Hi ya'll I just made a purchase of a Feelfree 14' 8" fishing kayak. I was wondering if anyone has any info to share about it. It will be 2 to 3 weeks before I actually receive it from the company and was hoping for opinions while I wait. It's narrower than most fishing kayaks only 31" wide. So I'm told it's pretty fast.

It should be great. Feel Free Kayaks are good quality kayaks and the Moken probably paddles well because it is relatively narrow. I had a Lure 11.5 and it was a barge to paddle because it was so wide. Great kayak that was easy to stand and fish, just very hard to paddle.

Wayne

I looked at the 11.5 but I needed just a bit more weight capacity than that one delivers. Thanks for your reply. I already got some upgrades i.e. anchor trolley, rod holders for the rails, milk crate, and such. Just waiting on the kayak. I have even done mods on my trailer to get ready for the lake. I am also converting a 24 qt ice chest into a live well / bait well.

Yeh long and skinny equals fast. The yak I bought from the classifieds here ( a complete custom job) is 15' long by 28" wide. She is surprisingly stable for those dimensions and really fast. I'd say comparable to a Hobie Revo.




The Moken 14 looks pretty wind slippery too, so that is another plus. I assume being in the Ft. Hood area you'd be hitting Belton and Stillhouse; wind can be problematic on those lakes. The Moken 14 seems like it would be good on lakes, larger rivers and some light coastal work. If you're just over in Cove we'll have to get together and fish when you get your boat.

Bones, that is a cool kayak.

I used to have an older Tarpon 160. 28" wide and really fast and easy to paddle. When I first got it, I thought it felt tippy. After only a couple of hours, that feeling just went away. I could sit side saddle in it and put my feet in the water and never felt like it was going to turtle. I sold it because it was hard to haul in my short bed truck.

Wayne

I have one of the older Moken 11.5 ft models. It is extremely stable but paddles like a barge. It's painful to paddle. My back hurts extremely bad. I ended up getting a Native Ultimate and the problems with speed and my back went away.

The good thing is that the newer model does seem to indicate they have made some improvements to the Moken line. The longer length will make it faster anyway. All that said it's excellent for the fishing part. Congrats on the purchase

Bones I hope you are correct. Wow that boat of yours is sweet.... Kind of a cigarette boat of kayaks LOL!!! A very nice rig for sure. Is that actually wood or is it just the design? The pic reminds me of the all wood river boats I used to see in NC many moons ago. Yep Belton, Stillhouse, Leon / Colorado rivers, and Cowhouse Creek are all destinations I plan to hit. Getting together and fishing once I have mine sounds like a plan. I'd like that. But let me warn you, I have never yak fished before, as a matter of fact I have never been in a yak. But I have owned several small fishing boats over the years so I'm confidant & comfortable with my decision to get one.

J-Moe I can understand back pain. I broke my back in The Navy in the 80's and took that in consideration when picking this one out. I had lots of folks tell me not to get one that was too wide for that exact reason.

Yak fishing takes a while to get used to. Space is at a premium. Go as light as you can on "stuff". Start out with no more than 2 rods, only one if possible. Casting when you are very low to the water takes practice, but you catch on pretty quick. Holding the kayak in the location/position you want to fish is the hardest part if there is any wind.

Most kayaks feel a little tippy at first but it goes away and you don't even notice it after being out a few times. Be sure your paddle is the correct length and a lighter/stiffer paddle helps. Learn to paddle with your back, not your arms and sit uprite in the seat while you are paddling, not all leaned back hard against the back rest.

Kayak purposed life vest and always wear it. Whistle, at least I guess that is still the law. 360* light if you will be out after dark. Orange flag is a good idea if you are paddling where power boats share the water. Kayaks are low and hard to see sometimes.

I use Plano 3600 water proof tackle boxes. Two is more than enough. Braid scissors if you fish with braid. Parachute cord for general duty stuff. Milk Crate can be useful. I put one on my kayak and rarely ever use it, I just don't take as much stuff. Tie everything down so if you turtle, you don't lose anything. I have never flipped any of the ones I have had but it certainly can happen. I don't have an anchor trolley on my boat. It might be useful sometimes but can get you in trouble as well, so I don't use one.

It'll be great.

Wayne

Yep that's actually wood. A fellow board member, RealbigReel made it. Balsa and Western Red Cedar under glass. She is also a pedal yak with a Hobie system.


I grew up, almost very literally, in canoes in Virginia so I feel fairly comfortable in these newer kayaks that feel way more stable in my opinion than the purpose built river canoes I remember as a kid. I had only fished out of yak three times before I got mine but did try out many varieties. Went with the custom job due to length, width and weight. She tips the scales at around 73lbs with the drive and custom cooler removed. Weight is a key factor for me, messed my back up good in Afghanistan. Wish I had a truck, as this kayak thing would be a breeze.

The Native ultimate J-Moe mentioned is pretty awesome and has room to carry stuff.

Bones72,

I'd love to see it in person. I'm related to the Nansemond Indians in the Tidewater area. I was stationed in Portsmouth and Norfolk when in the Navy. I love Va & NC except in the winter lol... Texan by birth.... So I'm better suited to Less extreme winters. LOL!!!

I got the yak in and for some reason it seems longer than it did in the store that I first saw one. But then again my garage is only 16' deep and the boat is 14' 8" long. I'm hoping to be on Belton lake this weekend to try her out. No planned fishing this trip.... Although I might bring just one rod and some home tied jigs to get a feel for casting and flipping.

I remember when Feel Free first came out with the Moken 12. It had a lot of new design features that were well thought out. The most useful in my mind were the molded grab handles in front, rear, and sides. I've had grab handles bust so many times I've lost count. Have changed them out three times on one kayak and had one bust yesterday on another. The wheel in the keel was a smart idea as well for those that use public ramps. On the beach, not so good. All in all a very nice kayak.

Iconn4,

Yep I love the molded in grab handles but they still have a canvas strap in a rubber sleeve in back. think they have upgraded a few things since that video came out. I have picked out a few minor differences between mine and the one in the video, but nothing worth mentioning. I read somewhere that they changed the bottom of the yak for more stability and speed since the original release. I'll see how they did this weekend. I spoke to one of the two co-owners of Feelfree and he told me this was one of his favorite Feelfree kayaks. He also told me a little about the company. A company with a down to earth owner is a very nice breath of fresh air and he put me at ease with my purchase when I was having a lot of problems and confusion with ACK in Austin. I do like the wheel in the keel a lot. It made moving it around after the initial unpack a breeze. I can see what you mean about humping it around on pavement vs sand. But for me I think it will suffice since I can back my van right down to the waters edge in most situations, and I can fold all three rows of seats down in my van so my trailer is not even needed. it only sticks out the back about 3 1/2 feet and if I need room in the passenger seat up front I have a bed extender hitch.