Slayer Propel 13

This is my first pedal kayak. After paddling for many years I can see the upside. On the water it has good speed for a fishing kayak, but also the ability to stand and sight cast it great. The open deck makes tackle management really easy and great for any fly fishermen. The only reason I gave it four stars is because of the weight. It is a downside of most all pedal kayaks. At almost 90lbs and 120 with the drive and seat it can be hard to load on a roof rack. But when you get it on the water it will be worth it.

The Slayer Propel 13 has been my primary fishing kayak for nearly 4 years now. I have used this boat in shallow marshes, large bays, lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and even offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. It is a very versatile kayak to say the least. My propel drive has taken a beating and has never left me stranded on the water. I’ve always carried an extra propellor and never had to use it. The hands free, instant reverse of the propel drive is a huge advantage compared to some other competitors. I’m 6’3” and 240 lbs and have no issues standing up or loading the boat down with gear. This is a great product and Native seems to have top notch customer service.

This is my 4th Native kayak owned since they first came out. Big plus is the prop providing a reverse and the steering setup. My fishing score doubled from first outing. There have been lot of memorable times, 48" red on 10lb line, and pedaling after her prevented being spooled. Easy 5 stars, but early drives, mine, have tendency to crack and after 2yr co taking no helpful steps. Mine cracking and eventually to break. Always babied as aware of this early design flaw. Ans given is buy new drive with corrected design for $1k. If better co support would be easy 5 stars.

I have used the Slayer Propel for about two years. It has pros and cons when compared to my previous Hobie Revo 13. There are several advantages. It is wider and more stable. Standing up is not much of an issue. Moving in reverse with the propeller is nice. Additionally, peddling for six miles or more is easier with the propeller drive.

There are disadvantages when compared to the Hobie. It is much heavier and much more difficult to car top. Without a lift assist, this can be a challenge. Also, it would be nice to have internal storage like the Hobie Pro Angler, rather than have to pay more for external tackle storage.

I 'test drove' several kayaks and while they all had their 'pros and cons' none of them had propulsion (forward / reverse). I tried Hobie with the mirage drive but you couldn't reverse quickly. That was the selling point for me. I fish Florida waterways and back creeks, marshes, narrow waterways. I need to be able to back out, sometimes quickly (alligators!!) and I like the Propel for exactly that reason! Station keeping in wind, current, etc. is easy with no worries about keeping your paddle in your lap. I've added two flush mount rod holders behind the seat and a trolley system. Perfect fishing machine! I can make 4.1 mph over ground with no current. I ease the seat back a little and get comfortable and I can pedal ALL day long without issue.

I love the Slayer Line from Native Watercraft, they are stable well laid out boats. I was excited to finally have an opportunity to try out the Propel and I found it to perform every bit as good as paddle version Slayer. It was easy to peddle and easy to steer. It reacted quickly on turns and did not have a lot of side drift. You need to raise the propel drive when you enter into shallow or rocky areas and this was easy to do. The kayak paddles well too. However, to have the luxury of a pedal drive you do give up quite a bit of room in the cockpit area.

Overall, the boat performs well, has comfortable high low seating and peddles easily. If you feel the need to cover a lot of distance quickly then this is the perfect yak. My only problem was with my own short stature, it was a little difficult to get the peddles adjusted comfortably, I was either peddling tippy toed, or knocking my knees into my teeth. The seat is easy to adjust though so it didn't take long for me to find a happy medium. It's a well thought out boat and performs good