“Get High!” with Native Watercraft! By Neil Taylor, guide and owner “Strike Three Kayak Fishing“

Native Watercraft collection of accessories includes two items that are extremely useful to the “Ultimate” watercraft owner.   The “Ultimate seat riser” is a block that fits under the first-class seat which pins the seat up against the bottom of the inside edge of the boat.  The alternative to the seat riser, the Captain’s Perch, isn’t an “installation job” but sits idly by until such time the boat operator wants to use it.   With either accessory, from the seated position, the angler and fly angler has a higher “seeing” and “casting” position.

The seat riser enables the angler to preserve the back support of the first-class seat.  Properly installed, the seat riser has the first-class seat locked in place well above the normal seated position.   The dimensions of the Seat Riser are 18″ long x 11″ wide x 6″ deep.  The materials: “Minicell pillar with urethane-coated nylon cover”.

The Captain’s Perch is simplicity and allows for instantaneous return to normal seating. The Perch pad is attached to the first-class seat with Velcro straps.   Attach the base straps first, then the top straps.  Leaning forward, the user will flip the seat top down, bringing the pad down in place for a flat seating area that is elevated a significant distance.  Padded for comfort, it sets perfectly level for comfortable seating.   To return to the standard position of the seat, the angler leans forward and then flips the pad back.  The Captain’s Perch materials: “Made from 100% recyclable HiFlow® 3-D Mesh and Textilene® Solar Screen fabric which vents well to dry quickly and keep you cool”

The additional benefit for users of either the Captain’s Perch or the Seat Riser: Ease in standing but also ease and safety in sitting back down.  Many Ultimate users will stand in their craft with the seat in standard position.   They have a greater distance to get to standing position.   With the added elevation of the Perch or the Seat Riser block, they have less distance to stand and obviously also a considerably shorter distance to sit back down again.

Safety first: It is my advice that people standing in their kayaks, with or without a seat-riser option take certain precautions.   Standing in the kayak over risky areas like shallow rocks or oysters is a bad choice.   Choose safe areas to practice standing while learning the stability of the boat.   The Ultimate is a stable platform for sight-fishing but anglers need to learn and trust the stability of the boat that exists when you switch from seated to standing.

The Captain’s Perch

http://www.nativewatercraft.com/accessory.cfm?id=27

The Seat Riser

http://www.nativewatercraft.com/accessory.cfm?id=28

For many people considering the Ultimate or other Native watercraft, the Native brand has one of the best customer support resources of any in the fishing industry.   It is called the “Native Owners Group”, a free site that you can join to ask questions or read the topics that are discussed about the products and rigging options.   Visit the Native Owners Group:  http://www.nativeownersgroup.com/