I've only watched one of your videos and you already cost me $700! I was going to get the paddle only version but now I'm sold on this one instead. Thanks for a great and thorough review!
@@alexjaffe9717 absolutely. As long as it’s landed correctly. It also depends on you. If you are 300lbs and lean over to land a 10lb fish it may not work well. But figuratively, you can easily land a 40lber in this. I’ve seen big dudes stand in this yak with no issues
Thanks for the review. I’ve narrowed my choices between the Seastream Angler 120PD, Old Town Sportsman Salty120pdl and the Hobie passport 12. I’ll be fishing the Chesapeake Bay and the many tributaries in SE Virginia.
Looking to get a fishing kayak and keep coming back to this one. Can’t get over the price on the high end ones. This one seems to be a poor man’s OT Sportsman 120 PDL. Seems to have most of the same options. I’m surprised there are not more reviews on this one. I would think at $1400 it would be a more popular kayak. Thanks for the review!
Thanks for a great video. You made me order one here in Stockholm, they are hard to get here in the Nordic Venice. I'm waiting for springtime. Right now it's 14 degrees here
I appreciate the review..., And I would like to suggest you tell us your height and weight, and use a gps and give top speed you attain...and show the deck while paddling with no scupper plugs , so we can see if it's a dry ,or wet ride..., In future reviews ...thank you.
smiley,..if its any help i own the shadow caster, and its basically the same kayak without the pedals,..and i can tell you its really a stable ride.. and a dry one. I'm 5'11, 210, no probs. i used to own a cheap vibe 10 footer,..and it was scary..comparison isnt needed. im not a long time kayak fisher but as someone whom can swim worth a darn, i love my shadow caster,..and even stand and fish. Same dimensions as this pedal drive, and has to be close to weight (90 for the shadow caster) and i've topped it on my explorer no problem,..and now in my pickup with no probs. i'm taking my shadow caster to georgia in september,..and once there im looking for the seastream angler,..cant beat it for the price...this way i can invite friends and the mrs to go along.
1st thing I see wrong is the outdated metal woven rudder pull lines. My P.O.S. Bigfish 108 had them and the left side frayed because the metal piece used to hold tension would cause enough pinching to break the fibers. Yes, Feel Free sent me a new set within 2 weeks of emailing them my complaint but I noticed wear on the right side a month after that. Upgrade to heavy-duty braided line. The propeller needs some type of guide to center the props blades while it's in the water so that you can easily pull it up and out of the water to remove debris or out of the way in shallow water. Looks like the pedal drive system is the same as the BigFish. NOISY!! Never buy a kayak until you test drive it!! Lesson learned the hard way
Lot to answer here.. first thing, sorry you had some issue and I am glad they were fixed. Secondly, I have used those same cables for 4 years on every model and never experienced the same issue. Thirdly, there is a device to center the prop to pull it up easily. Fourthly, the pedal drive is the same and is chain driven. Just like any other pedal driven boat with a prop. The noise you hear is not loud by any means and is the same noise a bicycle makes when the chain is spinning a gear. It works perfectly for me on the big fish and seastream. I, as well as thousands of others are happy with the stability, quality, comfort and accessibility of these kayaks. I agree with you that you should demo and test out kayaks first and learn all about them before purchasing or reviewing :) get out and catch some fish!
Also, the device you say it needs to center the prop is the spring loaded button just above the prop. You will hear the prop click and stop when it is pressed down. That is to center the prop vertically so it can be pulled up easily. :)
It’s a rebranded Shadow Caster. Good luck getting a replacement standing deck when it cracks and breaks and it will over time. Loved the shadow caster but the lack of replacement parts is what made me sell mine.
Well, I appreciate the comment. I’ll help you out a little to save you time doing research. This company made the shadow caster to begin with. Finding parts in the past for those may have been confusing to some since people had to go to big box stores to try and ask for parts. Now it is sold directly from the manufacturer instead and parts are extremely easy and accessible if you contact customer support. :)
@@TheBassquatchHunter Made as in design or Manufactured? I clearly recall in 2016 contacting FeelFree and then getting contact email for a company called Joy Sports which got me nowhere. Certain parts should be available for sale on the site instead of waiting for it to fail to contact customer service? Your rudder cable fix video is an example of it. I would love to buy a spare and keep it on my kayak so if it breaks I can replace it instantly instead of waiting a few weeks to receive one through a warranty. Maybe I’m in the minority that thinks ahead before heading out to the water of fixes I may have to do. Taking care of the customer is how you build a brand and if I had easy access to order parts I may need ahead of time then I would be more then willing to invest in the product.
Michael Rutter I understand. I have owned Feelfree’s since 2016 as well and can tell you that their service is always top notch.. the issue may have been because that kayak back then was not handled directly by the manufacturer but made exclusively for a big box store. I am not sure. But I know that if you contact feelfree and ask about any parts for any of their boats, they are very readily available. Contacting joy sports would not help too much since they are not located in the US. Feelfree/3 waters/seastream HQ USA is based in North Carolina and is known for incredible service. Now, some parts are available online and through dealers for their kayaks but it would be tough to lost everything for sale separately im sure. I contacted customer support for the rudder cables and had them within a week or so. It’s almost always a few days before reviving any part you need through them from my experience and what I hear from The majority online on the owners groups. If you need something, shoot them an email or call and you’ll be all set:) PM me on Facebook if you need any contact info or have any questions:)
@@LouisianaVol for a pedal drive it is. just go to walmart then get a disposable hunk of cheap plastic. Quality things cost money and we have inflation happening. 3k-5k is the expensive range
@@LouisianaVol it is for a pedal kayak… you can get a Pelican PDL drive for about $1000 but it’s a cheaper plastic and the hull design is for recreational purposes in calm waters… similar to the Hobie Lynx (which are waaay overpriced but have great tracking and rudder response)
I really appreciate your review videos. If you had to suggest the best budget pedal kayak right now what would it be. I’d be fishing rivers and small lakes.
That wasn’t out when I filmed this. And there are plenty of brands that are made in China that take others designs that are less expensive as well. I am not 100% educated on Hoodoo yet, but I was mainly referring to major brands when I mentioned it was the cheapest.
@@TheBassquatchHunter roger that, actually hodoo started in 2020 as well.. out of Texas .. they now have quite a few resellers .. in the SE .. and have presented a new model at 2021 icast.. hoodoo impulse 120p .. which is about the same price 1499.99 .. I am still in the market for budget pedal kayaks .. and there are quite a few now .. pelican getaway 110 .. which is a hybrid sup/yak with a mirage drive for 1099.99 .. its been a little bit with covid 19 slowing things down for all of us..
Considering selling my feelfree lure 11.5 with fish finder to get a pedal kayak and the sea stream is in budget so thinking the pedals would be work the switch.
@@TheBassquatchHunter I want to stand still so worried the moken 10 might be a downgrade in stability. So looking at Moken 12.5 pdl or the sea stream angler. Or just getting the over drive system for my lure since I’m happy with its stability and size. 12.5 feels too long for my applications.
@@zackmorehousewhere are you located? I highly recommend trying the moken 10 first. I have had some big guys in the Moken 10 and the stability is amazing. Even while standing. I would stay away from the Moken 12.5 of those 3 since it is the least stable of the options while standing. The moken 10 and seastream are both very stable. The Moken 10 is comparable to the 11.5 lure. But adding the drive to the lure will probably be the best bet and a little cheaper than buying a new kayak
Looks like a great fishing platform.....however, why would they release a kayak without access to the hull interior? Not only is a waste of space and storage but how would you pump water out in case of a crack/leak?
There is a drain plug to drain water if anything ever happens. As far as storage goes, there is plenty of options for storage solutions on top of the kayak. Most recreational boats will have more internal storage for the camping/traveling experience and fishing platforms usually have less internal storage since it is not needed in a fishing situation as much.
The big fish is much much bigger and heavier. Most stable, wider and thicker. But I like how light and fast the seastream is compared to the big fish too
Tough call. The seastream is lighter, faster and more manageable, but the big fish is more stable and has much more room. I would vote for the seastream since it is less expensive, easier to load and unload and faster. Unless you are a larger guy and need the extra room
My only question about this kayak, is where does a transducer mount? I prefer it to mount recessed in the hull if possible, if not other places can work.
Dude you committed the cardinal sin when you were launching that kayak into the water. Dragging them into the water with rough ground conditions on the keel, wreaks havoc on the bottom of the boat... Just saying... But the rest of your vid rocks... Thanks for sharing...
My camera guy is 6’7” and fits very well in it… but he is closer to 200 lbs. the weight limit in this one is 400 so you would definitely be ok with that. I would say this one would work, but the 3 waters big fish 108 would be the best kayak out there for you. It is not as light and manageable on land as this one since it is a heavier and bulkier kayak, but in the water, you would feel extremely comfortable. I just had a 6’5” 300lb guest in the big fish 108 and he was very stable and comfortable.
@@wickedchevy9852 the pedal drive will need around 12” to be used. The drives all can be lifted up out of the water so you can paddle in shallow areas. If you want to stay fully clear of a pedal drive, look into the 3 waters big fish 120 and there is also a seastream angler without the pedal drive as well.
Well, it’s closer to 1700 I believe. Also, it is cheap in the market of pedal driven kayaks. A Lamborghini is cheap at 50k but is 50k cheap for a skateboard? 😉
Tough call and two very different platforms. The seastream has pedals so I would choose that one but take away pedals and I would choose the Moken. The Moken is an amazing hull but does not have a pedal model …yet
I already see a possible problem with the pedal drive... Is it possible to lift it out of the way to stand and cast in shallow flats? I have a LURE11.5 and love it! I just got rid of my Hoodoo tempest 120p because it was too narrow making the front gear tracks useless for gear and trolling. Not to mention if you weigh more than 200 lbs the tempest has water on the floor through the scuppers.
One question: How tall are you and how did the leg room feel? Well, I guess that was two questions. LOL Thanks for the video man. Looks like a great "bang for the buck."
Hello! It is definitely a great kayak. I am shorter at 5’5” but I have had my friend who is 6’5” in this kayak as well and he was comfortable. The seat is adjustable to reach the pedals at any height:) I would not suggest over 6’5 or under 4’11” to reach the pedals comfortably. It’s definitely an open platform with plenty of room
Interesting opinion for sure. I will very strongly say that definitely not every kayak is stable on calm water. A kayak’s stability is not determined by taking on waves in a bay perpendicular to crashing waves. Many large boats have capsized taking waves to a side and that is most absolutely not recommended in any water craft or vessel. Stability can be judged in the ability to take on waves in some ways although the majority of anglers are much more concerned about stability standing, leaning and shifting weight around in a kayak.
Very tough choice. They are very different platforms. The Seastream is lighter, longer, faster, less deck space and not as stable, but still stable and great. The BF is shorter but heavier and bulkier on land, and much more deck space and stability. I Suggest you sit in both in person and see what fits you the best. If you are a bigger guy , the may find the BF more comfortable. Also, the BF can take bigger waves, so depends on where you plan to use it most and haul you plan to haul it. The BF is tough to car top by yourself compared to the Seastream too.
Again, shoot me a message on fb or ig where it’s easier to have a convo and we can figure out which would be a better for for your needs. This kayak and the BF 103 are very different and have a lot of trade offs
In my opinion the Baby Whale by Hammerhead Kayaks is a considerable better all around deal in an affordable peddle powered Kayak AND the Baby Whale is a $100 cheaper
I wouldn’t compare Chinese made knock off kayaks though. They aren’t in the same class as the bigger brands. Have you spent any time in the seastream to compare? Seastream has been around for quite awhile and was made for major box stores and proven to be durable, solid and affordable for many years. Those may be ok kayaks for low budget entry level, but I wouldn’t say it’s apples to apples.
I am a smaller guy at 160lbs. This kayak will still for you perfectly and if you have good balance, you can easily stand in this kayak. The seat is adjustable and I have had guys over 6’ in this boat and be comfortable. I would also check out the big fish 103 and 108 as options. Those are much wider and more stable, but not as fast and light as this boat. Feel free to message me with any questions through our Facebook or Instagram too:)
Pelican 12' Catch Pedal Drive 'Yak is on sale now at Academy, for $1199 (I did NOT buy one, though - bought the 10' Catch, and loving it...! Light enough to grab with one hand with my rods and tackle box in the other, and walk down to a creek or pond). I also have the 10.5 Titan (Great 'Yak, but heavy - with all the "trimmings" - @ over 150#...!) Looking to get the 14' Hobie Pro Angler this X-Mas, if knee surgery goes well ("things wear out", when you get in your mid-70's) Haha!
Travis F78 two very different boats. The passport is a two piece design and fin propelled instead of propeller driven. I personally like the Roto-molded plastic better. But the passport is not a bad boat either
Someone else did a Seastream test and said it beats the riot hands down. For what it’s worth...don’t remember the channel, but he was also very impressed with this one for the price point
I have done that.. many times 😂 it just stops you really fast. It is a solid drive and designed to protect the prop. Very similar to the design of an outboard motor
Bassquatch Hunter TV really? I have yet to try either but it’s what’s stopped me from pulling the trigger on either or, heard from other ppl that the drive it a bit noisy. Guess I gotta try it out myself
Project Reel yes. Always try for yourself and don’t go off what other people say about anything unless they are buying it for you, hauling it for you, storing it for you and catching the fish for you. Then their opinions can matter more than your own about a future kayak purchase:) lol. I have used the drive for quite awhile and very heavily and never once thought it was noisy or any different than any other drive. The feelfree drove is a bit louder being that it is all aluminum and made for the motor
Actually it is not. The company that makes this kayak also made the shadow caster and other models for big box stores. The shadow caster was taken from another platform from the brand. The shadow caster has a different seat, no pedal drive and does not have the open bow or the same hull design as this model. Joy sports owns Feelfree, 3waters and Seastream and they also made many of the kayaks for the big box stores under their own names. :)
Well, sorry it turned you off. I pointed out the things that I noticed about the kayak on my first time using it. I promise that every single piece of content I make is real and the truth about my opinion of a product.
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