By Edward Stephens

Statistics:
Paddler: Height-6′4″ Weight-350+
Ultimate 145: Length-14′ 7″ Width-30in Weight-65lbs

At A Glance:
Cost: $1,100
Pros: Straight, stable, fast, comfortable with lots of add ons.
Cons: Costly accessories, middle skirt cannot be adjusted, skirts are not as watertight as they could be.

I have now spent 50+ hours in my Ultimate 14.5 Solo and here are some general impressions of the boat.

First, it tracks very straight. I have found it really easy to keep in a straight line. I paddle mostly flat water but we did take it to Cape Lookout and I had confidence in it there (although it was almost perfect conditions). I have been in some kayaks where the current was pushing me all over the place. I have not had that sensation in this kayak. I have only been in kayaks for a little over a year and the Ultimate to me is easy to paddle and fast. When in a group of paddlers I have never felt like I was slowing everybody down. The Ultimate has what Native calls a tunnel hull; this is basically a bulge on the outside left and right edge of the kayak (not to get too tangled up in nautical talk). It reminds me of pontoons in a way. The effect is increased stability and more displacement (so it can carry more weight–like Giles Corey). I have seen pictures of guys standing and fishing in this kayak, I know it can be done and I may try it some very warm day, but right now I think I’m too big to be trying to stand.

Second is the seat, it’s FANTASTIC. I debated as to whether this isn’t its best feature but decided performance should be given more weight. I’m using my Ultimate primarily for fishing and can spend five or more hours sitting in this seat and be very comfortable (You can even take it out and use it as a camp seat). It’s a suspended seat design using a screened material called Textilene®. This fabric is designed to be able to take 5 years of daily sun exposure before it begins to break down. Filling the seat is a material called HiFlow™ 3-D Mesh (patented). It reminds me a little of fishing line; it’s 100% recyclable and doesn’t use ozone-depleting cfcs (chlorofluorocarbons) in its manufacture.

Now I guess you’re wondering, “Why did he go all ‘Mr. Science’ on me”? Well, friends these miracle materials mean two things, first the seat sheds water. It’s not like those molded seats that get wet and stay wet. Second, because it’s an oatmeal color and not black it doesn’t get as hot as those molded seats either.

The seat is attached to a composite tray which slides under two clips in the kayak and then held into place with two buckles. I find it so easy to take the seat out that I store it inside. There is also a bar that allows for adjusting the incline of the seat (the bar fits in notches in the floor pan). Lastly the seat only weighs about 5-6 lbs so it can also be taken out when loading or unloading your kayak if that extra weight is a concern.

“For want of a nail”. Maybe it’s just me with my big feet, but in some kayaks I’ve been in the footpads are short and tiny. With this being the case I find one of two things happening, either my feet are constantly slipping off them or they seem to cut into my feet (reaching only to about the middle of my foot). The Ultimate has ball of the foot sized pads they call the Easy Foot™ System. You won’t find yourself slipping off them or feel them making your foot numb. Adjusting the footpads is pretty easy; with your foot off the pad just push or pull the attached rod to position it to where you want it and then when you feel it “click” let go of the rod and put you foot back on it.

“What is that rib on each side of the kayak”, you may ask. Why it’s the Adapt-a-track™. One cool thing the Ultimate has is the ability to add accessories by either sliding or clipping them on. You can add cup holders (was there ever a doubt about that one?), paddle holders, lash points, bottle holders and side bags.

The only accessories I have used so far are the skirts. It was for the Cape Lookout trip I mentioned before. Overall, I liked the skirts but they are not without a couple of issues. They can be difficult to put on. I’m wondering if wax or graphite or something might help them go on easier. The tunnel skirt requires you to be in a set position. You cannot adjust it to sit where you want; you have to sit where it is. What I did like about the skirts is that for the most part they worked very, very well. I really liked that the center skirt and the rear skirt have ribs that give the skirt a convex shape which helps shed water. They also have Velcro-ed flaps that allow you to connect the skirts together and these make a pretty watertight seal. What they seem not to have considered is the side gap between the bow skirt and the Solo Center skirt. The bow skirt has at its back a graceful curve that looks great when it’s used by itself; unfortunately when used with the solo center skirt it creates a 6-8 inch gap on the side. The material overlaps, but it doesn’t Velcro down and so water can wash into the kayak when it washes over it.

I do like that the skirts clean up easily and they there are some pockets and straps to tie down your paddle or fishing rod. The solo stern skirt even has “pockets to accommodate fishing pole holders.

Here’s a list of some of the add ons:

• Ultimate Catamaran & Trampoline
• Ultimate Dashboard
• Ultimate Console
• Ultimate Bow Bag
• Ultimate Stern Bag
• Wussy Foot Pads, Large
• Ultimate Rudder Kit
• Ultimate Motor Mount

… And there’s more, the Ultimate also comes in a two person version, and in addition to Polyethylene you can get it the Ultimate in Tegris a high tech composite material which is incredibly light, stiffer and offers high impact
resistance.

…And still more, there’s even a version of the Ultimate that is powered by petal power.

Conclusion: So far I have been very happy with my Ultimate. I think it is stable, roomy, versatile and fast. I will update my review as I spend more time in it.

Have Questions?

For more information visit: Legacy Paddlesports-Native Watercraft

Proud to be made right here in Greensboro, NC