May 11, 2011 By Neil Taylor
Versatility, comfort so you can stand up, “see the fish and catch the fish”
The Native Watercraft, Legacy Paddlesports/Liquid Logic 12-foot-three-inch, 55 pound “Versa Board” is a specialized paddlecraft for the touring folks and anglers alike. The “versa”tility of the Versa Board is that it has the use as a “stand-up-paddle board” but can also be used as a regular kayak if desired.
There are trends and crazes that arise from time to time. One that is particularly appealing to people right now is the stand-up paddleboard. A solid platform for paddling or paddleboard use, the advantage to standing is a better distance vision for taking in subsurface aquatic life or for the anglers, sight-casting to the leeriest of fish.
The big win with the Versa Board: You can do both. Stand and maneuver around but if you get tired or get into windier conditions: Sit down, enjoy the great seat and paddle it like a kayak instead! The option to sit is particularly nice for the windier days, sit down in that seat and dig in to paddle with back support and “first class” comfort.
The layout:
Priority: Comfort! The First Class seat, an accessory option for the Versa Board, sits on a circular base tray and screws into the boat with a locking pin that can be employed or left “open” allowing the angler to swivel the seat 360 degrees while fishing. The seat flips back and out of the way for standing, creating a flat padded area on the top of the tray for your feet. The First Class seat puts the user high up above the waterline for easy paddling. The Versa Board has great deck space forward and aft, with ridged foot supports molded into the design. The bow surface has ample area to place items like the Watertrail fish bag. Keeping the area right behind the seat open for flipping back the seat to stand is desirable. The width of the boat hull-to-deck is very small so it lays low to the water making it very easy to get in and out of the boat.
The Native groove track system is available for a forward rod holder. Using a Scotty extender, the reel can be elevated well above the deck. The versatility of the groove track allows the angler to move the location of the rod holder base around by bringing along a screwdriver. Anglers will probably also want to mount several of the Scotty plug bases for rod holders aft and in a position where the seat won’t flip onto those rods.
Anchor trolleys are installed on both sides running almost the full length of the Versa Board as they are with my other models of kayaks. The anchor trolley helps with positioning of the Versa Board in various wind or current situations.
The drain hole: Placed at the stern, it unscrews to remove any water that could enter the inside of the hull. This should be rare but if it happens, the angler can use the drain hole or on the water can access the stern to remove water by opening the rear rubber lid cover.
Paddling and tracking: The Versa Board has been put to the test in many water conditions. It performed well and got excellent reviews from the clients who used the boat. Native installed a retractable skeg on this boat which is lever operated, just underneath your right elbow if you’re sitting in the First Class seat. The skeg helps with the tracking substantially.
A true paddle board, with the user standing and using a paddle board or the Versa Board: The craft is only really moving when the paddle is used. The Versa Board when used in “kayak mode” will continue with some forward momentum allowing rest periods with the boat still moving forward.
Weight capacity: The boat can handle plenty of gear but performance is maximized by eliminating multiple heavy items. For the touring or fishing “minimalist”, the folks who take only what they need, they will enjoy the best performance. This is probably not a “big guy” boat. The average size person will like the comfort and handling of this boat and enjoy using it.
Handling off the water: Native installed the Tag Along Wheel on the Versa Board, allowing for easy solo handling of the Versa Board when moving it around. The wheel, on the stern of the boat allows for picking up by the forward handle and walking the boat to where it needs to go.
Are you a condo owner? So many people have space limitations or “condo rules” that prohibit the storage of a kayak where they live. The Versa Board is the solution. With the length and short width to this boat, it can be taken inside a building and stored a number of ways, one of which is simply lean it up against a wall. Others may use some pulleys and straps and raise it to the ceiling.
The Versa Board is a great option to consider. Inquire at your local dealers to see if they have it as a demo boat. To read more about the Versa Board and review accessories, visit the Native Watercraft web site: http://www.nativewatercraft.com/
- The Neil Blog… - July 26, 2023
- The Catfish - July 26, 2023
- update - July 22, 2023
