Native Watercraft Kayaks Redfish 14 Angler Native Watercraft Kayaks Redfish 14 Angler

Great yak, I'm 6'3" 210lbs 55yo. This was my 1st kayak so I didnt have much to compare it against until I got a Ocean Kayak Prowler 13 angler and I have to say the Redfish 14 was much nicer for me. The Redfish is stable and relatively fast compared to the Prowler. I fish in mostly rivers and lakes but occasionally inshore. The reason I gave it only 4 stars was because it weighs in at about 72lbs which seems a bit heavy. That being said the Prowler is only 5 to 10lbs lighter. It also gets blown around abit and turns around backward in current which makes it a little more difficult on the French Broad river.

My wife and I both have had our Redfish 14 kayaks for four years now and use them on average twice a month all year round. We mostly use them to paddle out to a small beach area that is inaccessible by most boats and my wife enjoys the beach while I fish. We also have a small creek that runs through our property that we use the kayaks on, I catch Largemouth Bass while my wife enjoys the scenery and peace.

They have great stability and tracking even when loaded down with fish, drinks, castnets, and etc. They are also very easy to modify, I added some stretch-cord and hooks to the bow of mine and now can carry nearly double the gear.

We haven't had any problems with ours leaking or getting cracks but we are very careful to not drag them over rocks, shells or concrete. They have a few scratches from the occasional unavoidable oyster shell.

Something I immediately noticed when I started kayaking is the wildlife that I never saw from a powerboat. I can turn a corner in a bayou or creek and sneak right up on turkey, deer, ducks, and every so often, a gator or a black bear! I've also found excellent fishing spots that I never knew existed because they were "too close" to the boat launch and we always thought we had to go "way out" to where the fishing "is good" when in a powerboat.

All in all, around $800.00 for each of these kayaks turned out to be an excellent buy and now I don't have to worry about trailer lights, tires or bearings. I don't have to worry about the motor not starting, bad or dirty fuel, mixing or checking the oil or the motor breaking down. As far as that goes, we don't even have to worry about finding a boat ramp, only a place that we can get our pick-up truck near. We can also carry on a conversation without having to yell over the whine of an engine or smell exhaust fumes.

I had bought my first Redfish 3 years ago after trying several sot kayaks. I'm 6'4 and 250#s. Very comfortable and had the legroom that I needed that some of the other yaks in 14' range didn't have.

I yak at local lakes, the ocean at Cape Cod as well rivers. It tracks really nice and for me offered the good balance of speed and stability. Felt real comfortable paddling in wind and waves.

Last summer it developed a small crack on the inside at the edge of the scupper hole. I went to my local Heritage dealer to see if I could get a warranty epoxy fix. Well to my suprise Heritage actually offered me a new kayak (less $50 shipping)!!! Great customer service - total stand outs.

Pros:
Quality company and quality customer support people
comfortable for hours on end
Nice seat
Stay very dry even in big waves
no hull slap which is great for fishing
tracks nice
stability
layout is nice so I could customize it to my needs

Need for improvement:
bow hatch could have been bigger
Would be nice if they offered drive system (like Native or Hobie)

Really good compromise between stability and paddling efficiency (speed). Works well for me - 6'4" and 260lbs. A little heavy for carrying distances, but that's pretty common for 14ft boats. Surprisingly good tracking and efficiency through the water. The newer Heritage mesh seats are way more comfortable than they look. Good flat areas for mounting accessories. Tank well is generous, but won't hold a long crate.

Reviewer: Jeff O from Raleigh, NC