I am actually looking at getting a Native Watercraft Ultimate FX 12 footer.  Anyone have any experience with these hybrid kayaks?

DaveT, I have a Native Manta Ray 11 and a MR 12. The Ultimate FX is a great boat!Very high quality hull and fittings . Design  retains a lot of the form and function of a canoe. The Hi-Lo seat is also very handy for adjusting stability and POV ( a 200 lb buck in the bottom of the boat significantly improves stability !)

If maneuverability is not an issue , you might consider the 15 FX or even the 15FX tandem which gives you the option of a buddy... noticeably faster hull to paddle and significant increase in load capacity. Only a bit harder to load .

QuoteOriginally posted by DannyBows:
They make stabilizers for canoes. Do any of you guys that use yours for hauling lots of gear, and maybe deer have any experience with them. Seems they would add greatly to the safety factor. I used to have a SOT kayak and I made a pair out of crab-pot bouys and pvc and they were nice. They were adjustable and easily removed by using Scotty Rod Holders. I could stand-up with them on.

I've found they aren't needed in a canoe provided you stay low and keep your center of gravity low. A dead deer on the floor along with your gear will give you plenty of stability. You just have to learn to move with the boat. Don't ever grab the gunwales when they rock. Paddle on your knees and you can withstand anything.

Right now kayaks are trendy but canoes are the workhorses of paddlecraft and always have been especially to haul lots of stuff and heavy loads.

DaleT I have a native ultimate 14.5 solo. Great boats, the fx versions are even better. Stable and will haul a LOAD - hailed all kinds a camping/hunting gear coolers.

You won't regret it, I was standing and poling mine first time out.

Course ha swamp it it is swamped!

I was talking to a Trad Ganger on the phone last night. He has a Poke boat which is a stable, light (less than 30 lbs) sit-in open cockpit kayak made for duck hunting with a 450 lbs capacity. No one boat will do it all but I imagine the canoe is as versatile as it gets. I went with Nucanoe because for its versatility and 650 lbs capacity. The ability to self-bail sold me since I also want to use it for fishing a few island flats in the Chesapeake. I was real close to buying a Native Ultimate but it came down to having those scupper holes in the hull.

Mike - I believe the FX version has the holes to bail out water?

Hi Dave, the Ultimate is a single layer hull without the holes. The Slayer is a self-bailing sit on top with scupper holes. I think the main improvement of the Ultimate FX was a wider foot platform molded in for standing and the adjustable height seat.