# Native Watersports SLAYER



## Steve K (Jan 6, 2013)

Native has a new entry called the Slayer its offered in a 12 and 14.5 version, it has a High / Low seat and is designed for standing. check it out at http://nativewatercraft.com/boat.cfm?id=48
Here's what the camo looks like


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

Looks like a really well thought out boat.
I like the clean, open design of everything in front of the seat. Nothing to get tangled up, get caught on...
And I like the options with the bow. Open, semi sealed, mostly sealed...
There's a lot of good stuff going on with the top of boat design, for sure.
The hull, however. I dunno. I'll wait until I paddle one. They said they've widened and flattened their typical SOT hull, and the promo video says the 12 footer is fast, super stable, tracks well, and turns well.
The engineer in me wonders how you make a wide flat hull do all those things well at the same time. So if it really does do all that, I'll have one very soon.

Very cool boat!!


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## Nubes (Dec 3, 2012)

Im a big fan of the Native watercraft..I like how the seat flips up out of the way when standing. Shes well thought out


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## Steve K (Jan 6, 2013)

I would like to see the seat secured better, they use Bungees, a nice secure strap like the Jacksons have may be a better idea. I can see the seat shifting and dumping your butt in the drink.


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

Steve K said:


> I would like to see the seat secured better, they use Bungees, a nice secure strap like the Jacksons have may be a better idea. I can see the seat shifting and dumping your butt in the drink.


Good call. It does look like it could slip on you.
In general, as a fisherman you gotta love the whole direction boat manufacturers are going. Actually, let me amend that....a FEW boat manufacturers are going. The independents like Native and Jackson are pumping out one great idea after another.


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## farleybucks (Aug 8, 2009)

I will be taking the slayer out on the water in a couple weeks....as long as the rivers start dropping or the lakes don't freeze back up! I will let ya know what i think


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## Jmsteele187 (Dec 22, 2011)

farleybucks said:


> .... or the lakes don't freeze back up!


Don't joke, I'm really hoping to get on some ice this winter. Lol

Looks like a nice boat though.

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## Stuhly (Jul 6, 2009)

Anyone out there have a price on these AWSOME RIGS ??
Also anyone been to Wild Earth Out Fitters in Kent ??
I'm headed there Fri .


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## Wow (May 17, 2010)

That wide flat hull will excel in rivers and streams, going further in shallow water. Not to mention, transport and storage. A nice looking float tripper. --Tim


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## Jmsteele187 (Dec 22, 2011)

Stuhly said:


> Anyone out there have a price on these AWSOME RIGS ??
> .


12ft is $1,179 and 14.5ft is $1,279.


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## Stuhly (Jul 6, 2009)

Looks like I mite selling my Eagle Talon 12 in the Spring time !!!!


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

Shot of the bottom:


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

Looks like a sweet boat, and I watched a couple of short YouTube clips on it with a quick walk-thru. I like everything I see...except it doesn't look like you have internal storage from the bow. It looks like it's just the "trunk" option and no access to the internal hull for storage. I am so spoiled as a fly fisherman that I can rig rods the night before, slide them full-length and rigged inside the hull, and in the morning just get up and go. Or, if I am at AEP for example, rig my rods once and then when I pond-hop, slide them inside for safe transport without breaking them down. My next yak has to have that same internal storage to handle a full length rigged fly rod.


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## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

TheCream said:


> I like everything I see...except it doesn't look like you have internal storage from the bow.


I think that's going to be a deal breaker for a significant number of people.


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## farleybucks (Aug 8, 2009)

from what i understand a molded cover will attach to the bow, it would not hold rods as it does not go into the insides of the yak

their is a small hatch behind the seat for small storage, and a cover that can be removed between legs that can store battery for fish finder.
here is a better look at the specs...
http://www.nativeownersgroup.com/content.php?154-Slayer-Sneak-Peak


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## rustyfish (Apr 27, 2004)

Its a nice looking boat but I think that if I were going to spend over a 1,000 I would have to go with a Jackson. I think you would get a little more bang for your buck. This almost seems more like a plastic canoe. I do like the hard mounted handles, I strap my yak on top of my car and the loose handles can make it hard to set up there by myself. The Batt compartment is cool too.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

Yeah, I don't think this boat has anything on Jackson. If I were looking it would be Coosa or Cuda 12. 

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## Steve K (Jan 6, 2013)

The Battery compartment may not be what you think it is, it is a hole directly into the hull with a cover.
This Kayak is more for fly guys, there is no rod storage or rod holders, there are two small rod staggers around the accessory tower. The hatch covers aren't available yet. One thing I noticed is that the Floor flexes unlike the Cuda which has foam support blocks under the floor.
I motorized mine today, paddling from the high seats suck.
These are going to be hard to get, so if you see one grab it.


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

streamstalker said:


> I think that's going to be a deal breaker for a significant number of people.


It will be for me. I did a float on Saturday for musky. On the float downstream I fished, then (since I was alone) I paddled back up to my put-in. On that way back, I had to drag my boat through and around some riffles. Some of those places were thick and brushy I drug through. My two fully rigged fly rods were safely stored, full length, inside the hull through my bow hatch. I use that feature a ton. I rigged my rods Friday night and just slid them in Saturday morning, and I was off. I have to have it.


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## StuckAtHome (Apr 29, 2004)

Hull doesnt look bad for moving water,the part i can see, like to see both ends. No storage bigtime deal breaker. My coosa i can load lots inside and on top for overnight trips, storage is a must.

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## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

Hold off a year. I'll bet the next model will have internal stowage after they realize the lack of it turns a lot of people off.


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## Tribal Carper (Nov 26, 2012)

Nah I bet not , not everyone does over night trips and not everyone wants SOT style kayaks either..I know I dont like them. Storage is certainly key, but OPEN storage where I can get to anything in my yak without having to pull to the shore , get out and mess with hatches or any of that mess. I dont have any of these issues with my Native Ultimate and I have floated a lot of yaks , for me its the best boat on the water...but again like everyone here , everyone has their opinions and thoughts on what THEY personally like.


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## farleybucks (Aug 8, 2009)

maybe i am missing something....internal storage isn't a big deal in my book...anything can still be stowed on the front or rear decks and biner'd/bungee'd down. no internal storage on a kayak is completely dry, so that isn't really a benefit either....just my opinion

I find that storing rods in the hull seem to be more a pain than anything...also increases my odds of adding to my broken rod tip tally!

When driving I stow my rods in a cardboard rod holder i got when i ordered a rod from BPS...just duct taped it up to seal from water and works great. I know some who use pvc to do the same thing.


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## Steve K (Jan 6, 2013)

I agree, I very rarely stow anything inside the hull, everything I need is on deck.
I don't think I ever had a dry hull boat. Rod pods eat rod tips so I don't use them
The slayer will have an optional hard cover for the tank wells keeping stuff secure and dry (?)
Something that you need to keep in mind is different parts of the country fish differently. I would venture to say that 75% or more of the kayaks are sold along the coast, so the manufacturer design the kayak for the most sales possible. Just recently Jackson Kayaks has addressed the inland market with the Coosa with great success.


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## farleybucks (Aug 8, 2009)

Just ran across this article....
http://shanesliquidlogic.blogspot.com/2013/01/development-of-native-watercraft-slayer.html
pretty good read...especially the comment.....
"I knew that our design had to be great because some of the best guides, pros, and fishermen would be going over it with a fine-toothed comb, and fishermen are a bunch of picky bastards ."


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

Great article, Farley! It definitely got me pumped up to paddle one.
I like how they addressed things like hull slap. I'm not confident all boat designers do so. (Supported by the fact that so many boats have that annoying tendency.)


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## inrll (Apr 6, 2012)

They are supposed to be a SOT version of the Ultimate so with that in mind the layout is as open as possible keeping everything where you can easily get to it while on the water. They're keeping what people with Ultimates love about their boats and moving the same clean simplicity over to the Slayer. 
What I like is the groove track system on the bow, mid boat, and stern. This way you can put rod holders wherever you want or go without. Again, keeping it clean and simple.
I don't own a Slayer but I have paddled a 12 and a 14.5 briefly and the first thing I noticed was how easy to turn the 12 was. It was super stable and very easy to stand in but it was NOT fast or well tracking. It felt a lot like the Coosa only a little more stable so I think as far as the 12 goes it would be a great river float boat.


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

farleybucks said:


> maybe i am missing something....internal storage isn't a big deal in my book...anything can still be stowed on the front or rear decks and biner'd/bungee'd down. no internal storage on a kayak is completely dry, so that isn't really a benefit either....just my opinion
> 
> I find that storing rods in the hull seem to be more a pain than anything...also increases my odds of adding to my broken rod tip tally!
> 
> When driving I stow my rods in a cardboard rod holder i got when i ordered a rod from BPS...just duct taped it up to seal from water and works great. I know some who use pvc to do the same thing.


To each their own is all I can say. I fly fish from my yak. I don't use the internal storage while on the water, I use it one the way to the water and the way from lake to lake, etc... If you've never fly fished, imagine assembling a 4-piece rod, stringing it up, and tying on a fly for each rod you take. It takes time, and that is time you could be on the water or doing something else. I can rid multiple rods and store them full length inside my hull the night before I leave. Get up in the morning, get to the water, start fishing. Fly rods aren't conducive to rough handling and open storage in a truck bed alongside a kayak.


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## farleybucks (Aug 8, 2009)

I agree that everyone does have a method to their madness....if stowing rod/reels in the kayak is a benefit for you that is a great setup for you, but not necesarily for everyone.


> If you've never fly fished, imagine assembling a 4-piece rod, stringing it up, and tying on a fly for each rod you take.


I do fly fish, although not as much as I used to.

The majority of yak fisherman (fly guys too) that I have come into contact with do not store rods/reels inside of the kayak. It seems to increase odds to break rod tips rather than decrease from what i have seen.

As I am sure you know a lot of fly guys spend several hundred dollars on their setups and like you said they don't want them bouncing around inside a truck bed....and most of them don't want them bouncing around inside the hull of the yak either.

Like the guy in the article said...."fishermen would be going over it with a fine-toothed comb, and fishermen are a bunch of picky bastards ."


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

Been doing this with my fly setups for 4 years, no rod breakages. I don't know what they are going to break on inside of the hull where nothing can fall on them, roll up on them, drag across them, or crush them.


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## farleybucks (Aug 8, 2009)

it's not the breaking inside, it is the getting them in and out part...eager to start fishing i guess...


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## Steve K (Jan 6, 2013)

All of the Jackson kayaks have support foam blocks throughout the hull, making it very easy to snap a tip. The support blocks make the deck a rock solid platform to stand on, the Slayer doesn't have them and the floor flexes a lot.
I think Native should make a hatch to gain access to the inside and also stuff support blocks in side.


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## Stuhly (Jul 6, 2009)

Steve what brand of motor is that and where did you pick it up at ??? Thanks


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## Steve K (Jan 6, 2013)

Stu, they are Minn-Kota s that have been modified by Bassyaks, they are the only motor to use. Do a search on Bassyaks


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