News Release Ocean Kayaks "BIG GAME"

I just got this news release regarding the Big Game kayak, designed  specifically for us anglers.  I have paddled the baot and it's every bit as stable as advertised.  Not as fast as my Prowler, but a good-paddling boat.  did I mention it's super stable?  Also can carry TONS of gear.  Take a look.

OCEAN KAYAK® LAUNCHES PROWLER BIG GAME™
 FISHING KAYAK FOR SERIOUS ANGLERS

FERNDALE, Wash. (April 25, 2006) Ocean Kayak®, a pioneer in the world of sit-on-top kayaks, is pleased to announce their latest kayak fishing innovation, the Prowler Big Game™.

Every detail of the Ocean Kayak® Prowler Big Game™ is geared toward the serious kayak fisherman.  It easily accommodates anglers of any size with all the necessary fishing gear, including fish finders, GPS, transducer, rod holders, tackle boxes and even live bait wells, all of which can be smartly mounted or stowed on and around the boat.

At 12’ 9” in length and 69 pounds, the Prowler Big Game™ is made for the angler who demands stability and comfort.  The Big Game™ is equipped with a wide seat well, comfortable seat back and a redesigned drainage system for a drier ride.  Other key features include a large pro hatch with battery storage, extra large tank well with removable bungee, paddle keepers and adjustable foot pedals.

The flat foot-well area is great for standing or kneeling to spot fish and the molded-in keel provides smooth tracking and reduced hull slap when paddling.  Also, key to the design, the Prowler Big Game™ features stern stingers intended to help carry volume in the rear of the boat, a unique cockpit cover and a convenient storage tray.

“The kayak fishing community continues to grow at a record pace and we are focused on delivering innovation that serves the needs of the serious angler,” said Sara Knies, Director of Marketing for Ocean Kayak®.   “Our Ocean Kayak® team includes some of the most respected fishing industry professionals and boat designers, all with decades of experience and expertise to help us become the brand of choice for kayak fisherman and women,” continued Knies. 

“There is nothing quite like the thrill of fishing from the deck of a kayak, especially for bigger game,” said Jim Sammons, Ocean Kayak® pro fishing team member, fishing guide and owner of La Jolla Kayak Fishing   “The Prowler Big Game™ was designed for stability in all kinds of water conditions and we are confident it will provide anglers with the ultimate kayak fishing experience.”








The Prowler Big Game™ comes in a variety of colors and features two flush mounted rod holders, large comfortable seat back, angler graphics and a small Plano ® tackle box.  The Prowler Big Game™ can also be outfitted with a rudder and a large center square hatch.  New for 2007, all of the Prowler models come in complete angler packages which include seat backs, paddles, a Humminbird® fish finder, transducer and more. At this point the price is TBD.

Ocean Kayak® is part of the Johnson Outdoors family of innovative, market-leading brands.  The company designs, manufactures and markets a portfolio of top-quality products for the global marketplace across four categories: Watercraft, Marine Electronics, Diving and Outdoor Equipment.  Johnson Outdoors' familiar brands include, among others: Ocean Kayak®, Necky® kayaks, Old Town® canoes, Old Town® kayaks, Extrasport® paddling gear and PFD’s, Carlisle® paddles and oars, Escape® electric boats, Minn Kota® motors, Cannon® downriggers, Humminbird® fish finders, Scubapro® and UWATEC® dive equipment, and Eureka!® tents.   The company has 23 locations around the world, employs 1,300 people and reported annual sales of $381 million in 2005.  Visit Johnson Outdoors online at www.johnsonoutdoors.com.


To meet our kayak fishing team, see how to outfit a kayak for fishing and learn more about the new Ocean Kayak® fishing kayaks please visit our website at www.oceankayak.com

Any chance of one of these making it to the Loch Lomond event?

That's a good idea, bill.  Let's see if i can arrange it.

Allen

Cool looking boat.  Looks a lot like an X-factor, but shorter.  How wide is it? 

Hey Sean-

I measured the prototype when it was here, but am emabarassed to say I don't remember. At least two inches wider than my Prowler, though.  the stinger concept is pretty cool, they can bring the tail in and keep the deck wide, like we do with surfboards.

I can't wait to get one for occasional use myself, and for clients.  this thing is soooo stable, and paddles pretty good, like a drifter, maybe a bit better than a drifter in chop. 

Allen

34 inches wide.

-Allen

Allen,  I heard the Elite 4.5 isn't going to make it to the US. The thread about changes to the P15, was that for a different version?

Jason

Hey jason:

I spoke to the OK rep today.  I think we may learn more about the elite sometime next month. 

A bit of research online tonight I learned that (apparently) it is made in new Zealand and sold there as well as in the UK.

As soon as i get the info I will pass it on.

The previous "new Prowler" thread was an opportunity for us NorCal guys to forward suggestions to OK as to what we are looking for in the future Prowler line....No announnced new Prowler 15 yet, but if they are currently designing, we got a lot of good suggestions for them to work with I think.

Sorry I don't have more definite info, but I don't at this point.

Allen

Look what followed me home today!

I will paddle it this weekend and give a full report.

-Allen

Polepole:

So, there is a definite advantage to being the OK fisherman in Washington........I'll say!

I''m getting a couple shipped to me down here.  I'll be able to loan out to NorCal anglers for demos.  Maybe get a little fishstamp to use like hashmarks below the cockpit.  One for every fish caught on it?

Everyone can add their own fish onto the boat.

I'll post separate thread when it gets here, prolly sometime next week, just in time for rockfish season.

Allen

It looks like a modified drifter....

MolBasser

If anyone wants to try one out, Aquan has one in our rental fleet. (we'll apply rental fee's to any boat purchase within 60 days)

I have both the Scupper Pro ( although mine is the TW ) and a Prowler 15. I prefer having the tank well. The seat in the Scupper is like a bucket and sits low in the kayak. Great for stability but not so great for wiggle room. Very uncomfortable when dawning a weight belt. My 15 year old son swears by the Scupper. He added a more comfortable seat, the Crazy Creek Kayak II high back seat. We had to move it a little forward of the bucket as it didn't seat too well in it. He may have sacraficed a tiny bit of stability but has a much more comfortable ride.
As for stowing camping gear; that's what dry bags are for. They come in a variety of sizes and can be lashed down with no problems.
I did a 4 day fishing trip down the Deschutes river in an inflatable kayak. ZERO internal storage. Everything was in dry bags and lashed down.
There were some HUGE rapids where a couple of the guys spilled and nothing was ever lost. We ate incredible meals and slept dry every night.

I have had a prowler 15 for around 6 months. It is extremely stable in rough seas. My only real complaint is the footwells that don't drain. They need to cut a groove between the footwells so the water can drain out.

I have the green color, which is difficult for other boats to see. I solved this problem by installing a safety flag:

http://kayakfishingstuff.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=sflag&Category_Code=si

This flag comes with a bracket that bolts onto the deck or in the tank well. The flag can then be screwed into the bracket and easily removed when not on the water. After nearly getting hit twice by sailboats out on Monterey Bay, I am very happy to have the extra visibility. In fact, I just ordered one for my other kayak, even though its color is more visible. When the swell is big, it doesn't matter what color your boat is; it will be invisible half the time. The flag sits up high, so it gives you much more visibility. I was told by another kayaker that she could see my boat a half mile away.

My other boat is a tarpon 160i. I took it out a couple of weeks ago for the first time. A friend was paddling my prowler 15, so I had the opportunity to compare them side by side. On the bigger waves that were close together, the tarpon definitely slapped its bow on the water a bit. The prowler tended to roll over the waves with very little hull slap, probably due to the extra rocker in the hull shape. On the other hand, the tarpon was a bit faster than the prowler and seemed to require less effort to paddle.