Anyone fished off the new 2007 Prowler Big Game?

 Hi Yakers:

             Look like nice  revisions to the Prowler but, at 69 Lbs and 12'-9 sound like a tug!
Anyone know where I could try one out?
            http://www.oceankayak.com/product_support/downloads/Prowler_Big_Game.pdf
                                                                              Thanks
                                                                              Ernie
           
 

Ernie - Allen Bushnell has one. He brought it to the HMB Derby.

It looks like Ocean Kayak wanted to build a kayak that would match Cobra's Fish & Dive. I did not get to test paddle it but it does look very stable.

I am picking one up for the weekend from Allen tonight.

Stay tuned to this site for my review.

MolBasser

Hi MB and Mooch:

         I'll look foward to your review MB. Do you know how much $$$?
                                                                        Thanks
                                                                        Ernie

I think it is 900 or so....

Not sure, but I will ask Allen.

MolBasser

I have one, but haven't had a chance to take one out.  That will change on Saturday as I'll finally get one out.  I'll write a report shortly thereafter.  I should have another BG in the Bay Area soon and can make it available for test drives.

-Allen

I've got the boat.

I will take some pictures tomorrow and fish it sunday.

MolBasser

69lbs?

And looking at it I was wondering where do you put the big game?

I paddled it today.

I was very pre-occupied with the frickin' heat though.  Over 100 degrees at Loch Lomond (decided against the drive to Lexington).

I will post a detailed review later.

First impressions:

Good-
Unbelievably stable, easily the most stable yak I have been on.  I stood up on it without any reservation.
Easy access to storage.
Tracks well.
Completely dry ride, footwells included.
Good accessorie possibilities.

Bad-
Heavy.
a bit slow.
A bit of a sail.

More to come.

MolBasser

Hi MB:

           Sound like it's way to heavy for me. I wish OK would make the same revisions
to the Prowler 15 and keep the weight down.
                                                                          Thanks
                                                                          Ernie

I took mine out on Sunday on a lake.  In the heat of WA too.  Hey, it hit 99 while we were on the water and 106 on the way home.

Like Mol said, stable.  And I mean very ,very stable.  Hands down the most stable boat I've paddle and I've owned a Cobra Triple and a Malibu XFactor.  Did I mention that it is stable?  There's going to be a lot of florida flats fishermen and fly fishermen that will love this yak.

The hull has a sponson type design that I would say is similar to the Wilderness Systems Ride.  It has a little wobble in the tracking (it is a shorter boat) but doesn't wander.  It is very responsive in turning, which I like after riding longer, rudderless boats.  Speaking of rudders, mine has a rudder system, but it doesn't really need it.  I retracted the rudder after trying it out and didn't lower it again.

Speed?  Well, I was using the "2nd string" paddle as the girlfriend wanted to use my lighter paddle (which she now has claimed as hers) and I think it messed my judgement up.  At first it felt slow, but when I swapped paddles ever so briefly, it defintely rode faster and better.  When I had the 2nd paddle I felt I had to work to keep up with her when she was in a Prowler 15.  When we swapped, she had to work to keep up with me.  Moral of this story ... a paddle can make a big difference.

I didn't notice the sail effect.

Big roomy cockpit with good access to the center hull and the center "pocket".  This is one boat that my legs didn't go all the way to the end.  A nice flat rail along the sides allows for various customized mounting.  Very dry, although I had a little bit of water collecting in the footfeels which had a slight angled away from the scuppers.  The scuppers are at the front of the footwell, so maybe it was my heavy weight causing the angle.  I'm 210#.

My first impressions were positive.  I'll take it out on the Ocean this coming weekend and write a more extensive report after that.

-Allen