A review of the Jackson Kayak Big Rig:
I took the kayak out for its maiden voyage yesterday. Fished a local lake for about 3 hours. In spite of the forecasted 2mph wind there was a steady 10mph wind blowing. With the rudder deployed the wind was no issue whatsoever. I never had a ruddered kayak before so it took me some time to get used to it.
The seating has 2 positions, high and low. Obviously low is a lower center of gravity but I had the seat in the high position the whole time. The kayak felt very stable at this level and only when I severely leaned over the side did it give way.
The boat is wide, hence the stability, but I found it to paddle well. No slower than my old kayak. Admittedly when I first started paddling it felt like a tank and I wasn't going anywhere- but it was just a matter of getting used to where to put my strokes. I am normally a low angle paddler- this boat lends itself to a high angle stroke- Keep that in mind when you purchase a paddle- get a high angle stroke blade- You will need a 250CM paddle at minimum (260CM if you plan on doing low angle)
Standup fishing- The yak comes with a standup assist bar in the front that you can raise to use or keep it folded out of the way when not in use. Initially I used this bar to assist me in standing but after trying it a few times and feeling comfortable I lowered the assist bar out of the way and did not use it. I was able to spincast and fly fish from the yak in a standing position without any issues at all. The ability to stand is cool for beaching the kayak too. As I roll into for a landing I stand and as the kayak touches ground I just step off. nice!
The yak comes with 5 gear tracks, 2 rod tubes and a ball and rod holder to make for easy attachments of electronics and gadgets. There are 2 hatches for in the boat storage, a water bottle, stand assist bar and elite seating with lumbar pad. Speaking of the seat- It is very comfortable and just wide enough to give you support and also allowing to get a normal paddle stroke.
The kayak is called BIG RIG for a reason. It is big and it is heavy. I could not imagine car topping this sucker. But then again it is a personal fishing craft- it gets the job done on the water. If you want to cruise the seven seas with a light agile craft- then get a real kayak. If you want a fishing machine- get a big rig.
The kayak comes in a bunch of different camo colors, but I like a clean look. I opted for the sand color. It almost looks white in full sun- which should be a little more visible to other boaters while in the bay or large lakes with motor boats present.
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