Jackson Kayak "Cuda 12" Hot

I have tried to like this kayak but just don't. The seat is great but thats about it. It's heavy and a real barge to paddle. Most of the cool things that Jackson put on this kayak look nice but are not functional. The front rod holders are too far forward to get to when seated. The bazooka rod holders behind the seat on each side are hard to reach because they are so high. The seat in the high position makes me feel very unstable. The whole center of balance is very different in that position. In the normal position it's still higher than most kayaks and you get wet from the higher paddle angle position dripping on you..The front and rear T handles to pull the kayak on my trailer are too small for the weigh of this boat and hurt my hand. They should be bigger. The hatch in front of you is a thin piece of plastic that you have to reinforce with wood or something to make it heavy enough for a fish finder or rod holder which I did. This boat is too wide for conventional mounts for a trailer or car mounts. I ended up making a bunk for my trailer like a regular boat trailer and it finally rides like it should. I would not put this on top of a car in any mount position. Its too heavy. The Cuda does have a cool look to it and some of the bungie cords are handy for a fly rod and the paddle. The mound for the go pro camera is also handy but you need the remote to turn in on and off because its so far forward. Compared to my previous kayak a Hobie Quest this is a SUV compared to a Corvette.If you don't want to paddle too far and get out a lot on sand bars this Cuda is ok and the seat is very good. Just don't expect any real performance like other Kayak in the fishing class.

This cuda 12 is my second kayak and I have to say overall I am pleased. Its a 2014 that I bought second hand, the thing was hardly used. Like new!

Let me start off by saying Jackson did some home work ! All the molding done with this boat is something I have used over and over and over. The storage and features on this boat are amazing. Everything is nice and tidy and my fishing area is clean, no tackle box or clutter in my way! Not to mention the way you can clip your rod & reel to the side/bottom of your seat! Very very handy.

The center hatch! I can't express my love for the center hatch! You can shove all kinda of gear in there, I mean all kinds of gear! The tub is great, just pop in your tackle trays and boom, done. shut the cover and go.

The tankwell area was really done nicely. Bungees everywhere. The two slots for tackle are in the best spot possible for me, I can still grab them on the water.

The boat does get up to speed with ease and it turns pretty sharp. I can turn it into a position I need with one hand while I am working on landing a fish, reeling in, etc.

You can stand in this boat but so far I have not tried. The seat in the high position make it feel unstable for me. I am 6' and 210 and I feel like that is the reason. I do have great balance so when it warms up more I think ill give it a shot. Put the seat in the low position and it feels pretty solid.

Speed for me it feels a little sluggish. Its hard for me to rate this accurately as I have yet to get into what is considered a fast kayak. Like I said before, it gets up to speed easily, just top end feels slow to me.

Overall this is an amazing kayak. This is my first jackson kayak and it will not be my last.

This is the first kayak that I have owned. I spent all last summer, fishing 4-5 days/week and absolutely loved it. It handled great on the bigger reservoirs and small ponds that I fished. I was initially going to go with a Big Rig, which I also love, but the fact that this was much easier to throw in the back of my truck is what sold me on it. After all, I wanted a kayak to simplify my life over taking a trailer everywhere I went, and having to maintain it. While I'm a little awkward, and didn't stand to fish (getting a Coosa HD this year, for that), I never felt nervous about tipping. In fact, I never took the seat out of the high position, and didn't have an issue pulling in my 25 lb cat in the middle of the lake. I recommend this boat for just about anyone. While it's a little more wobbly than some of the other boats I enjoy, it's not enough to make me nervous. Also, it's a great fast boat, that comes set up to fish all day long, straight from the factory. The comfort of the seat also allows for all day trips, which is a big plus, considering the distance I have to go to get to many of my spots.

Let me preface this by saying that I have only been out with this yak about 10 times or so...I can't speak for durablity - I gave it four stars because it *seems* to be pretty tough. Time will tell, I guess.

This yak is definitely not as fast or as stable as I thought it would be. The speed is no real issue, but I would have really liked to stand up in it with ease - I *can* stand up in it, but it is akin to watching a baby chimpanzee take his first steps - ugly...not cute, like it sounds. Perhaps this is because it is my first sit-on-top, but I am a fairly agile individual, and standing is precarious, at best - if there is any current whatsoever, I can't see how anyone could stand and fish in this one.

I have read that people have issues with the rod holders in the back; they are no problem for me, nor is the gear track mounted holder - I don't think it's that difficult to reach. Flush rod holders might be a good option, but I don't find it tough to use them at all. I have put a 7'6" spinning rod in the rear holders with zero problems. The tubes do seem a little short, but I haven't lost a rig yet.

The seat is great, but as with any seat, sitting in one position for hours on end is going to wear on you. This is when I generally stand up for a second or two - to get the blood flowing again, and then sit back down.

What I would like to see on this yak:

- drain plugs on either bow or stern or both
- larger hatch lids - I know they had to "save space", but they could be
larger
- better vertical paddle holders
- integrated anchor trolley
- lose those outside "ridges" in the afterdeck storage area right behind the
seat - they just seem to take up space and don't really add anything to
the functionality

Overall I do like the functionality of the boat, but standing up and fishing, especially if there is any current at all, is all but impossible. It is a tad pricey, but in it's class, the features and the graduated three-year warranty are certainly best in class. I would recommend it....used!

-EGS

Overall very comfortable kayak for those longer days in the kayak. Very stable and can get into back waters very easy. Storage area is adequate. Easy to add accessories.