“I wrote a lengthy review of this kayak about a year ago.
Recently, thinking I might like to go a bit faster, I test paddled an Epic V8 and a long, slim sea kayak (can’t remember the brand), then took my Angler Pro 4.3 out a few days later to feel the difference.
The verdict? Yes, the other boats were significantly faster and a lot lighter to carry but they can’t match the versatility, stability, buoyancy and value for money of the Angler Pro.
I can be in the open ocean with quite a big swell and a stiff breeze, using my Pacific Action downwind sail to beam reach - i.e. I’m side on to the wind and waves - but feel completely secure, without heeling over like a sailing vessel. Can even take a small whitecap over the side without drama.
As for speed, I often do a thirty km day; the kayak’s weight and fine entry give it the momentum to cut into the chop and wind for the outward leg and I usually plan the trip so I can sail with the wind on the home leg. Under sail, she slips along without any turbulence and I’ve often hit six or seven knots. Looking forward to testing her in a really strong wind! I’m sure she’d plane!
I used to use a larger all-points sail and inflatable outriggers but never do now; not as efficient as just paddling upwind and paddle-sailing downwind. As my stroke improved, I found the outriggers restricted the end of my stroke a bit.
Sorry I’m so long-winded again but I really want to get across what a great boat this is.
I’m happier than ever that I chose the Angler Pro 4.3.
BTW, if I DID buy a surf ski or sea kayak, I’d buy Bay Sports again. I’ve done a lot of comparisons and believe that boats like the Breeze V5 and Downwind 5.1 are much better value than their plastic counterparts in ranges like the Epics.”
“Great kayak, and now I am catching fish! Good price for a useful fishing kayak. Their chatting on online chat is great, get real person quickly that has answers. Some facts: - An oldest heavy person at 190cm - Handles choppy conditions with ease - Drainage is very good when been swamped by big waves. - Have reboarded kayak at sea, it has good handles to help. - Two rods holder each side. Use holder for drifting/sinking while I am jigging the other. - Got a GPS watch and do tracking, normal speed about 6km/h, into wind and waves (about 10 to 15 knots) about 4 km/h, wind behind me 8 km/h, have surfed up to 15 km/h. - It is heavy, but with dolly wheels I move around easy. I can just carry it for short distances. - Very buoyant but do have a little water, I am heavy. No issue. - Nice paddle. - They provide an email with good tips. - Normally do a sun rise exercise/fish on Sundays for 3 hours. i.e. nice break and back before they know it. Covering total distance by GPS is about 6 to 10 KM. - Normally take it out to sea about 2 km (1.3NM) to good under water structure. - Catching: Kingfish, Amberjacks, Australian Bonito, Australian Salmon, Snapper from this kayak. 3 month review. Would recommend. Angler pro XL, 4.3m”
“Great kayak, and now I am catching fish! Good price for a useful fishing kayak. Their chatting on online chat is great, get real person quickly that has answers. Some facts: - An oldest heavy person at 190cm - Handles choppy conditions with ease - Drainage is very good when been swamped by big waves. - Have reboarded kayak at sea, it has good handles to help. - Two rods holder each side. Use holder for drifting/sinking while I am jigging the other. - Got a GPS watch and do tracking, normal speed about 6km/h, into wind and waves (about 10 to 15 knots) about 4 km/h, wind behind me 8 km/h, have surfed up to 15 km/h. - It is heavy, but with dolly wheels I move around easy. I can just carry it for short distances. - Very buoyant but do have a little water, I am heavy. No issue. - Nice paddle. - They provide an email with good tips. - Normally do a sun rise exercise/fish on Sundays for 3 hours. i.e. nice break and back before they know it. Covering total distance by GPS is about 6 to 10 KM. - Normally take it out to sea about 2 km (1.3NM) to good under water structure. - Catching: Kingfish, Amberjacks, Australian Bonito, Australian Salmon, Snapper from this kayak. 3 month review. Would recommend.”
“It is just lovely and my first outing didn’t end in an unwanted swim. Very stable.
It will take me months to figure out how to use all the great features but that will be a tonne of fun :)”
“Firstly, this kayak is remarkably good value. Everyone I’ve shown it to has expected me to say it cost at least twice what it actually did!
An important proviso is that it is heavy. Well, of course, it’s large and plastic. No surprises there. Putting it on top of my van on my own is quite a grunt, but I’m 64 - it wouldn’t be much of an issue for younger/stronger people. Having said that, I find it fairly easy to hold it in one hand by a side handle and it’s no weight at all on a trolley. (You must get the balloon tyres if you want to pull it over sand.)
The kayak is very well equipped. Great open and closed storage areas and all the handles and safety lines make it easy to right after a capsize. Anyway, you’re unlikely to capsize this very stable boat unless you push it right to its limits. I don’t fish but the live bait well makes a brilliant “glovebox” for lunch, sunscreen, devices, etc.
Versatility is paramount for me. I like to travel and can paddle this boat on all kinds of water bodies except raging white water or a big surf, which are not my style anyway. As others have remarked, the weight makes it a bit slow to gain speed but, once under way, it slips along very well indeed. It’s a startling contrast to the 2.5m bathtub I paddled before!
Having a sailing background, I want to be able to take advantage of any breeze I might find on more open water, so I customised the transducer hole to mount a mast - see pics below. With the Bay Sports inflatable outriggers (also somewhat customised for the purpose) and some homemade leeboards, the kayak screams along down and across the wind. Sails upwind adequately but I still have some fine tuning to do on that score. Sometimes I’ll just leave the outriggers at home, take out my smaller, downwind-only sail and have a good paddle upwind.
Inevitably, versatility and affordability means some compromise. I’ll never keep up with a glass surf ski or tackle much white water, it’s probably a bit wetter than kayaks with more freeboard (like the ridiculously expensive Hobies), and it’s never going to sail as well as a dedicated sailing skiff, but this kayak does all of it quite well and it’s core design tasks very well indeed. In contrast, I could only ever sail a fast, glass surf ski or sit-in kayak downwind, and only then with comparatively poor stability, and a sailing skiff makes a totally useless paddler, so I’d need a shed full of boats to do for me better what this boat does in one hull.
So, in a nutshell, this kayak is the perfect, affordable, versatile compromise which best suits me, I love it, I made the right choice, and I DO often recommend it to paddlers with the same kinds of requirements as me.
Good work Bay Sports.”
“hesitated at first getting such a big heavy beast... but you know what it feels good out on the water, especially in windy choppy conditions. mass and stability are in this kayaks favour. its not that hard to get her moving with the supplied paddle and once you are up to speed the momentum of the hull pushes through a head wind with relaitive ease. erganomics for fishing are also fantastic! at no stage did i feel confined when flicking lures or trolling.
the team also provided promt feedback during delivery. and that means so much to people in remote areas - thanks bay sports!”
