GEARING UP
Upping the Ante
The original Slayer Propel 10 has long been a favorite of serious kayak anglers , and especially those who want top-of-the-line features in a compact package . Ten-foot boats tend to occupy their own sweet spot when it comes to storability , ease of transport and stability , though they often come up short in the features department due simply to a lack of deck space .
Straight out of the protective packaging , it quickly became clear to me that Native has been hard at work designing a fishing platform that packs every bell and whistle into every square inch of the 10-foot Propel Max 10 hull .
Using the original Slayer Propel 10 as a rough outline , Native seems to have made a point to give their new “ Max ” offering zero wasted space . They ’ ve instead filled it with more rod and tackle storage options , from an under-seat storage tray that can fit a couple Plano boxes and a handful of soft plastics packages to UV-resistant ABS rod tip protectors along both sides of the bow for horizontal rod storage . There ’ s also a pair of molded-in Plano storage compartments on both sides of the hull just in front of the adjustable seat and two rear-facing vertical rod holders , as well as one forward-facing molded-in rod holder for quick accessibility when on the move or retying a rod .
One small watertight storage hatch was also added to the stern near the rudder system , though it ’ s not quite big enough to fit much inside . Still , it ’ s not
An under-seat storage tray provides quick access to tackle on the Propel Max 10 .
in the way of anything and could come in handy for storage of small items you ’ d prefer to keep dry .
Perhaps the most exciting of all the upgrades to the Slayer Propel 10 platform are the features Native included to limit the need for major aftermarket upgrades you often see kayak anglers make – usually out of necessity . At the bow , there ’ s a roto-molded hatch that houses both an in-hull dry storage compartment and a battery storage compartment with a through-hull transducer wiring scupper that allows for direct wiring access to the recessed transducer mounting area beneath the bow . More on that and a few other key upgrades in just a bit .
In Action
At just 75 pounds out of the box and 97 pounds rigged up with seat and Propel Pedal Drive attached , the Max 10 is among the more manageable 10-foot kayaks for single-person loading and unloading . I ’ m no world-class bodybuilder , but I didn ’ t have any issues hoisting the kayak on the roof of my Jeep for transport to and from the ramp . Pickup truck owners shouldn ’ t even break a sweat getting it in and out of the bed .
Native also sells ( separately ) a Sidekick onboard wheel system for $ 229 that ’ s a breeze to install and makes transportation that much easier . I was able to rig up all my tackle and gear in the parking lot and then simply wheel the whole thing down to the water in one trip .
PHOTO BY JUSTIN ONSLOW
I tested the Max 10 on a fairly large Tennessee reservoir , one of its feeder rivers close to my house and an even smaller 700-yard stretch of creek that ’ s so shallow in some spots that the creek ’ s dried up at both ends this time of year . I wanted to test the kayak in both the skinniest of water and some larger-water scenarios .
As fate would have it , I got the big water I was asking for on my first trip when I got to the reservoir and wind was blowing 15 mph ( sustained ) with gusts upwards of 20 . Even in the protected creek arm where I put in , the lake was full of rollers that immediately put the Max 10 ’ s stability , tracking and 701 Series Propel Pedal Drive power to the test .
Shorter boats tend to not track as well as their longer counterparts , so I wasn ’ t too surprised by the marginal maneuverability in heavy winds , though making quick turns at top speed was a breeze . The pedal drive tested out more than adequately , and new integrated paddle storage clips made gaining access to my paddle in ultra-shallow water simple enough while allowing me to stow it out of the way when it wasn ’ t needed .
Despite having eight rods and several boxes of tackle placed strategically around me – and amidst the rollers and gusting wind – I performed several stability tests in open water by standing up and moving my weight around various parts of the boat . At 34.15 inches
PHOTO BY TREVOR SOETY
76 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2021