Jackson Knarr FD Complete Walkthrough

A complete top to bottom walk-thru of all the features of the new 2022 Knarr FD from Jackson Kayak.
Learn more here: jacksonkayak.com/jackson-kaya...
Find your local dealer and get your own Knarr here: jacksonadventures.com/dealers/

[@KayakMike]

I'm so glad you guys went and did a flat bow - that is by far my favorite feature. Doesn't seem to like you need anything other than the quick connect. Thank you guys SO MUCH! Jackson is the best!

[@ksloan8189]

I started kayaking and kayak fishing 14 years ago, I can't get over how much innovation has occurred since then.

[@micahgelfand8282]

Sadly there has also been a shift towards enormous, heavy and slow kayaks with high center of gravity :(

[@HeartlandMakesAndOutdoors]

im picking mine up Friday, I am looking forward to it, My first Jackso was roughly 2010, I purchased the Jackson Coosa, it was a yellow banana colored small water, river kayak. I sold it too ,my buddy who I got hooked on kayak fishing out of it, he still has it. I then purchased a 14' Cuda, I have owned it since 2011. In 2012 I purchased my wife the same 14 foot coda. I will be keeping them both for when my wife can go with me. I am looking forward to doing a lot more fishing videos with the Knarr and doing a few tournaments next year. Thanks for making such good quality kayaks, I am buying the Knarr, because I know the Jackson kayaks will work right and keep on working. Thanks again. Keep up the great work . Dale

[@RS-iv1up]

Believe it or not..What sold me on the Hobie was the horizontal rod storage, Thank you. Looks like I'm back to Jackson.

[@dixee6498]

Jackson really knocked it out of the park with the features on this one! Great job!

[@frowertrampton7148]

About time you asked a bike builder. Been waiting.

[@manny4491]

I have been waiting to hear Jackson Kayak Pound their chest and Roar for a while now and this is it! This boat will fit well in most situations! I wonder if the track system is strong enough for a Boonedox?

[@xarrow81]

I wonder 🤔 hope so

[@spiltmilt]

Anglers: We want a fast, 14' long, and lightweight kayak for punching the surf and fishing big water. Jackson: Here is a 37" wide behemoth that weighs 140 lbs that will knock you out in the surf and be a huge pain to self rescue

[@oscarsantos8939]

Seems to be what kayakfishing has turned into SADLY.There is kayaks out there for the rest of us though.

[@hookedonfishing2095]

Yup way too damn heavy. Give me an old school prowler. That’s a bass yak all the way.

[@salmonslammer9657]

Dang Tyler. 😂

[@cuivre2004]

A removable interior hull passage block (foam) would be great to keep small items from getting lost inside the inner hull. A lot of us make our own with what we can find. This looks very well thought out-I hope the drive has been tested well.

[@PompdUpFishin]

Glad I saw this… was about to buy an Old town Bigwater Pdl when I sell my Native. This kayak looks to be just about perfect. I’m hoping it will be available for purchase in time for me to fish from it in the Alabama deep sea fishing rodeo. I loved the size of my Hobie PA14 .. but really wanted instant reverse. I’m hoping the Knarr checks all boxes on the water like I think it will.

[@sonofafisherman743]

Awesome great job can’t wait to get one serious fishing machine right there 👍

[@BrackishWaterKayakAngler]

Love my Knarr, handled fishing inlet currents well and when fishing the flats of the Chesapeake Bay the drive would retract into the hull and boat paddled very easy. great not having to pull the drive on the shallows.

[@AliexFolgueira]

Looks like a Jackson hobie pa and that's a good thing, would love to do a fair review of it 😃

[@kingsgirl1182]

Yes 🙌🏻

[@bassattackva6988]

Lol!, yes, send one to Mr. Aliex 🙏🤟

[@1221Ralph]

Have you done one yet? The rudder looks outdated on this kayak. It reminds me of pre-2022 native rudders. They're absolutely horrid.

[@GM-so1nx]

Buyers remorse now that I purchased my big rig 2 years ago. Should have waited for this. Especially the turning looks much better

[@davidcrowson4745]

Well done 👍

[@jacksonkayakvids]

Thank you 👍

[@kennetholavarria8044]

that kyack is unbelievable

[@Hydrayak]

Looks like an well thought out and versatile big water fishing kayak. I dig it! Great job JK!

[@tgcanoesandkayaks]

This is looking crazy 😆

[@jacksonkayakvids]

We are just that kinda crazy

[@jackebagbaga8454]

I wish Jackson will make a smaller Jackson Knarr. Somewhere in between 12’ to 13’ in length, and 32” to 35” in width.

[@jashof1]

It's... It's... beautiful😪

[@jacksonkayakvids]

It really is!

[@jholl7339]

Man! LOT'S of well thought-out points on this one. But that size? and WEIGHT? Ooh! That's a deal breaker for many.

[@forsakenpath4992]

With you on that. Weighs more than me lol

[@micahgelfand8282]

100+ lbs I'm sure. Really high center of gravity with that elevated lawn chair

[@joshuaevans59]

@@micahgelfand8282 140 lbs and if there's concern regarding a high center of gravity (I'd like the seat a little higher actually) the high-low seat system allows you to drop the seat down. I'd recommend pedaling it prior to making any preconceived assumptions. It's an all around great kayak.

[@cobbs]

Hmm. interesting. I've always thought Jackson had the best idea for a drive: the kick-up feature + instant reverse + shallow water draft is hard to beat. I was seriously considering the Coosa FD for its ability to pedal all the way onto the beach without having to paddle or stop and pull up the drive in the middle of the surf. But when I went to demo it, the fd was one of the worst drives I had ever tested. It was so painfully slow and hard to pedal. I talked to the shop owner, a guy I know and trust, and he flat out told me the fd's weren't as good as the PDL or the Propel. I ended up with the OT Predator, which I've been very happy with, but this... this has my full attention. This seems like a well-thought out craft. If the drive is as good as the way it's been hyped up in this video, it might be a game changer. Can't wait to demo it.

[@jamesmcbeath5511]

Awesome. All we ask is for you to demo it ...we know you'll be impressed.

[@hookedonfishing2095]

The mirage drive is superior in the ocean

[@cobbs]

@@hookedonfishing2095 In what way? the old town PDL is a more powerful drive.

[@johncampbell1191]

Oh i need this yak for my near shore fishing in the gulf (west central FL here). Msrp?

[@RobMadrigal]

I would like to see a peddle kayak built for big ocean waters with a place to attach a large fish bag. It's not uncommon to catch Wahoo well over 50# around here! I would love to give the Knarr a try. Too bad there's no Jackson Kayak dealers here in Hilo Hawaii!

[@yakfisherman1250]

I saw a Knarr at a dealer. It is a nice kayak with an awesome drive and a hull design to move fast. However, I still wonder if it is a good ocean fishing kayak for 2 reasons. First, there is no good place for a big fish bag. The bow is too high for a fish bag with ice and fish in a choppy water. The tank well is way too small for fish bag. Second, the bow hatch and the stern hatch may take in lot of water if it is flipped (who is not ever flipped a kayak?). Given the known problems of the 360 drive of Hobie PA 14 (I don't care how good is their warranty if I am stuck 3 miles offshore dealing with current, waves, and winds), it is a hard decision between a Jackson Knarr and a Hobie PA 360.

[@XploreAz]

Wow! This may replace my Old Town BigWater 132 PDL.

[@xarrow81]

I'm a hobie fan boy, but damn ! I want it lol

[@hookedonfishing2095]

Hell nah! I love my outback

[@Notorious_Nate]

Looks super cool with great features and design. I would also like to discuss landing gear mounting options, as that was the first thing I noticed that I would want to somehow add.

[@1988Jut]

Is the lower unit of the flex drive the same unit or has it been redesigned to improve durability? My bite FD bearings did not like salt.

[@KenWoodFishing]

Complete redesign.

[@mikeoneill81]

Man, this is just like my PA 14. The only thing I don’t like is that I didn’t see much storage at my feet.

[@jojo912]

Would a Newport vessel nk-180 mount directly to the stern mount holes?

[@UnfiItered]

I started out with a Jackson Coosa HD, still have it. I've always wished that there was a better way to mount a mini cannon down rigger (clamp on style). The walls were curved, so it just wouldn't get a good bite on the kayak.

[@Lovecraft530]

how long of a rod can fit in the gunnel tubes?

[@warrenridout9496]

Love this Yak, and in the market for an upgrade. Any idea of availability in Canada🍁? retailers or prostaff?

[@jamesmcbeath5511]

There are a few dealers with the Knarr coming in. Fogh Marine in Toronto area, Frontenac outfitters in kingston region, Aquabatics out west... more to come.

[@warrenridout9496]

@@jamesmcbeath5511 Thanks, will have to wait for Fogh or Frontenac to see one.

[@NilsHePa]

Looks sweet! Got to have one...!! At the end of the video, there is a set of weels used that I haven't seen before... anyone that knows them?

[@jimb7304]

Looks like a Wilderness HD cart

[@SessionsAtTheBoathouse]

Was hoping Jackson would have a built in wheel solution, similar or better than Native’s sidekicks.

[@mmancino1982]

How many of us will name it the Knarrwhal???

[@Fezseluz]

Where can i buy it in Portugal ? Thks !

[@jgreene70]

What length rod will the rod system support?

[@jacksonkayakvids]

8-9 feet, but will require you to raise the rod rack so your butts can get over the tritrack behind the seat at that length

[@ralphjohnson1682]

Finally, a transducer solution…

[@scottvickery2057]

So this is to compete with Hobie Pro Angler?

[@jamesmcbeath5511]

Designed to improve on the open water experience (fishing, performance, storage and management). We design to better our day on the water, not compete vs others. This was the result of a lot of team members and 3 years in development.

[@Mister2You]

Wow, has many of the features of my Hobie PA14...hmmm...

[@jamesmcbeath5511]

We have improved on all the challenges current kayaks have on big water... that meant doing things outside of the current box ;-) The top boats for big water have not improved performance in hull shape, 'yard sale safe' storage, surf management and more. We spent 3 years doing just that.

[@Mister2You]

@@jamesmcbeath5511 Nice looking rig, but it took many of the PA cues. I do like the front area where a troller can be attached. That being said I haven't seen any challenges the Hobie has on the water as it is notoriously excellent for handling big water. Wondering what "yard sale safe" storage is and what you mean by surf management? Apparently, it appears there are some unfounded assertions being made and would like to have more details and evidence to back up what you're saying.

[@Mister2You]

@@jamesmcbeath5511 I also like the track system on that rig.

[@jamesmcbeath5511]

@@Mister2You Yeah. Not sure why no one had thought of a 3-sided track before. We are doing some fun new accessories for this track as well. Lots to come!

[@PKClark-qw5oq]

Love the kayak, but can’t help to feel a little dismayed. Purchased the original Big Rig several years ago…upgraded a few years later with the Big Rig HD….was looking to upgrade again by adding the pedal drive but heard “rumours” of an upgraded version so I put it off. I would love to purchase the Knarr but don’t have the funds to cover it. I’m hoping the new Flex Drive will be available for the Big Rig at some point……or I happen to win the lottery, and purchase the Knarr.

[@jamesmcbeath5511]

The FD Mark IV will be available and is fully compatible with existing FD hulls. Just playing catch up on orders for dealers and then we will post it up for sale.

[@limitlurestv5757]

Does that mean the e-drive will work with the knarr? Also, any plans on starting back production on the e drive?

[@jacksonkayakvids]

Unfortunately the original E-Drive will not work on the Knarr/FD MKIV, as the new FD's prop rotation is reversed and it has entirely different tolerances. We have no word on if or when we will be producing a new EDrive at this time.

[@jimmin9802]

Looks good but dont see myself upgrading from my fd bigrig. You should show some people standing on this one. I am 250 6’4” and thebigrig is one of the more stable boats i have been in. You dont stand all the time but would be good to see people moving around the boat getting to supplies. Name doesnt fit a fishing kayak its more a whitewater name. Love my jackson kayaks and orion coolers!

[@jimb7304]

It does show someone standing and fishing.

[@SouthJerseyBaitReviews]

This kayak looks pretty darn good I like the drive only thing I would like is if u could upgrade the prop blade to bigger size for more power vs that very thin one that looks kinda fragile and doesn't look like it would grab a lot of water but hey i may be wrong but just something u could offer in future. But overall looks super spacious and I really like how high the Yak sits on the water.

[@joshuaevans59]

The prop on the Knarr is actually a larger prop with a much more aggressive pitch. It moves this boat with a quickness.

[@forsakenpath4992]

Argh... As someone who fishes saltwater quite a bit, I think 37" seems way too wide for an ocean/big lake kayak. It's not particularly long at 13'9". With those dimensions, it'd be too tiring the pedal over any significant distance. Also, even in the video, it doesn't look like it cuts through waves too well. Instead, this seems like an excellent kayak for dominating bass tournaments. Compete with all those Hobie PAs! A true big water kayak would be the Kraken, which I currently fish from. Great design! It's just missing the pedal drive. Make an improved Kraken with a pedal drive and features like the TriTrak and that's something I'd buy. Just my opinion though. You obviously know a LOT more about kayak design than I do. 😅

[@jamesmcbeath5511]

Hey there. Great question and observations! Tony Lee, our design lead on this kayak, is a surf expert and was responsible for the Kraken design as well. He designed the bow of this hull for going in and out of surf. The Knarr hull sheds the water down under the bow when going out into the surf and has a 'punch factor" which is basically weight added to allow for the bow to both rise up over the green and punch through the break. Its a surfer trick. AKA we literally designed this kayak for surf. On the way back in, waves will tend to steep the bow down and dig into the water in front of a wave creating what we call an "ender" situation where the nose dives and you flip vertically. If the bow isn't designed with rocker to keep it up, this will happen. Tony added that as well as reinforcement of the nose to handle the pressure. The Kraken is my fav. I am a paddler at heart and will grab that kayak over any other whenever I can. Unfortunately it demands two blades in the water. A kayak that narrow will flip without an active paddle blade in the water. A pedal drive on that boat will be super fast, but when reactionary waves happen and hit you from the side, you will have only the FD skeg where the propellor is to stop it from going right over. Typically a quick brace with the paddle keeps these narrower boats upright where the Knarr and others are tough to flip due to their size so you can be paddle free. The FD skeg is incredible for stability on the ocean and helps keep a wide boat upright 100% of the time, but a narrow kayak with just that to stop tip momentum would be frustrating out there. Do note that we thought about the kraken a ton in this development. Again, awesome questions!

[@forsakenpath4992]

​@@jamesmcbeath5511 thanks for the insight! Very interesting. I guess bracing with the paddle has become so instinctive to me that I completely forgot you don't have that option with a pedal drive. 😅 Anyways, it just seems too big for me, but I'm a much smaller guy. It looks like an awesome boat, and you guys clearly put a lot of effort into the design. I'm sure you'll sell plenty of them. 👍

[@hookedonfishing2095]

@@forsakenpath4992 let’s face it we don’t want to drag a 140lb yak to the surf even with beach wheels. Hell I try to get as close as I can with my outback with beach wheels

[@forsakenpath4992]

​@@hookedonfishing2095 haha I feel ya on that. Mine's 70lb empty, probably 85lb with all my stuff on it. Add a big load of ocean fish and dragging it up the beach becomes kinda tedious. 😅

[@hookedonfishing2095]

@@forsakenpath4992 yep never again will I fish Hooper beach Capitola. Screw that hill and all the people who made it damn near impossible to put my yak up the hill.

[@patrickholcomb9628]

I can appreciate the one-Off improvements to the EVITAN{:}N*T*VE kayak design. seems to me with the standing up properties of the first part of the video, it is more like standing on the interior of a whiskey barrel. but if is works for y'all, do it

[@ninjazxd]

Price?

[@jacksonkayakvids]

jacksonkayak.com/jackson-kayak-knarr-fd

[@ninjazxd]

$4300? That's blurring the lines between buying a boat or the kayak. Every year they get more and more expensive so in another 10years we will see fishing kayaks that cost as much as $8000 the way it's trending. Remember when coosa came out originally? Thats when I was buying Jackson, then I bought the cuda 14, cuda 12, big tuna in the glow in the dark color which was awesome, and the last Jackson I bought was the big rig which was my favorite. Almost forgot I had the kraken too Then the prices went through the roof after that and I have found my new favorite is the vibe kayak Maverick SUP takes it back to the basics and it's a lot more fun. Splurged one year and bought a Pro angler 14 but sold it a month late because it was so dam heavy.

[@KenWoodFishing]

@@ninjazxd For someone who hasn't fished out of his bass boat since 2018, I don't think the line is blurred at all. A kayak, even a big one like the Knarr, is still a vastly different experience. Yes, far more advanced and complicated compared to our old sit-ins, but still incomparable to a boat, even a smaller john boat.

[@ninjazxd]

@@KenWoodFishing I've never tried the sit ins. I've always bought Jackson kayaks. Just not lately because the price has became very high. I've bought every Jackson since the coosa up to the longer kraken. They were all priced reasonable. The exaggerated prices now are one of the reasons I switched to Vibe. Plus the paddle boards are a lot better for fly fishing. Every kayak manufacturer is gettin' expensive, and for that reason is why a lot of people buy the cheaper kayaks. Kayak fishing used to be about giving people a way to fish out of a compact platform that wouldn't break the bank and didn't require what a traditional boat did.

[@jamesmcbeath5511]

@@ninjazxd This is just the first of our new fleet ;-) We have much more up our sleeve and to fit all needs. This is the first kayak in a few years for us and we are at it again with the same 'water way' specific approach and not all will be pedal. We love our paddle roots and that takes a lot of $$ off the table.

[@catchofthedave8681]

After talking to all dif kinds of anglers from tourney to bigwater…..jackson made the boat that they asked for. A hobie pro angler 14. Their r&d got together and built A pro angler 14 with a couple mods/ upgrades, a dif drive, etc. 😂

[@amontri3246]

Damm over $ 4.000 tho 😕

[@1221Ralph]

The rudder is an outdated design. I highly doubt you get sharp steering.

[@capefearcapt4679]

Sorry, I just can't afford a $4200 kayak. Looks nice though.

[@khaoniew8612]

$4,200 for a heavy kayak that you still have pedal...nah...if a trolling is offered with this then yes.

[@zurran00]

$5k tho...........

[@The_Patriotic_Prepper]

Looks like a Hobie Pro Angler clone.