FeelFree Overdrive On The Water Demo - Small Craft Outfitters
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ม.ค. 2018
- Buy an Overdrive-equipped kayak directly from Feelfree here! www.feelfreeus.com/collection...
We get our first water time with the FeelFree Kayaks Overdrive on a warm Wisconsin January Day (27 degrees)!
www.smallcraftoutfitters.com
Congrats. Really nice yak. You guys have big balls going out in the cold like that.
Looks like work!
Thanks for the on water demonstration, a quy had one here for sale and I’m glad I looked this up first . Seat looks nice but that drive looks like more of a workout with slow results , I’ll stick to my hobie for now, I just need a wider deck and a drive that has reverse . Leaning toward old town
Thanks for the video. The sound quality is excellent. The noise at the faster pedal speeds would drive me nuts so I'm glad your video was able to demonstrate that. Was on the way to the shop tomorrow to get one, so you saved me. Still love this kayak brand, just wont go for the pedal drive part. Thanks
I like fin drive kayaks better especially where i live because its pretty weedy so love the versatility of the fins
You know you’re in Wisconsin when 26 degrees is a warm day!
The Feel Free boats are well built, lots of nice features, but just plain slow, other than the Moken 12.5 or 14. I've actually owned all the models from feel free fishing lines, I have a 13.5 that I rigged up with a 40lb thrust minn kota that I use on lakes, but I basically run them on rivers only, they have high payloads for camping and the wheel in the keel is priceless when u modify it to a 2 wheel system. Just purchased the Radar 135, super fast and comfortable.
I'm from Louisiana what is all that white stuff on the ground
Did you try other brands. The FeelFree looked very stable when you entered from shore.
What "safety precautions" did you take the prepare for that water..? A few Canadians would like to know.
Watching this 5 years later, you guys are diehards to get out there in that temps. You guys still using the 11.5 with overdrive all these years later? Holding up well?
Legend has it that he is still inside to this day
When it come to boats(all boats from small craft to yachts) it’s trade offs. More stability and room usually means slower and less maneuverability. Or you can pay a truckload of money and get a little more of everything but still fall a bit short.
I will say I love my lure 11.5 it does need a rudder and I am getting one this spring, and thought about the pedal drive but don't want to spend the money, I don't mind paddling, people say it is slow! well it is longer, wider and heavier than a regular kayak for just paddling around a lake, but it ain't as slow as most think. and it is made for fishing not speed
Exactly! I always tell people I'm not racing the Harvard rowing team, but I can stand and pee off the side 😂 The rudder makes it a whole new boat. Went without for a full year. Would never go without! I am actually also a dealer and may be able to help you in the rudder department www.smallcraftoutfitters.com. Tight lines!
The seat did not look stable as you pedaled with forceful strokes. It was visibly rocking back forth and side to side. Any comment on this?
Still not quite sure what to think about this conversion of what I think is a great paddle craft to what I think might end being considered a mediocre pedal craft. The pedal motion didn't look fluid and the body positioning while you both were seating looked uncomfortable for some reason. With that said, nice demo, looking forward to hearing your thoughts, hopefully from a warm room.
Partly I am sure to all the gear they had to wear on freezing water. But yeah, pedal motion seems awkward on all drive systems. You have to do it in front of your body rather than below as on a bike. The Hobie drive seems a little more intuitive but suffers in skinny water and is harder to retract above the waterline.
Has your kayak got a wheel .. if so, would this wheel be suitable for transporting the kayak, perhaps from a car-park to the water ... Or is it really just for beach use. ? It seems a very useful feature with the Feelfree kayaks, I’m surprised other manufacturers don’t adopt this idea.
Indeed it does! Works great for short transports across parking lots, etc. It works well on packed surfaces like grass, packed gravel, pavement. It doesn't work well on loose services like sand or loose gravel. Other manufacturers don't use it because feelfree has a patent on it :-)
im in the market for a pedal drive and really wanted to try this one out untill now. The seat and the drive looks like it has a lift kit on it. makes it look like your elevated above the boat flying trying to catch a snitch in a Quidditch match..... Seems way to top heavy.
It is actually really comfortable. You can drop the seat and pedal, but it doesn't feel awkward up (for me).
Just a thought, I never get as wet as you guys did in my Hobie Pro Angler, but its cost $3400.00? Plus it not as nearly top heavy. You guys need to be wearing, dry suits in that kind of water, I know they cost $700.00 but that's better than a rescue team calling your wife, with bad news, Power Plant Lakes are better for winter fishing, and safer?
Gary Regier how can you keep from getting wet? I consistently end up with a soggy bottom. Perhaps it’s the Vantage seat?
Yea, I wear waiters in the winter, or a dry suit. Summer, I don't care, its usually hot. ProAngler rules. but its expensive. the New compass looks awesome. try it?
Where did u get a case for that
Holy cow! Is the water coming up from the OD?
+GunNtonic It was a bit because I didn't have the stoppers adjusted so the OD gasket was moving in the pod hole. Tighten them and it was fixed. My lessons learned video shows how to adjust. Simple fix.
Most of the water on the deck was because I didn't have my scupper plugs in. I'm a large American so the front holes always let some water in on the 11.5.
Small Craft Fisherman Hey! Thanks for the quick reply.
+GunNtonic Welcome!
Why is all that water on the floor? No drainage holes?
have you had any problems with nuts and bolts coming loose and falling out of the seat and/or the peddle drive? I am and am wondering if it is just my Dorado or common to all.
I just posted a video that shows you how to fix that up, latest vid on our channel.
What size is that lure you have so much water coming in. It looks like It's overloaded.
It is the 11.5. I actually plug the front scuppers now if I'm in cold water and on the 11.5.
Maybe do the demo in summer? You're crazy dude. I was nervous the whole video.
Lol yeah, I was about to take it to a show and wanted to know how it worked. Definitely not ideal conditions.
@@SmallCraftFisherman glad you made it. 😆
Very nice kayak though. :-)
Does anyone else train at home to be ready to do this kind of kayaking?
+Jose Zamora Indeed! I'm a mountain biker but haven't done it much lately. I'm working to get back in shape to help my pedaling.
curious why you don't wear anti exposure suit while kayaking that ice water
Fair question. Personal preference/risk acceptance. The clothing is water proof/water wicking with Cold Gear base. I've gotten wet before and it dries quickly without getting very cold. My PFD is always on, I don't go alone or far from my truck.
@@SmallCraftFisherman gotcha! I wear a "semi-dry" top but I wear the wet suit stuff underneath. I haven't fallen in yet lol
Right on. Yeah I'd like to do more winter river floats but would be going full dry suit for sure.
May I ask what fish is leaving its warm house to bite a fake jig .
Ha! Usually this time of year you can coax walleye and some smallmouth.
Just me I think you need the 13.5 that’s a lil low in the water
Yeah I floated the 13.5 for a long time. Great boat!
Good luck throwing that on the top of your car rack. Does that pedal drive always make that loud noise when you pedal?
I've cartopped it without issue. The noise goes away once broken in.
I have a FeelFree tandem kayak with much more gear and I don't have to work that hard to move my boat. Also it looks like you didn't put your scupper plugs in, there is a lot of water in the boat.
Right, I don't need to plug any of the boats except the 11.5 at my weight. I was just doing a quick test so didn't mess with it.
Looks very uncomfortable, pedal system seems loud. try the Predator PDL !
+Musicfan It is comfortable actually. Just looks weird because I have so many layers on for the low temps :-)
The stern sits too low in the water. May be fine for some, but I do a lot of bay fishing and that wouldn’t fair well in the chop.
+Chris Standridge I'm a large American. My 13.5 rides higher in the water. Depends on the gear and rider. I've never had an issue in white caps on big lakes. But most offshore prefer the longer and higher capacity 13.5. Since I'm heavy and carry a lot of gear I'll be moving Overdrive to my 13.5 after show season.
Small Craft Fisherman thanks for the info. I currently own an ascend fs128t. Since purchasing it I’ve been on the lookout for a peddle kayak with more stability. I bought the ascend because some reviewers were able to stand comfortably in it but I’m 6’5 and balance while standing is somewhat of an issue. Also water easily rolls over the bow and stern which makes me nervous. I like what FeelFree is doing especially with their peddle drive. When I decide to upgrade my yak I may take a close look at it. That is if the price point makes sense.
+Chris Standridge Right on! Standing in the Lure is easy. You may want to look at the Dorado too. It should be shipping this spring.
Small Craft Fisherman I like the Dorado too. I love what they’ve done with the tandem model. Positioning the rear seat higher than the front is a great idea.
+Chris Standridge yeah I want to get a tandem. The Corona angler was fun, the gravity seat and Lure hull would be even better. And you can use it solo too.
Looked like quite a bit of water in the kayak.
I'll bet you have coffee and beer in those coolers.
This video saved me from buying one. I was sold until now. Lot's of water coming in from scupper hole. Heavy guy sits lower... I'm a heavy guy.
I am too. 230. The 13.5 is what I love. Much better for bigger guys.
Me too, I have a Native Slayer 10, the floor of the kayak is at water level and I am only 180#,, water is always coming in. It's a wet wet ride. I have 3 Jacksons (Cuda and Coosa HD) Never owned a scupper plug with them. When I get water in my native,I pull the scupper plug and more water comes IN!!
you got more guts than me !
+Musicfan lol yeah..... I just couldn't wait to get it out. Found some open water on the Mississippi and made it happen. Wouldn't recommend it though. Look forward to warmer weather in a month or so when we can go out in safer conditions.
The only thing imdont like is the pedal, should just pop in and out like the hobie
My native sp13 will cruise at 3.5mph all day. Sprints to 5.4 mph for at few minutes. That boat is slow bro
Native makes great boats as well! Different strokes for different folks.
Not sure if you guys realize that The Glaciers are not to be messed with do I need say Titanic.
You're talking about a Native kayak there...
It's hard to beat a Hobie for chop. This boat sits too low for anything but flat water.
Hobies are nice boats. I've had my Lures out in chop, people take them salt water fishing beyond the breakers too. They handle fast and rough water well.
Come on man you have a lot of expensive gear there surely you can afford a drysuit.
I was thinking drysuit too. You go in you have how many minutes do you think?
Oh, but thos shit kickers will surely help you out if you go in....
Pedaling that machine does not look comfortable. Especially when you were in reverse
No thank you. looks painfully uncomfortable and slow.
+Chris Matamoros It just looks it because I had 5 layers on cause it was so cold. It's actually more comfortable and faster than I thought. I'm looking forward to using it with proper kayak attire (shorts). :-)
Maybe the fellow is too big for this kayak.
That was painful to watch. OLD TOWN Predator XL or the new MK is the way togo.
Ridiculous to be sitting that high in any kayak...
Why have you tried it??