Native Watercraft “Mariner Propel 12.5” Hot

Quality: My Mariner is the 2013 model..it is the Hidden Oak camo color so it is a multi-sport craft. (fishing, hunting, paddling, pedaling, etc.) Whether you pedal or paddle the 12.5 tracks well and has a simple left hand rudder control. Yes these yaks with the Propel Drive may seem expensive but they offer a lifetime warranty and top of the line kayaks. Unmatched craftsmanship from Native Watercraft and made in the USA.

Performance: Reverse is an absolute game-changer for anyone fishing around structure, break lines, or weed lines. There is no other kayak company that offers hands free control, forward and reverse...I use the reverse all the time when fishing to control my position and speed. In-hull storage and rear deck are both great big areas to pack everything you need. I fish lakes and rivers but can pack a full crate of gear for fishing...I can also have a dog ride on the back deck for waterfowl hunting. The Mariner is stable and safe. You want a boat that allows you to safely stand for fishing purposes. I often fish and hunt in the fall when water temps in MN get COLD so stability from the tunnel hull is important.

Value: Again, the price for Native Watercraft kayaks may seem high to some...bottom line is that you are getting a true value in a multi-sport yak. Only 2 things I would change about the Mariner is make it a little lighter and have it come with more accessories standard. They do make the Mariner 10 which takes some weight off. Native also offers the newer upgrade Slayer Propel 13 which offers more standard accessories and features. (the Slayer is sweet!)

I have 2 mariners a 2010 and 2013 model. After 3 years of having the first I bought a second one. I use the reverse all the time. It is great for slowing down the drift, staying in position when working a shoreline. It also has saved me more than once when I didn't see a low hanging large hornets nest until I was right on it.
I like the large deck on the back. Any water runs right off the back. I call it my truck bed because of all the space. My 8 year old nephew has stood in the back while I peddle around. I have also heard it makes for easy reentry as well, though I haven't ever tried it.
The only thing I don't like is the rudder control rubs against the seat. This is more because I am vertically challenged and have the seat all the way forward. They do have some fixes for it but I just haven't done it. It is more of an annoyance than anything else.
This boat is stable. I stand and fish the majority of time in it.
If you go try one make sure it a newer one (2011+) or has the easy Cruz propellor, it is a huge improvement of the original propel.
Also the boat has a lifetime warranty.

After a year researching many top brand of kayaks the Native Watercraft Mariner won out. The main reason the peddle drive and the fact that it can be peddled in reverse a big plus. I tested it out in tight locations where I could not paddle due to overhanging mangrove branches with a few forward and reverse moves I was out of the thicket kind of like driving a car. A full size paddle was of no use in those conditions. Fishing a main channel with boats coming and going, with the chop, the current, and the wind all against me I held my spot along a seawall catching seabass all the while slowly peddling in reverse holding my postion. It was an excellent decision hope others will consider this boat. Very roomy and a breeze to stand in.

I purchased a Mariner 10 last year to take some strain off my wrists and shoulders. Unfortunately, my experience with Mariner is limited: after four trips, the drive broke. It developed a creak and "dead spot," where there was no pedal engagement. Additionally, the drive did not fit flush and was wearing a hole in the side of the drivewell.

I think I got a "lemon," so I will objectively say that other than these major problems, it was a decent boat. I loved having reverse, and it was exceptionally stable. Pedaling was easy, and the boat moved pretty well, though it was slower than a Hobie Revo 11. Unsurprisingly, it was a bear to paddle. The seat was comfortable, and although it was heavy, I could transport the Mariner without a cart.

Recently I decided to take part in an offshore fishing tournament. However, my current kayak has no scupper holes, needless to say, that was out of the question. I was however, able to acquire a Native Mariner, that I have been wanting to try for a quite a while. I had never used a pedal drive before and to be honest I had my doubts about how it would perform.

6:30 AM, I arrived at the Pompano Beach fishing pier and loaded up the Mariner and prepared to drag it the 100 yards or so down to the surf. That 100 yard drag was by far the worst part of the day, because I quickly found out that the Mariners are HEAVY. By the time I finally made it down to the waterline I was exhausted and felt as though I had just ran a marathon and I had 8 or so hours of fishing to now begin. As I pushed through the surf it was still too shallow to use the Propel Drive so I had to break out the paddle and do the only paddling that I would have to do for the rest of the day. Which was good because the Mariner is definitely made to be pedaled and not paddled. It’s a very awkward paddling boat and the rudder controls are next to you and are meant to be used by your left hand so steering with the rudder and paddling at the same time can be a bit tricky. Once I managed to get through the surf I was able to stow my paddle and lower the Propel Drive and start pedaling.

The Mariner took off, and is extremely easy to pedal. It pedals exactly like a bicycle and the water offers virtually no resistance. The rudder controls that made it extremely difficult to steer and paddle at the same time are now your best friend and make steering an extremely easy task. I started exploring the kayak and playing on it a little bit more once I was in some deeper water. For starters the seat is extremely comfortable, it is Native’s patented first class seating system, which is basically a beach chair in a kayak. Behind you it is completely open, so you do have to strap your gear down if you don’t want to lose it, which could be a pain sometimes, but there is a lot of room to strap down a lot of gear, so it’s not all bad.

I decided to test the stability and see if the Mariner could live up to the expectations that I had due to the stability of my Native Ultimate. I found it to be more stable than the Ultimate, which I thought was impossible.

The front hatch opens up and the entire length of the boat can be used as dry storage, you can easily fit rods/reels, camping gear and anything else you could imagine inside. However when on the water it could be a challenge to climb over the pedal drive to get to it, but hey it’s a pretty stable yak so I’m sure it could be done.

After spending all day on the water I pedaled back to shore, still full of energy which is uncommon after 8 hours on the water. Once on shore I prepared myself mentally for the 100 yard drag to the top of the beach, which took all of the energy out of me. I loaded up the yak and left the beach impressed at how it had performed.

It comes in a 10ft model and a 12.5ft model. They aren’t cheap but are definitely worth a try if you can get your hands on one. I know I will be adding one to my fleet soon.