For 2022, Jackson Kayak released their new Knarr FD fishing kayak. The brand built the Knarr to handle big days, whether that be on oceans, lakes or the tournament scene. In this video, Jackson Kayak brand manager, Jameson Redding gives us some background, plus a complete walkthrough of the Knarr FD fishing kayak.
Walkthrough of the New Jackson Knarr FD Fishing Kayak
“We put together a team of anglers that consisted of offshore fishermen, big water inshore fishermen, and our tournament anglers. We sat down and we went through all the features that they would want in a kayak and then we went to work,” explains Redding.
The new Jackson Knarr FD fishing kayak features a 13’ 9” long, 37” wide hull with a high, tapered bow squared off on the deck. The Knarr comes equipped with Jackson’s new Flex Drive Mark IV pedal kayak and steering system. A few other features that stand out about the kayak are the horizontal rod storage areas and the factory installed TriTrak rails, which almost wrap the entirety of the boat.
“What we wanted to do was make the boat faster. We wanted to make it be able to handle those big water conditions, and stay drier. To be able to launch through the breakers and hit waves. And we wanted it to be more maneuverable. So you’ll see as we go through the boat that we’ve really checked all those boxes.”
Jackson’s Star of the Show is the FD Pedal System
With the launch of Jackson Kayak’s 2022 boats, including the Knarr, the brand also introduces the Flex Drive Mark IV pedal system.
“It’s a new belt driven system that’s maintenance free and still allows you to have that kick-up flexible drive shaft that Jackson Kayak is known for,” Redding shares of the FD system.
The Flex Drive Mark IV is designed with a shallow water auto-retracting lower unit, as well as a three-position dagger board for varying depths and a sealed, above-water pedal system. The FD pedal system also includes reverse capabilities.
More details of the new Knarr fishing kayak are available at Jacksonkayak.com— and stay tuned for Kayak Angler’s in-depth review of the Jackson Knarr FD.
From the Kayak Angler Buyer’s Guide:
Knarr FD
- Features our new Mark IV Flex Drive System
- Updated/upgraded steering controls
- JK Multibox can be placed in multiple locations
- Tall gunnels provide protected storage for rods & gear
- TriTrak for nearly unlimited rigging solutions
The Jackson Kayak Knarr is the Best Fishing Boat And Board of 2023 as voted by the public in the fourth annual Paddling Magazine Industry Awards. Read more and see a complete list of winners here.
Gosh dang it… I need to up my game. This is impressive – thank you for posting, it gives me some new “yak ideas”!