Though a relatively young company in the paddle-sports industry, Legacy Paddlesports of High Point, North Carolina, has introduced a number of unique and innovative products under the brand Native Watercraft, since their inception in 2006. They may be a new company, however those who work within the factory walls are seasoned pros, which have exhibited their talents by the products recently developed. In particular, the Ultimate Hybrid Kayak. There are numerous patented features of the craft, the prominent being a Tunnel-Hull™, which offers the paddler outstanding stability, whether in a seated position or standing. Additionally, there is the First-Class™ seat, an anodized aluminum framed seat made from HiFlow™ 3-D mesh and Textilene® solar screen fabric that is the most comfortable seat I've encountered, an Adapt-A-Trak™ recessed channel on both outer edges of the craft which accept accessories that either slide or snap into place, and Easy Foot™ rests which are full-foot angled rests, designed to reduce fatigue in your legs, ankles and back.

Until now the Ultimate was either available as a rotomolded superlinear polyethylene or composite. Partnering with Milliken & Company, utilizing their Tegris™ woven polypropylene fabric, a material that lends itself to compression molding, the Ultimate Tegris™ is born. The fabric is used in automotive bumpers and ballistic armor and by incorporating it into a watercraft produces one of the stiffest, lightest, and most impact resistant hulls – 2 to 15 more resistant than typical composites, claims the company. In manufacturing the Tegris™, there are up to 24 layers of the material that are compressed, under two million pounds of pressure, combined with heat, to produce the hull. What do these materials and properties mean to the paddler? First is a 12 foot boat which only weighs 36 lbs, including the removable seat, making car-topping or portaging an easy feat. Unlike traditional composites, which need to be pampered, the Tegris™ can handle extreme abuse like bouncing off river boulders, being drug over oyster shells - even flying off your car at 70 mph, a true story. To test it's metal I have been using a Tegris™ over the last eight months without regard to what I ran it into, drug it over, or dropped it onto, and am thoroughly impressed with it's resilience.  With only minimal wear to it's cosmetic, color lending, outer layer, the test boat has many years left, far out performing traditional composites.

Esthetically the craft is admirable. You can sense that a lot of attention to detail was given to its development. From the use of anodized aluminum in the seat and thwart tubes, the molded bow and stern end caps, and the aluminum-like, extruded, U.V. inhibitive plastic-blend rail caps, this is a craft that will not tire your eyes. Though you may be tempted to display it like artwork in your living room, this is a craft that begs to be taken along, be it a leisurely afternoon on still waters, taking on rock-laden rivers, or plying oyster infested shallows on the coast, the Tegris™ takes it all in stride, ready for the next outing, and at only 36 lbs. you'll be hard-pressed to find a reason to leave it behind.

Specifics: Length 12'1", Width 30", Depth at beam 12", Weight with seat 36 lbs., Capacity 350 lbs. Retails at $1,999.00. Colors Gold & Olive. Options include an angler package, rudder kit, spray protective skirts, dashboard, footrest cushion pads, paddle holders, a lumbar seat pad, a seat riser for elevating the seat, storage bags, a 9.5' paddle-pole and more, which can be seen at www.nativewatercraft.com.

Yak4Fish

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