Profile

Name: yakmatt

Most Recent Reviews

I picked up a Phoenix 14 that had been used three times for a price I couldn’t turn down. It's a solid yak that's fast and tracks straight. I have a Scupper Pro and a Prowler 15 and I think it's a better paddling yak. I was out in a rough chop and it handled it great and it was a fairly dry ride.

As for fishing I like the Prowler better, it has more room to move around and is a tad more stable. The hump in front of the seat took some getting used to.

This is a rock solid yak that is a very good but not super fishing machine. It was definitely worth the money I paid for it.
9 out of 10.

I have Malone J racks and they work great. I liked the company and need on more yak holder and bought the Autoloader for my Prowler 15. The first trip about 80 miles one way. Loading was easy and the morning trip went great. I said to myself they have another winner. On the way back when the wind kicked up and it’s unprintable what I was saying about the Autoloaders. The wind tipped the top of the yak away from the holder to the point it was hanging almost over the side. I pulled over re-did everything and cinched the straps down super tight and knotted them on the bars for good measure. Another 20 miles same thing; did everything the same but this time moved my kid to the front seat so if the yak tumbled off the side he wouldn’t get hit with flying glass. For the next twenty miles watched the yak with the side view mirror tilted all the way up with one eye and the road with the other. Guess what? Yep yak hanging over the side. I finally gave up and switched my kids Dolphin to the Autoloaders and my Prowler to the J rack, smooth ride home after that. The Autoloader might be good for some yaks but for a big SOT it a bust. I give it 2 out of 10.

I held off my review of the T2 (it has larger blade than the T!) for over a year to make sure they held up. I loved using this paddle the first time out and I moved my Swift to my spare. It’s light and is a pleasure to use. I read the mixed reviews and was worried that the paddle might come apart. So far the T2 has held up to all my abuse. I spend most of my paddling time yak fishing and had nicked my swift easily. The T2 held up to me pushing through a half mile of mud, bouncing it off oyster bars and dropping it on the pavement. I think this is a great paddle, especially for klutz like me.

I bought a Phoenix 12 for my 11 yr olds Christmas present. The main reason I chose the Phoenix was its light weight. I paddle a Prowler 15 and at the end of the day I didn’t want to be lifting two barges on top of my Tahoe. I finally got a chance to take it out for a spin and I was impressed. It’s a nice ride. It’s fast and slick on the water. Turns and maneuvers well but its forward speed really impressed me.

Pros:
Very stable, fast, easy to lift, comfortable seat area. (Some people commented on the hump but I didn’t notice it at all). Foot wells are like the OK, the tank well is good sized and will fit a milk crate (but not it’s close to the prowler’s aircraft carrier size well).

Cons:
It wetter then my OK, the seat doesn’t have any scupper holes. If you get water in the seat it stays there. The front hatch has no storage space you might fit a small dry bag in there (the 14 has good size).

Other:
My kid has hit a few oyster bars and the trilon scratches up just like roto plastic it’s not that big a deal for me. It can be drilled into without problems and rigged any way you chose. I have never used a rudder so I can’t comment on that.

Overall I give it an 8 and would definitely buy it again.

I’ve traveled over 500 miles using the J cradle and can say it is as solid as advertised. I switched from hully rollers and saddles because I need a place to put my camping gear. The J gives you a ton more room on the top.

Pros: solid performance, sideways position is better for yaks left on overnight, easy to install and will fit on factory racks.

Cons: It can be very difficult to load your yak on a high SUV (I have a Tahoe) after a long day of paddling, black streaks happened to me (I have a fishing SOT and really don’t care about cosmetics), road noise.

Overall I give the J cradle an 9 they work as advertised. Because of the loading difficulty (which is no fault of the company) I will switch back to the hully roller and saddles for day trips.

I got one for night yaking. The hurricanes hit before I could use it for that, but the light was so bright and lightweight when we were without power for 4 and 5 days I picked up 2 more for my family. I have used them for night yaking and they are a great, easy to use light.

I traded my leaky scratched up 10 year old Scupper Pro in for a Prowler. I loved that Scupper but it doesn’t compare to the Prowler. The Prowler tracks straighter, is a little faster, much smoother and more stable then my old Scupper. I like Ocean Kayak and got a good deal on the trade-in so I never took a WS Tarpon 14 (my other choice) for a test ride.

I was worried about leaks from the scupper holes. I’d read that had been a problem. I checked the hatch and not a drop.

The biggest thing I love about the Prowler is the space. The tank well is huge. I fit my cooler, cast net, anchor and pfd back there. In IMHO it’s a great fishing machine. It’s a pleasure to paddle.

Great boat. My 6 yr old took to it within the first half-hour. Very stable and easy to paddle.