Pedal driven kayaks have propelled fishing in new directions, especially as more brands have rolled out there own systems in the past decade. Pedal drives have increased the distance travelled, and hands-free capability of kayak fishing. They have also added a mechanism in need of occasional service. Marvin of Mobbin Outdoors wanted to get a lesson in maintenance of the pedal drive for his Native Watercraft. He brought viewers along for a service rundown with certified Native Propel Drive technician, Bam Miller, at Headwaters Kayak in California.
A Lesson In Kayak Pedal Drive Maintenance
Maintenance of the kayak’s pedal drive will provide better performance and lifespan of the investment you’ve made in your kayak. Jumping in and pulling apart the pedal drive without experience is a gamble though. Not having the correct tools or taking the proper steps can lead to damage.
In the video, Bam Miller walks through the different steps in pedal drive maintenance. Some of these include how to properly remove components and grease your gears. While Bam and Marvin are elbows deep in the Native Propel Drive, they also add a small but effective weed guard at the propeller to prevent tangling and seizing.
The Right Tools For The Job
You’ll see in the video having the right tools for the job is key to pedal drive maintenance. What takes the proper wrench moments to accomplish could be a struggle with generic tools. For instance, smacking a crank arm off with a hammer can bend it, versus using a crank puller to simply slide it off.
Bam Miller shows some of the specialty tools used on a Native Propel Drive including a pin spanner wrench and the crank puller for the pedal arms.
What’s interesting about propeller systems is they are relatively similar, with components crossing over from the well established world of bikes. A trip to the cycling shop may be a good idea for building your pedal drive tool kit. Or you can find specialty tools and parts built for Native Watercraft and other pedal drives from angling shops like BerleyPro mentioned in the video.
I love learning about the ins and outs of cleaning and caring for things like tools and reels. Thanks, good post.