Ocean Kayak Prowler Big Game

Hey everyone lookin for some opinions about the OK Prowler Big Game... after reading about it and comparing it to the 13 it seems like a much better yak for fishing (and camping cause of its load rating)... so yeah just lookin for some input...

Redfish,

I am a BG Prowler owner and I have been very happy with it.  As a background to my review keep in mind this is my first SOT yak and first time fishing from a yak.  I've been fishing in it for about a year now.  It is a very stable and dry platform to fish from which is why I picked it over the P13.  I love the deck layout and lots of space in the cockpit.  I'm not a huge guy (5'11" / 195lbs before the holidays started!) but I like room.  The BG tracks very well in my opinion.

On the negative side - the boat is pretty heavy at 69lbs.  I probably roof load it about 1/4 of the times onto a 4Runner.  The majority of my trips I just put in the bed of my Ford Ranger and use a bed extender to catch the excess.  This makes it very easy to load and launch.  As for speed I would say based on other reviews I read that it is not the fastest nor most nimble of yaks.  I get around fine with it but I don't do very long trips.  I go out for about 4-5 hours trips top and I have no idea how far I paddle.  I do mostly bass fishing and work the shoreline for them.  I did paddle the P13 a few times before buying and my main concern was sitting in water constantly and it felt tippy to me.

After paddling the BG for a year I would not get rid of the yak, but I am considering picking up a used P13 if one shows up some day to check it out more fully.  I think my paddling and stability skills have improved that I would not notice it much.

I hope this helps you some as I was in the same boat about a year ago.  You can find lots of reviews here and on other kayak fishing websites, however as we all know opinions are just like noses.  Everyone has them and they all smell.  You will find about 1/2 the people that think the BG is the best things since sliced bread and 1/2 that think it is a piece of plywood.

Best bet is to try to paddle the ones you are interested in as many times as possible before buying.

Enjoy.

I got to say that the P13 is the best all around yak in the OK lineup.  Not the fastest like the P15 and not the most stable like the Big Game.  Load limit shouldn't be too much of a concern with the P13 as it is rated to 400-450 pound.

However the BG certainly has it's place.  A very nice stable ride ... a Cadillac of sorts.  And if you flyfish and want at all to get up on your knees, or stand up even, this is the yak for you.

As always ... try 'em both before you buy.

-Allen

RF,  I've got an OK Big Game. It's my first and only Kayak, and the only Kayak I've ever been in.  Only got about 6 trips in it so far, and none since the weather has gone "south".  So far it meets all my expectations, but then again, probably any Kayak would have since I didn't have many.  I did a lot of research and reading, and even tried to line up a "try before you buy", but that easier said than done.  I was toying with going with a Hobie Outback first, but since the price was so much more and not being sure how I'd like it, I choose the Outback. 

I was hesitant with people saying it's so slow and have no frame of reference to use regarding it's speed.  I got it more for fly fishing in bigger lakes that take too darn long to get around in a float tube, and to explore other water for bass fishing etc.   It does those things nicely and speed hasn't been any issue.   I was also concerned about stability since I've not kayaked before.  The BG is very stable, you got to REALLY want to fall off in flat water.

To give you an idea of speed.  My longest trip so far was 5 or 6 hours on a slow river, I was fishing for Bass about 50% of the time one way, and 0% the way back.  I stopped for a leisurely lunch and spent no time fighting fish   .  My GPS said I went 6 miles.  I could have easily done more, and wasn’t physically tired, though my butt and back had enough sitting by that time.

So what about the CONs.
- It's light compared to a boat, but heavy for a kayak.  The only place I notice this is when I'm loading it on my roof rack.  I can do it alone, but it's not pretty.  I've got a good system down, but still worried about hurting the yak while I load/unload it.  Also it's so wide I can't fit a second one on my truck's overhead rack.
- I recently ordered a hatch kit for just in front of the cockpit, and the "new" one is gray and not black - why they changed the color is beyond me.  Not a big deal, but kind of annoying.  Getting to storage while on the boat is not easy.  I've got an Orange Plano box behind the seat, and the typical milk crate, but not as easy as a float tube to access some gear.  Although putting camping gear in there sounds like fun.
- The seat is more comfortable that I thought it would be, but can see a more padded one with pockets being a good investment eventually.
- The molded areas for the Rod Holders and FF are pretty far forward.  It's quite a stretch when I have a pole in there.  Instead I put a Scotty mount on the tray in-front of the seat and that's the one I use while fishing.  Plus mount my GPS there also.
- Had some trouble figuring out how to mount the Fish Finder and finally had to call OK.  Turns out you need to purchase a Thru Hull, hummingbird Transducer in order to fit their special sculper hole, and some creative cable routing.  In the long run, it works out.

Overall I think the OK Big Game is OK.  They could provide some more useful information with their Kayak's or on their website, but ask around and you can figure it out eventually. 

Good luck and let us know what you go with.

I own both a Big Game and a P13. the 13 is my main boat, but I've paddled the Big Game several times. I'm 5'10, 225 lbs, and it is a very comfortable and roomy boat. Plenty of room for fish & camp gear. It's not the most performance-oriented boat, but it is stable & predictable. It tracks well, glides decently for its width, and turns well. I can also stand comfortably in the boat, while I'm a second away from swimming when I try in the P13. Allen's Cadillac reference is a good one - not a boat for the race track, but great for a weekend cruise.

By the way, I'm selling mine. Details are in the classifieds area if you're interested.


Brian