First, I'll let Jackson Kayak set the tone for the Knarr pedal drive fishing kayak in their very own words: “Jackson returns to its fishing roots with a completely new, luxury fishing platform. The Knarr is the ultimate kayak for everything big – designed with big oceans, large lakes, and long-distance travel in mind. The hull is crafted for maximum speed, increased stability, handling surf, and tracking in any weather or water conditions. [All of this], combined with the new Flex Drive Mark IV, [makes] the Knarr built to handle all that big water will throw at it. For the tournament angler or gear-head, the gnar features a whole new look at electronics, tackle, and gear management, bringing a fresh approach to deck organization on a fishing kayak.”
If that description gets you excited then you might already be prepared for the 140-pounds and $4,199 (USD) price tag for the Knarr. After all, as a dedicated angler, you know that the alternative could very well be a fishing boat that costs many 10's of thousands of dollars.
If, on the other hand, you're someone who enjoys fishing but also paddling or pedaling around more casually, then these two traits might be tough pills to swallow. It depends on what's important to you. Let's dive into the nitty gritty details to get the enthusiasts even more pumped for this new release, and to give the fence-sitters more to mull over.
ABOUT THE JACKSON KAYAK KNARR
Price: $4,199 USD
Length: 13′ 9″
Width: 37″
Weight: 140 LBS (63.5 KG)
Capacity: 475 LBS (215 KG)
The Knarr features Jackson Kayak's totally new Flex Drive Mark IV pedal system, steering handles on both sides, and tall gunnels (or side walls) to protect your gear. There is also the ‘yard sale proof' rod management system, which is capable of securing 6 fishing rods inside those gunnels in order to keep them safe while launching, landing, and when not in use.
In addition, the Knarr has Jackson's TriTrack mounting system around the whole boat to provide unlimited customizing options when it comes to adding accessories. The EZ Hi-Lo seating system is made to be switched up and down while out on the water. The bow and stern are designed for the installation of trolling motors, electric motors, or a power pole. Finally, there are hatches in both the bow and stern for stowing your gear.
The Knarr review as a pedal drive fishing kayak
Reviewing this kayak required me to put myself in a different headspace. I'm a paddler, through and through, and still getting the hang of the whole pedaling thing. I usually test kayaks for their paddling performance. The Knarr is a fishing machine, and so I needed to adjust some of my metrics a little bit. Thankfully, I got to head out on Lake Guntersville in Northern Alabama, which is one of the best bass fishing lakes in the entire country.
I also was lucky enough to team up with Jameson Redding, host of the Road Trip Angler, and Dan Perry, local angler extraordinaire. The setting and the stellar company certainly helped me switch into my best fishing cap. Click here if you want to watch the full Paddle Tales episode with those guys. But for now, here's what I can tell you from my 8-hour angling adventure in the Jackson Kayak Knarr.
Is the Knarr a comfortable fishing kayak?
Wow, is it ever. There's so much room in the cockpit, it has padding throughout the floor, and Jackson always makes comfortable seats – this one particularly so. Whenever you're in paddle mode you can sit up straight and dig in, and then when you want to use the pedals, you can just drop it back into whatever reclined position works best for you. I also appreciated the EZ Hi-Lo mechanism.
Seat position of the Knarr kayak
The high position establishes a natural legs-lower-than-your-butt posture, which is always more comfortable. The low position would be great for locking in that stellar stability while facing rough waters. As the name suggests, both of these settings are easy to adjust on the fly. The whole seat is anchored to a sliding track. The seat can easily accommodate people of different heights and leg lengths.
What features does the Knarr have?
This boat has a lot of features. For starters, the storage is solid. The hatches in the bow and stern are reasonably large. The Knarr isn't designed to be a multi-day kayak. More importantly, the rod holders are great. There is room for 6 fishing rods to be stashed in the kayak. The tips of each rode protected in the hull of the boat. Whenever a rod is just flapping out in the breeze, it can easily snag or snap on something.
TriTrack System for mounting accessories
The TriTrack system wraps around the cockpit. An endless amount of accessories can be added in a variety of ways. I ended up just popping on another rod holder next to my seat for this outing, but I could see the creative potential if I was using the Knarr more regularly.
Another nice feature of this kayak is the high side walls. They keep the water out and your gear in much better than boats with shallow cockpits. This comes into play more so in rough waters, but it's still a reassuring aesthetic on flatwater.
Flex Drive Mark IV pedal system
Moving on to the new Flex Drive Mark IV system, this is a big improvement on its predecessors. This latest rig feels solid but smooth while pedaling. It also kicks up, automatically or as needed (if it hits something unexpectedly), into a protected chamber in the hull of the boat. Propeller systems can get bunged up with weeds.
Removing weeds
The nice thing about the Knarr is that every once in a while I can pull the propeller up manually and fish out the weeds through a small opening between my feet. I enjoyed the pedal drive system. The pedal drive can easily power a heavier boat like a fishing kayak.
Hand controlled rudder steering
The final feature I'll expound on is the hand-controlled rudder. I loved that there was a handle on each side and that they worked in unison. This meant that I could steer with either hand, depending on my preference or whichever was free at that moment. I also thought that the Knarr maneuvered reasonably well. Like any boat this size, it wasn't ultra-responsive, but I never expected that it would be.
Who is the Knarr for?
The Knarr is for dedicated kayak anglers. It's got all the bells and whistles that comes with this kind of package. This is a kick-ass kayak that will show up for you in all conditions.
How do you carry the Knarr kayak?
The Jackson Kayak Knarr is 140 pounds. Let that sink in… That's not quite unheard of, but still exceptionally hefty for any kayak. This means that portability is an issue. You'll need two people or a kayak cart to lug this thing around, and a kayak trailer would be a huge asset for transportation. The Knarr would be a lot of boat to try and mount on a rooftop. If you have a trailer that you can launch at any boat launch, then all the better still.
Is the Knarr a stable fishing kayak?
The Knarr is 37-inches-wide. If it wasn't super stable then Jackson Kayak would have done something grievously wrong. Fortunately, they didn't and the result was as I expected. However, even though the Knarr is a stable kayak, it is not the most stable kayak I've ever encountered. The reason for this is intentional. Jackson Kayak built the Knarr to handle big water fishing. The hull was designed for some paddling performance and maneuverability. This inherently comes at the cost of stability.
This kayak has excellent initial stability and good secondary stability (i.e. how it feels while sitting flat vs. on edge). It doesn't lock in while on edge like some other wide kayaks do, but again, that's because of the intentional performance-favoring concessions.
How does the Knarr perform as a fishing kayak?
It's important to understand that a kayak's performance is a relative thing. The Knarr is a stable fishing platform. It's not a slick, high-performance touring kayak. But for a kayak of this nature, the Jackson Kayak Knarr paddles quite efficiently, turns well, and the pedal drive system gets this thing moving pretty quickly.
Unfortunately, the water was too shallow to use the pedals for much of where we were on Lake Guntersville. This meant that I had to bust out my paddle for a good stint. Typically, in a boat like this (i.e. wide and heavy), that would be an agonizing experience. Granted, paddling the Knarr didn't feel like a dream, but it did go reasonably well. So overall, the Knarr won't turn heads with its speed and efficiency, but it does perform admirably considering all the other things it does.
Is the Knarr worth it as a fishing kayak?
There's no way to tip-toe around the $4,199 (USD) price tag for this boat. It is an expensive kayak. At the same time, it's comparable or even slightly more competitive than other pedal fishing kayaks in this top-tier class. The value will be most appreciated by, as I said a moment ago, dedicated kayak anglers. If you're just getting into the sport of kayak fishing, or dabbling in some kayaking, then the Knarr might be overkill for you. But if your soul belongs in a kayak, with a line cast in the water, no matter the setting, then the Jackson Kayak Knarr will quickly become your best friend.
I hope you enjoyed this review. For more content like this, as well as how-to and Paddle Tales videos, check out PaddleTV.
