it and it looks very early 90's. Overall look is of lower quality than Ocean Kayak's. That being said, the 4.4 doesn't leak a drop unlike my Scrambler that takes on a gallon a minute through a scupper.

In the water, the first thing I noticed is that it has a wet ride that's for sure. Small chop comes over the low sides easily. Also there is a lot of hull slap. Make that hull bang! Going straight on 1 ft. waves/chop this thing goes slap, slap, thud, thud and it just slows right the hell down. But when the water smooths out though, you are in for a treat! It is faster than anything else I've paddled. I average 2.5-2.7 in my Scrambler and in this I can manage 3.6mph for hours at a crack. It also tracks well enough that it is not an issue.

At 240, it handles my weight but it is a little tippy. In fact, just adding an inch under my butt with a seat makes a difference. But it is not so unstable as to be a problem. You'll be fine as long as you pay attention.

I'm having a lot of fun with this boat. It really opens up exploration when you can get places quickly and easily. It seems most suited to Flat water or big waves but not in between. Also, the narrow width makes it easy to paddle with an aggressive vertical stroke.

There aren't many places to order this puppy. I used Kayak fishing supplies and I am very happy with their service, they picked it up at the factory for me and sent it right out (4 days shipping from Cali to Buffalo).

In short, if you are looking for a fast, reasonably priced sit on top for fitness and day touring then you really only have a couple choices. The OK Scupper Pro TW $729, Bic Scapa $719, or Malibu 4.4 $615. The Scupper is more useful but has a narrow and short seat well and is very wet. The BIC looks like it is even less stable than the 4.4 and its foot holders dig into your heels.

I love this boat my only wish is that it handled Lake Erie chop better. Have Fun!

2

The 2008 version of this boat…

Submitted by: paddler232882 on 9/15/2008
The 2008 version of this boat may be defective. We bought two 4.4's in June of 2008. By September, both had developed lateral cracks radiating from the top of the rear scupper. The cracks admit enough water to swamp the boat in about 15 minutes. These boats were sold to us as new factory "blems", and at a discount. Malibu's solution was to replace the boats for $150 each. Ask your dealer about the warranty and what will happen if you experience this defect. Otherwise, a fun boat.
4

I've paddled the 4.4 many…

Submitted by: Magoots on 3/19/2007
I've paddled the 4.4 many hours, in different types of water and weather. I love it. It tracks very well, even in the wind on an open lake. The adjustable foot rest and two water-tight hatches with dry bags are great features. Best SOT I've ever paddled.
4

The 4.4 is a low profile, sit…

Submitted by: paddler231019 on 4/2/2005
The 4.4 is a low profile, sit on top, roto molded surf and workout boat. I bought my 4.4 on January 22 and now have been out paddling in it 18 times and have covered just over 130 miles (according to my GPS). I live in San Diego California and paddle in a combination of sheltered bay and open ocean water. I have paddled in some mild weather but for the most part it has been cool, windy, choppy and some times even dark and cold. So far in my experience, the 4.4 seems to do a lot of things well. In the flat water of the bay I can get it up on its bow wave and close to what feels like planing. In cross wind and chop, it tracks straight. Going up wind in big ocean waves it is a wet ride, but I can keep it rolling along at a reasonable pace (about 3.5 mph). Going back down wind in the ocean waves is great fun because this boat is a good surfer. You would think all this performance would come with a price- like a tippy nervous feel, but I have the seat height padded up 2 inches above standard and the boat is still very stable. It is not surf ski fast, or fishing yak dry, but it is much easier to stay on top of then a surf ski and much easier to handle both on and off the water than a typical sit-on-top. My one complaint is that the foot rests are a bit too small. However, every time I get back to the beach with the 4.4 I think to myself: what fun boat.

Another thought about surfing; in the ocean waves (not beach break) and boat wakes I ride, the 4.4 has the uncanny ability to pull its bow out of the water. Every time I have dropped into a step wave, the bow gets buried, and I think I am going to endo (pearl) the bow has just popped itself out and on we go.

5

The Tri-poly hull is strong,…

Submitted by: paddler229734 on 6/13/2002
The Tri-poly hull is strong, riding the crest of a 'big' wave and crash driving straight into the sand beach-no problem. I'm 56 yrs old and can handle this 48 pounder (I use a towel on my head) and carry it to the beach no sweat. The south Fla beach, inland water ways and lakes make this boat a must have for me. I've tried a few others, but this one is stable in the roughest conditions and exceeded my expectations!
5

I bought a used model with a…

Submitted by: paddler229597 on 2/21/2002
I bought a used model with a removable skeg and added a seat from a Malibu 2 and knee straps. Great stability on stong waves but no acrobatics. I like being able to eject if I am about to endo but may need space from other kayaks as it becomes an out-of-control missle. Beats surfing!
4

Great looking boat,graphics…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 9/7/2000
Great looking boat,graphics and detailing excellent. Has great primary stability," Very Little" secondary stability-you lean you swim-(learning better braces). My traditional sit in kayaks all had much better (at least some, perhaps too much, I got lazy) secondary stability. Surfs the smallest wave with ease,has good speed and is easy to remount when you go swimming. Went looking for a SOT, saw (tried) several ,came away with the CK 4.4. Only complaint is the skeg comes loose to easily, if you happen to bump even floating objects. If you can find one try it, it is FUN!
MK 4.4
by Malibu Kayaks
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