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I took the pedal drive off my p127 and run both a nk180 and a xi3 at the same time and it works great! And I can remove either one of my motors and put my pedal drive in. Granted I’m only about 170lbs and it works for how I fish in Florida fresh/salt
You hit the nail on the head with pointing out that you are 170 pounds. That’s the reason you can do that and it’s great that it works for you! Thanks for sharing
I have been using a xi3 on my ss127 for over a year. Two things I learned: put the battery in the rear and get a rudder.. its and amazing setup and can't be beat
Hey Chad, decide on how to go forward on rigging out my kayak. Been watching a lot of videos can't make a decision and i want to make a correct n safe one.
Chad, let me start out by saying, I love the fact that you are not afraid to give us your honest opinion. As I have said in other videos, you and Gene are the two biggest reasons that I decided to get a kayak. I have the SS107 and I am just beginning to set it up for the water. I am wanting to get a trolling motor but where to put it is still up in the air. I am looking at One Objective to get the trolling motor mount that also allows me to install a power pole on the stern. I am not in a rush to get everything until I have been out on the water for some time. Watching your video helps me out a lot and I look forward to your next one. Merry Christmas.
Good video and appreciate the honesty in regards to the pedal drive. I’ve advised others that this is a pedal drive kayak, not a bow mounted trolling motor kayak. Thank you Chad!
My first kayak I had a diy bow rudder in conjunction with my stern rudder, and it was the bees knees on the river, especially on windy days. That thing would hold a straight line like nobody's business.
Awesome video and even more awesome ideas for those kayaks. Best idea was for the setup for the transducer on the bow of the boat. Merry Christmas to you and family.
Chad, I agree with you about putting a bow mounted trolling motor on the front of a peddle drive kayak, the drive for that type is the peddles. Some time in the future I plan on a trolling motor for my ss127. On a big lake paddling for long distances is tough. On small lakes I love to paddle about. I have a rudder to steer with.
Hi Chad, great video today. I recently mounted a Xi-3 on my Sea Stream Angler 12 and ran into many of the same issues as you did with the Bonifide 127. I concluded that I could make it work in my case by moving more weight to the back, etc. and it works OK, but not optimal in sketchy water conditions. I was surprised by that with my Sea Stream as I thought is had pretty good bow volume.
Thanks for the honest review. I almost popped on the P127 for the advertised pedal, power,paddle option. This has swayed me to seriously consider the SS127 with the motorguide.
Chad, I have SS107 with the battery in the back and the Xi3 in the front and no problems at all. It's all about the batteries placement. My battery for 93sv graph and black box is in the dry hatch between my legs. I use a 30aH Ionic battery in the back and a Dewalt 6aH battery in the dry hatch. now I get 3-4 hours before those batteries are used up so I am planning replacing the Xi3 battery with a 54aH.
I was looking to get the sportsman autopilot. Gave myself some time and researched options. After watching some of your videos I decided on bonafide ss127 with the motorguide xi3 kayak trolling motor. The reason is imo the ss127 is a far better kayak than the sportsman. That's not saying the sportsman isn't a good kayak. Thanks. Peace out be safe
I was thinking the same thing. It would be great to see Chad or Flukemaster do a comparison of the two especially with total costs of the turnkey Sportsman vs what you will need to spend to get the SS127 fully kitted with the Xi3.
It’s not. I have both and the sportsman’s is superior. Better in so many ways. Stablility, tracking, rudder already on, easy to pop motor up and get weeds out etc. was more room , battery fits under seat.
I just bought a xi3 to put on my Jackson Coosa FD. Thoughts? Any advice would be a great help and appreciated. I know this is a old post and may not be seen. TIGHT LINES BUDDY!
It’s pretty much the same design. The guys that are under 200-225 aren’t having issues and love it, folks between 225 and 250 talk about just having the be aware of balancing the boat out and anyone over 250 Doesn’t really recommend the bow mount similar to my experience
Thanks Chad! Merry Christmas! Hey! First and ONLY kayak so far is an SS107. Love it, but seems to have some annoying limitations. What is your method of wheeling yours around? I keep hearing that a Boonedox set up voids the warranty because it will break thru? What's your suggestion?? Thanks!
Kinda interesting to watch. I’ve has an Xi3 on the SS 127, the Native Titan 12 and now currently on my Ike PA 14 all bow mounted. A close friend ran the SS 127 and now runs the P 127.. I can say from actuall long term, not “testing” the bonafide the SS 127 ran the xi3 just fine. With the one objective mount. It did flex some. Especially at Clear Lake when you hit a Boulder at 4.2 MPH 🤣 but it absorbed it and was no worse off. I’ve seen the P127 up close with the Xi3 It’s even sturdier than the SS 127. The plastic is better by far and it has more of the Native feel to it (makes sense since they’ve merged) I will say this, the first motor I had was a stern mount minnkota on the SS127. And I will also say this with absolute certainty since I did run it this way for some time… the Bonafide is not made for a rear mounted Trolling motor it was a huge factor in making me flip in the middle of a big body of water, it was a little bit windy and choppy and the motor coupled with no rudder actually pushed me over, kinda drove me up out of the water and flipped the boat. I took it off immediately and installed the bow mount Xi3 and never looked back. Just trying to add my two cents. That’s what these videos and comments are for I believe. Being I’ve used both kinds for an extended period of time, I would never recommend a stern mount on a Bonafide. Y’all don’t want to lose everything you own like I did the day I flipped
I am not sure what motor you used, but I can assure you that the Bonafide was in fact designed and tested for a stern mounted motor. I know, because I was a big part of it and have more hours in a Bonafide than probably anyone on the planet and many, many of them with a motor. The comments about the plastic from Native and Bonafide are accurate. They use the exact same plastic and they did before they merged. In fact, all but three manufacturers all use the exact same plastic. I’m sorry that you flipped, but I’m sure that there were a number of factors conspiring to make that happen and the catamaran hull design of the Bonafide probably contributed to it by giving you a ton of confidence in it before that and then you exceeded its capabilities and yours in the conditions that you were in at the time. For the record, the bow on the P127 is softer than the SS127 and the SS127 has more geometry in the front to make it even stiffer when you put the One Objective mount on it. I tested it by feel and by measuring the hull thickness of both by taking tons of hull thickness readings. For what it’s worth, I don’t guess when I put this stuff out. I’m not trying to contradict you, but I’m clarifying the things you said to contradict the information that I put out.
I agree with Chad, the motor did not cause you to flip your kayak. We at Island Hopper outboard motors have been making kayak motors since 2006, and have tested our motors 1000's of times on kayaks and never been able to flip them under power. Perhaps there is more to your story that has been left out or forgotten which caused you to flip. We tested both Minn kota and Motor guide for about a year and and half. They are not yet well suited as a bow mounted motors on kayaks . They push the bow into the water causing a wet and slippery ride. Their GPS malfunctions on both as it wraps itself around the shaft and shuts down, moreover, replacement parts and service is expensive and both companies are hard to reach. Xi3 takes off on you and will take you for a scary ride till you shut it down. Minn kota GPS fails to hold its spot and at times impossible to use spot lock. When fishing, both Motors are in the way and if you run aground , you could easily damage the prop shaft, or snap the skeg and cause water intrusion to the motor. The kayak handle area could fracture over time from that 59lb weight pounding and flexing for hours on end the entire ride.
@@samd7094 i have your Island Hopper Trolling Motor. it is a great motor for traveling. I made the mistake of taking the steering handle off and attached cables to the pedals for steering hands free. the cable tore into the plastic making it harder to push and that's what ended up being the main cause of the flip.
Love the idea of steering the sonar! I'm also a bit disappointed with the water/scupper situation in the Native pedal drives. Other pedal designs run with no scuppers in all kinds of water with minimal water on the deck. Definitely requires some kind of waterproof boot in cold weather
Good day I know this may sound weird though but could one reverse the motor guide XI3 and fit it at the back with quick release mount and see if that would work on the p127
This is all really cool! Have to say tho, if your going to drop 3k on a P127 then add a trolling motor and adapter plates, and a depth finder, you know it’s going to weigh a ton, so you’ll need a trailer too. Just get an aluminum fishing boat. You talked about spending 1000 bucks on a paddle by the time you buy 5 of them from the bottom to a decent one. This is the same. You spend 6 k on a fishing kayak and you might as well just get a boat.
It’s not the same though. If I wanted a fishing boat that’s what I would buy. In the paddle analogy you are referring to you end up with the best possible paddle at the end. If I felt like a cheap bass boat was the best solution for fishing that’s what I would be using, I grew up fishing in them and the kayak solves many of the problems that they present. I have a trailer for convenience and for carrying multiple kayaks for filming and to put the trailer in a secure place when I’m filming out of town. But, you can still easily slide the kayak in the back of your truck, put it on top of almost any vehicle and you can get away without having a trailer. So, in the end, you end up with what I consider one of the most capable and versatile watercraft on the market, which wouldn’t be true with a bass boat.
@@ChadHooverFishing I agree. Don’t get me wrong I’m in love with kayak fishing. I dog my Jackson bite and I finally got a real Bending Branches paddle. I’m all in.
What’s the difference or your opinion between the One Objective bow mount and Bonafide bow plate mount for the Bonafide SS127. I’ve seen videos, where they talk about the One Objective causing stress on the SS127. I’m in the process of getting the xi3 for my SS127 now and not sure which one to go with. Thanks for your input!!
It’s not the “best camera boat made” When getting it to the places to film is harder and less efficient. Plus, I would have to wait an hour for it to get to me before I could start filming. It might be the best once it’s already on location, already at the fishing spot and if you didn’t have to consider all the variables. The best craft to film kayak fishing from is another kayak.
Lol.Its in black and white. But seriously thank you for the information. I have the torqueedo 403 on mine. I'm 5ft 7 151 lbs. So she move approx 5.3 mph..Great vid. 🙏 👍
Just got a P127 a month ago. Very happy with everything but the rudder system. MAN IT'S HARD TO TURN! Especially when you are going for a bit of a run. Course corrections are constant and nearly painful. I have already fixed the problem with the cable guides coming loose under thecontrol handle ( come on Bonifie , this shouldn't be happening with a product costing 3K. Any advice on how to make basic turning the rudder handle easier? Thanks Chad.
Chad what do you think about a p127 or native slayer max propel 12 with an xi3; but ONLY used interchangeably? I would honestly just like to have the ability to fish man powered only tournaments or run the pedal drive for certain places; but also have spot lock for certain bodies of water or situations. I definitely don’t want to run both simultaneously. Curious how they’d perform on a bow mount xi3 with the pedal drive removed??? I have a sportsman pdl120; and was seriously considering an autopilot. But I hate the idea of giving up my pedal drive kayak… logistically I can’t own 2 kayaks.
I think if you took the weight of the pedal drive out, made sure the battery was in the back and limited your other gear load out you could successfully use the P127 for what you are suggesting. Since I released this video I’ve had numerous conversations with people that are using bow mounts on the P127 and are very happy with it. I think if you are over 250 lBS that’s when you start to push the limit for that kayak with the bow mount. Keep in mind when I did this I was testing for worst case scenario and I was pushing 300 lBS.
I am going to throw another thought out there for people wanting to mount stuff on the bow of a kayak. For those of us that have a little to much weight inside of the belt line if we go over the best way to re-enter the boat is from the bow. Pushing the bow down and under us so we can crawl back into the boat without flipping it again. Safety thought, maybe we all over weight people should consider
Chuck, I appreciate the sentiment, but that may be the easiest way, but it isn’t the best way to re-enter the kayak, especially for bigger dudes. On many modern kayaks you have a front hatch that has a seal around it for repelling water from rain or water spray or even taking waves over the bow and shedding the water, but they are NOT designed to be submerged. I have tried it and that will 100% fill the boat up with water and likely make the situation worse. I have a video on deep water re-entry and I plan on re-doing it this year. I will keep in mind to mention what not to do as much as what you should do. I have a few new ideas to add to the video for next time as well.
Thanks Cindy. I don’t think this is something you can fix in a finished boat design. It’s just something that’s going to have to be considered as part of your purchase criteria.
Loved this video, even though I don’t have a Bonafide. I run a Hobie Passport. With how light that kayak is, I would almost say with certainty that it would probably not be a good idea to mount one on the mount. Any input on what would work best with my passport?
I bought a passport when they first came out. My take on it is the passport is a great entry level peddle drive. But it don’t like any xtra weight up front. So I definitely agree with Chad put a 403 on the back ….. and love it !!!! Also if u upgrade to the turbo fins that kayak comes alive !!!
The One Objective Bow Mount solves the problem, it works great. 👍 I would love too see you mount the MotorGuide to the Bow of the P127 and show us the Flex compared to the way you showed us in the Video. The One Objective mount is a Thick plate and does not and will not flex like it did the way you mounted it without one.
It takes it out slightly, but the bow is still soft and then you are adding even more weight to the bow. The plate doesn’t flex, but the whole kayak does and that’s why I’m not recommending that people put a bow mount on this boat. I will do a video about it when I mount the One Objective Mount and put it on the boat for the Camera boat just to show you how it does.
@@ChadHooverFishing Thank You Chad, I very much appreciate your feedback and comment. And I 100% Agree that the Bow design is Totally different then SS127. The rear motor design is what I personally like better for myself, the Bow mount for a trolling motor on a Plastic Kayak is a push in my opinion, it does work but it's sketchy for sure. I've had Trolling motors ripped off the Bow on my Ranger bass boats in super rough water, so if that happens with Fiberglass then plastic can totally be a push for sure. Love your channel Chad 😎👍
I wanted to do the testing to find out. That way I was offering an opinion based one experience instead of being subjective about it. Thanks for watching and for the comment
Really good, honest review Chad!! Love the idea of running/steering the sonar up front on the mount. I just switched over to a Hobie Outback and still trying to figure out exactly how I want to rig everything up. Looking forward to the 3 part review series!
You need a twin to do this with Jackson Kayak. Drew Gregory started to do it, and in my opinion fell short. I cannot fall in love with Bonafide no matter how hard I have tried 🤷♂️.
It’s because it’s basically a Native hull. Greg Blanchard is no where near your size and his Titan keeps water in it too. I have an SS127 and want a peddle boat but it won’t be a Bonafide for that reason
Honestly torqueedo is 2-3x the price. You could buy a second kayak and still have money left for the xi3. Then use some starboard as a backing plate and be good to go. Torqueedo isn't at a price point it should be compared to the xi3. Price aside the xi3 control and GPS remote also make it leaps and bounds better than torqeedo in my opinion but I'm just a broke marsh kayaker.
I’m not sure what you are basing that on. The Torqeedo is the most lightweight and advanced motor on the market. I’m putting all options out there but the Torqeedo is by far faster, the battery, throttle and unit weighs less than the unit or the battery for the Xi3 and most other motors on the market. It’s also got built in GPS, a magnetic dead man switch, automatic shut off when it kicks up or rolls over, the battery is waterproof and it floats and you can control it with your feet (actual hands free) and with the motor in the back it’s more efficient. I mean, the bow mount has a few advantages and that’s that’s why it’s great to have options, but that doesn’t make the Torqeedo overpriced. If. Torqeedo hadn’t blazed the trail for kayak motors we would still be several years away from any of the major companies taking kayak anglers seriously enough to make a motor.
Hey awesome video. I'm just starting the process of getting a kyack for myself and my son. Have you or would you help someone pick out good beginner fishing kyack but also the ability to grow with it ? I'm in ky and not sure where u are but it could even be thru emails etc. I wish I would have found this channel a long time ago lol.
@@ChadHooverFishing so where does it start or how lol. Just let me know what u get worked out etc. Also I'll be looking into joining someone the stuff on your channel. If need my email let me know thanks
Chad I was so excited to hear that Bonafide was making a pedal drive kayak. I am and still will be it looks like running the Radar 115 pdl. Out of all the kayaks on the market there the only ones that have the ability to run the rudder control on the right side of the boat. I have the hardest time understanding why this boat was made with the rudder control on left ide only. I know good and well that over 80 percent of us use right handed reels. So my question for you to bring up in your next talk is why is this kayak gimping the masses of people. Think about every time I want to make an adjustment with my rudder I have to take the reel out of my left hand put it in my right to use the rudder makes zero since. All kayak company's should be have the same standards as wilderness does on there ruder controls by now. Anyhow that's my rant was really wanting to buy this kayak and support the local company's but they in my mind failed hard in this one area.
The cost of fully rigged good quality fishing kayak vs used flat bottom boat rigged is getting to be very close now days I've noticed. If you add live scope it's even more interesting to compare
The cost doesn’t tell the whole story though, flat bottom boats are harder to paddle, motorize and maneuver and are more limited on where you can get them to get in the water and where you can go when on the water. So, I would love to do this comparison, but we would have also carry that comparison over into performance and all the other reasons why I think the kayak is a superior watercraft in many regards
@@ChadHooverFishing Thanks for that reply on the flat bottom boat. Gees people the concept of kayaking is stealth. Drop a rod or anything in a flat bottom boat with a good fish finder on and watch the fish scatter. 1. Chad I don't know anything about fishing or kayaks but love the idea of being able to control the view of a transponder. Looking forward to seeing more videos on that idea. 2. I also like this video on a well balanced boat. If you want the option of paddle and pedal with making it a easy glide on the water yet still able to power back to launch point then weight and balance is a huge. 3. Each boat or person using it has endless different needs when it comes to picking a kayak , how to rig it or what we fish for. We all do not weigh the same, carry the same amount of equipment or have close to the same budget so thinking outside of the box like this is spot on. 4. When it comes to a kayak weight with power option the weight a lithium battery is far below a lead acid battery . They cost a lot but so does a hernia operation so weight is huge on the water.
Those are used on boats weighing hundreds if not thousands of pounds no need for that on a kayak if you just want it for positioning and spot lock hopefully the manufacturers will figure it out
Not sure why a bow mounts are so popular unless you are always fishing big deep lakes and you can't really fish hands free with them as you have to futz with the remote. I set up both my kayaks with foot steered stern mount motors including my Slayer max 12.5 and it's honestly fantastic for the water I fish i.e. shallow lakes and rivers. Since I put gear track mounted foot steering on the slayer max i never use the pedal drive anymore, the motor does better in weeds and shallow water.
I think it’s primarily because they are more affordable in many cases, they are easier to setup in many cases, people are already familiar with them from the crossover in bass boats and the GPS holding position is probably the biggest feature that attracts anglers to them, especially for stand up fishing.
@@ChadHooverFishing more affordable compared to a torqeodo, but I used a 89 dollar minn kota and 250 dollar lifepo4 battery way cheaper than a bow mount. Check out my Slayer Max setup and my falcon 11 setup.
yea i mounted a xi3 on my yak , so called designed for it yak won't mention brand , performed great but the bow flex turned into cracking so i'd hope other brands are truly testing this stuff. guess im buying a 127 ss . im out 3 grand on the other. really no fix to it. sad part is was talked into this other yak when i went there to buy the 127 ss was promised it was better set up for it,, 3 months later salesman forgets who i am. no more buying local got burned. chad your info shows commitment thanks , got a pedal drive for sale oh how i want to bash but i won't , let a non informed salesman lie to make a sale. no the hull isnt thicker there its thinner. and cracks easily. see your mount your sale , your fail, and i got ,, i didn't tell you that.. that co . gets bashed by me but is a nice yak buy not designed for what there claiming.
DM me some pics of your other kayak and let’s see if we can come up with a fix, if not, I will also do a warning video so that others don’t end up in the same boat as you.
@@ChadHooverFishing sorry late reply , dad passed etc. i have sold that kayak and xi3 to a friend. we glassed the inside etc. and im am just getting back into yak fishing. . been looking a used ss127 . life has not been cool so its budget right now. back using my sundolphin ss in the creek for now. need a better quality roto molded yak because of my size. soon i will be back fishing , my stratos 201 pro elite hasn't moved in over a yr.
Great reviews and opinions. I have been wanting to upgrade to something else after having my vibe yellowfin for 2 yrs now. So many choices and so many different decisions on what works and what does. Thank you for your honest opinions
Because I didn’t color correct it. I said that in the beginning of the video when I apologized for the quality and stated that this was more about the message than the video appearance or audio.
That was one of the things that front mount was designed for in theory, but that’s part of my job, to get out there and validate a lot of this stuff. I’ve communicated all of this to Bonafide Leadership as well.
All these people going apeshit with issues and crazy mods to motorize a bonafide and hobie when they can simply buy a oldtown auto pilot and be ready to roll. Sad.
I wouldn’t say it’s “sad” but I hear what you are saying and that’s why I’m covering all the bases. That being said, I’m working on the on water review right now and I will tell you the top two reasons that people are going through it the “trouble” to mount the other motors. Mostly it’s because they either already have the other kayak and don’t want to buy a whole new kayak or it’s because they are looking for speed. The biggest drawback to the Minnkota is that it’s slower than a stern mounted motor. For a bow mount, I 100% agree because most of them are around the same speed as the Autopilot, but for more speed the stern mounted motors are just a lot faster. I will cover all of this in my upcoming follow up video.
Thanks. I think it’s funny when someone decides what someone else should do, but then also expects people to respect what they do. There are plenty that would say the same thing about you and your Torqeedo and then you turn about and do it to others. C’mon man. We are all in this together and we can all decide what works best for us.
Y’all please consider supporting the channel by joining KBF. You get back more than you spend right up front and then benefit all year. Check it out and thanks in advance for the support! JOIN HERE: www.kayakbassfishing.com/join/
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I took the pedal drive off my p127 and run both a nk180 and a xi3 at the same time and it works great! And I can remove either one of my motors and put my pedal drive in. Granted I’m only about 170lbs and it works for how I fish in Florida fresh/salt
You hit the nail on the head with pointing out that you are 170 pounds.
That’s the reason you can do that and it’s great that it works for you! Thanks for sharing
Great ideas Chad. The mounting of a live scope off the bow of any kayak is brilliant.
Thanks Dave. I hope it works out how I have it envisioned
I have been using a xi3 on my ss127 for over a year. Two things I learned: put the battery in the rear and get a rudder.. its and amazing setup and can't be beat
Thanks for the feedback.
I'm still building up my SS127... glad to know that a bow mounted trolling motor works well on it
Yessir. See you in Florida sometime soon.
Y’all go check out my newest video please. BEST BASS FISHING LURE EVER!
ua-cam.com/video/NFx0mX9sA7w/v-deo.html
Hey Chad, decide on how to go forward on rigging out my kayak. Been watching a lot of videos can't make a decision and i want to make a correct n safe one.
Great review man! Can't wait to see on the water
Chad, let me start out by saying, I love the fact that you are not afraid to give us your honest opinion. As I have said in other videos, you and Gene are the two biggest reasons that I decided to get a kayak. I have the SS107 and I am just beginning to set it up for the water. I am wanting to get a trolling motor but where to put it is still up in the air. I am looking at One Objective to get the trolling motor mount that also allows me to install a power pole on the stern. I am not in a rush to get everything until I have been out on the water for some time. Watching your video helps me out a lot and I look forward to your next one. Merry Christmas.
Thanks Chris and Merry Christmas to you and yours as well.
I like the way you think. Keep the innovation going ! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Curt.
Good video and appreciate the honesty in regards to the pedal drive. I’ve advised others that this is a pedal drive kayak, not a bow mounted trolling motor kayak. Thank you Chad!
Thanks Justin.
Great insight…. Just put a minkota Trevor on my PA14 … put battery way back to balance boat out … I agree with the weight distribution.. Awesome video
Thanks S&S, I’m not familiar with the Trevor
Love honest review. I love how you explain everything.
Thanks Brandon.
My first kayak I had a diy bow rudder in conjunction with my stern rudder, and it was the bees knees on the river, especially on windy days. That thing would hold a straight line like nobody's business.
I’m going to play with that idea too
That bow mount transducer for live is a great idea is nice 👍🏽
Thanks Roc
Awesome video and even more awesome ideas for those kayaks. Best idea was for the setup for the transducer on the bow of the boat. Merry Christmas to you and family.
Thanks Doug and Merry Christmas to you too
Chad, I agree with you about putting a bow mounted trolling motor on the front of a peddle drive kayak, the drive for that type is the peddles. Some time in the future I plan on a trolling motor for my ss127. On a big lake paddling for long distances is tough. On small lakes I love to paddle about. I have a rudder to steer with.
Chad I like the idea of being able to steer your live sonar and I can’t wait to see how it turns out keep up the good work!
Thanks RR, I’m looking forward to seeing how it works out too.
Hi Chad, great video today. I recently mounted a Xi-3 on my Sea Stream Angler 12 and ran into many of the same issues as you did with the Bonifide 127. I concluded that I could make it work in my case by moving more weight to the back, etc. and it works OK, but not optimal in sketchy water conditions. I was surprised by that with my Sea Stream as I thought is had pretty good bow volume.
Thanks for the honest review. I almost popped on the P127 for the advertised pedal, power,paddle option. This has swayed me to seriously consider the SS127 with the motorguide.
Great video and nice feedback on what to look forwards to when trying to place a forward mounted trolling motor
Thank you Pablo
Great review, love the honesty.
Merry Christmas.
Thanks Kirk. I don’t know any other way to do it.
Chad, great review. I'll be honest this was over my head; however I love your honesty. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Thanks, I will be breaking all of this down in more details very soon.
Chad, I have SS107 with the battery in the back and the Xi3 in the front and no problems at all. It's all about the batteries placement. My battery for 93sv graph and black box is in the dry hatch between my legs. I use a 30aH Ionic battery in the back and a Dewalt 6aH battery in the dry hatch. now I get 3-4 hours before those batteries are used up so I am planning replacing the Xi3 battery with a 54aH.
I was looking to get the sportsman autopilot. Gave myself some time and researched options. After watching some of your videos I decided on bonafide ss127 with the motorguide xi3 kayak trolling motor. The reason is imo the ss127 is a far better kayak than the sportsman. That's not saying the sportsman isn't a good kayak. Thanks. Peace out be safe
I was thinking the same thing. It would be great to see Chad or Flukemaster do a comparison of the two especially with total costs of the turnkey Sportsman vs what you will need to spend to get the SS127 fully kitted with the Xi3.
It’s not. I have both and the sportsman’s is superior. Better in so many ways. Stablility, tracking, rudder already on, easy to pop motor up and get weeds out etc. was more room , battery fits under seat.
Bow mount transducer is great idea. I wouldnt use the bow mount steering though.
I just bought a xi3 to put on my Jackson Coosa FD. Thoughts? Any advice would be a great help and appreciated. I know this is a old post and may not be seen. TIGHT LINES BUDDY!
Have a great Merry Christmas and a happy new year love the video and it helps me out a lot being a new kayak Fishman
Thanks Mike. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you as well
Has the newer model year P127 design been improved now for a bow mount motor?
It’s pretty much the same design. The guys that are under 200-225 aren’t having issues and love it, folks between 225 and 250 talk about just having the be aware of balancing the boat out and anyone over 250
Doesn’t really recommend the bow mount similar to my experience
AWESOME Video !!! Chad-
What size of battery do you use on your SS127.
Depending on the trip, I use either a 54AH or 100AH.
Thanks Chad! Merry Christmas! Hey! First and ONLY kayak so far is an SS107. Love it, but seems to have some annoying limitations. What is your method of wheeling yours around? I keep hearing that a Boonedox set up voids the warranty because it will break thru? What's your suggestion?? Thanks!
I'd love to see you do a video comparing a rigged fishing kayak vs rigged flat bottom boat and cost comparison.
I think I’m going to break down and do that
How about putting the bow mount transducer live on the P127 and running the smaller motor in the rear of the P127
That’s what I’m doing.
Some of your fans did watched the whole video
Kinda interesting to watch. I’ve has an Xi3 on the SS 127, the Native Titan 12 and now currently on my Ike PA 14 all bow mounted. A close friend ran the SS 127 and now runs the P 127.. I can say from actuall long term, not “testing” the bonafide the SS 127 ran the xi3 just fine. With the one objective mount. It did flex some. Especially at Clear Lake when you hit a Boulder at 4.2 MPH 🤣 but it absorbed it and was no worse off. I’ve seen the P127 up close with the Xi3 It’s even sturdier than the SS 127. The plastic is better by far and it has more of the Native feel to it (makes sense since they’ve merged) I will say this, the first motor I had was a stern mount minnkota on the SS127. And I will also say this with absolute certainty since I did run it this way for some time… the Bonafide is not made for a rear mounted Trolling motor it was a huge factor in making me flip in the middle of a big body of water, it was a little bit windy and choppy and the motor coupled with no rudder actually pushed me over, kinda drove me up out of the water and flipped the boat. I took it off immediately and installed the bow mount Xi3 and never looked back. Just trying to add my two cents. That’s what these videos and comments are for I believe. Being I’ve used both kinds for an extended period of time, I would never recommend a stern mount on a Bonafide. Y’all don’t want to lose everything you own like I did the day I flipped
I am not sure what motor you used, but I can assure you that the Bonafide was in fact designed and tested for a stern mounted motor. I know, because I was a big part of it and have more hours in a Bonafide than probably anyone on the planet and many, many of them with a motor. The comments about the plastic from Native and Bonafide are accurate. They use the exact same plastic and they did before they merged. In fact, all but three manufacturers all use the exact same plastic.
I’m sorry that you flipped, but I’m sure that there were a number of factors conspiring to make that happen and the catamaran hull design of the Bonafide probably contributed to it by giving you a ton of confidence in it before that and then you exceeded its capabilities and yours in the conditions that you were in at the time.
For the record, the bow on the P127 is softer than the SS127 and the SS127 has more geometry in the front to make it even stiffer when you put the One Objective mount on it. I tested it by feel and by measuring the hull thickness of both by taking tons of hull thickness readings. For what it’s worth, I don’t guess when I put this stuff out. I’m not trying to contradict you, but I’m clarifying the things you said to contradict the information that I put out.
I agree with Chad, the motor did not cause you to flip your kayak. We at Island Hopper outboard motors have been making kayak motors since 2006, and have tested our motors 1000's of times on kayaks and never been able to flip them under power. Perhaps there is more to your story that has been left out or forgotten which caused you to flip.
We tested both Minn kota and Motor guide for about a year and and half. They are not yet well suited as a bow mounted motors on kayaks . They push the bow into the water causing a wet and slippery ride. Their GPS malfunctions on both as it wraps itself around the shaft and shuts down, moreover, replacement parts and service is expensive and both companies are hard to reach. Xi3 takes off on you and will take you for a scary ride till you shut it down. Minn kota GPS fails to hold its spot and at times impossible to use spot lock. When fishing, both Motors are in the way and if you run aground , you could easily damage the prop shaft, or snap the skeg and cause water intrusion to the motor. The kayak handle area could fracture over time from that 59lb weight pounding and flexing for hours on end the entire ride.
@@samd7094 i have your Island Hopper Trolling Motor. it is a great motor for traveling. I made the mistake of taking the steering handle off and attached cables to the pedals for steering hands free. the cable tore into the plastic making it harder to push and that's what ended up being the main cause of the flip.
@@bradblokzyl786 send us your set up and we'll fix it for you if you still have it.
@@info-iho2870 I still have it and it works great no need to fix
Love the idea of steering the sonar! I'm also a bit disappointed with the water/scupper situation in the Native pedal drives. Other pedal designs run with no scuppers in all kinds of water with minimal water on the deck. Definitely requires some kind of waterproof boot in cold weather
Yes, it’s definitely a factor to consider and something I wanted to point out.
Good day I know this may sound weird though but could one reverse the motor guide XI3 and fit it at the back with quick release mount and see if that would work on the p127
Possibly but that would not make as much sense as just buying a motor that’s designed to “push” instead of “pull”
@@ChadHooverFishing makes sense then, best to get a p127 with other motors and the ss127 with the motor guide on the bow
Merry Christmas Brother!!! Can’t wait for you to check out a NuCanoe Unlimited!!!
Thanks, me too. I’ve had one on order for a while. Waiting on them to get caught up.
This is all really cool! Have to say tho, if your going to drop 3k on a P127 then add a trolling motor and adapter plates, and a depth finder, you know it’s going to weigh a ton, so you’ll need a trailer too. Just get an aluminum fishing boat. You talked about spending 1000 bucks on a paddle by the time you buy 5 of them from the bottom to a decent one. This is the same. You spend 6 k on a fishing kayak and you might as well just get a boat.
It’s not the same though. If I wanted a fishing boat that’s what I would buy. In the paddle analogy you are referring to you end up with the best possible paddle at the end.
If I felt like a cheap bass boat was the best solution for fishing that’s what I would be using, I grew up fishing in them and the kayak solves many of the problems that they present.
I have a trailer for convenience and for carrying multiple kayaks for filming and to put the trailer in a secure place when I’m filming out of town. But, you can still easily slide the kayak in the back of your truck, put it on top of almost any vehicle and you can get away without having a trailer.
So, in the end, you end up with what I consider one of the most capable and versatile watercraft on the market, which wouldn’t be true with a bass boat.
Oh yeah, and it’s just a lot more fun…. 😜
@@ChadHooverFishing I agree. Don’t get me wrong I’m in love with kayak fishing. I dog my Jackson bite and I finally got a real Bending Branches paddle. I’m all in.
What’s the difference or your opinion between the One Objective bow mount and Bonafide bow plate mount for the Bonafide SS127. I’ve seen videos, where they talk about the One Objective causing stress on the SS127. I’m in the process of getting the xi3 for my SS127 now and not sure which one to go with. Thanks for your input!!
U know the twin troller x10 is hands down the best camera boat made
It’s not the “best camera boat made”
When getting it to the places to film is harder and less efficient. Plus, I would have to wait an hour for it to get to me before I could start filming. It might be the best once it’s already on location, already at the fishing spot and if you didn’t have to consider all the variables. The best craft to film kayak fishing from is another kayak.
I saw Josh's warning and what they decided to alter with the new mount
Yessir, I communicated with them through the whole process.
Good dudes
Lol.Its in black and white. But seriously thank you for the information. I have the torqueedo 403 on mine. I'm 5ft 7 151 lbs. So she move approx 5.3 mph..Great vid. 🙏 👍
Ha! It’s called being in a rush and not changing the camera settings. LOL
The content is still the same… 😀
Just got a P127 a month ago. Very happy with everything but the rudder system. MAN IT'S HARD TO TURN! Especially when you are going for a bit of a run. Course corrections are constant and nearly painful. I have already fixed the problem with the cable guides coming loose under thecontrol handle ( come on Bonifie , this shouldn't be happening with a product costing 3K.
Any advice on how to make basic turning the rudder handle easier?
Thanks Chad.
Great info..Thanks!👍👍 Best wishes and Merry Christmas to you and your family brother Chad! 👌✌️🤙🎄🎣❤️
Thanks Charlie, same to you and yours
Were the concerns expressed here addressed in the design of the new PWR129?
Chad what do you think about a p127 or native slayer max propel 12 with an xi3; but ONLY used interchangeably? I would honestly just like to have the ability to fish man powered only tournaments or run the pedal drive for certain places; but also have spot lock for certain bodies of water or situations. I definitely don’t want to run both simultaneously. Curious how they’d perform on a bow mount xi3 with the pedal drive removed??? I have a sportsman pdl120; and was seriously considering an autopilot. But I hate the idea of giving up my pedal drive kayak… logistically I can’t own 2 kayaks.
I think if you took the weight of the pedal drive out, made sure the battery was in the back and limited your other gear load out you could successfully use the P127 for what you are suggesting. Since I released this video I’ve had numerous conversations with people that are using bow mounts on the P127 and are very happy with it. I think if you are over 250 lBS that’s when you start to push the limit for that kayak with the bow mount. Keep in mind when I did this I was testing for worst case scenario and I was pushing 300 lBS.
I am going to throw another thought out there for people wanting to mount stuff on the bow of a kayak. For those of us that have a little to much weight inside of the belt line if we go over the best way to re-enter the boat is from the bow. Pushing the bow down and under us so we can crawl back into the boat without flipping it again. Safety thought, maybe we all over weight people should consider
Chuck, I appreciate the sentiment, but that may be the easiest way, but it isn’t the best way to re-enter the kayak, especially for bigger dudes. On many modern kayaks you have a front hatch that has a seal around it for repelling water from rain or water spray or even taking waves over the bow and shedding the water, but they are NOT designed to be submerged. I have tried it and that will 100% fill the boat up with water and likely make the situation worse.
I have a video on deep water re-entry and I plan on re-doing it this year. I will keep in mind to mention what not to do as much as what you should do. I have a few new ideas to add to the video for next time as well.
ua-cam.com/video/_Zwg2cAOayQ/v-deo.html
@@ChadHooverFishing thank you for the video, except the showing your a$$ part lol. guess it depends on the person and kayak, what ever works
Merry Christmas 🎄 mr hoover and family 🤝🏼
Way to go you are always looking out for us kayaker thanks for this viedo great information hope bonafide fixes it
Thanks Cindy. I don’t think this is something you can fix in a finished boat design. It’s just something that’s going to have to be considered as part of your purchase criteria.
Great information thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching Walt.
Chad great idea torqeedo on the back rudder on the front it would be great if Bonafide would make a wider rudder to replace the original rudder
Great video Chad.
Thanks Joe
Merry Christmas Hoover family🙏🎣🤙
Thanks Hector and Merry Christmas to you and the Padilla Family.
what if your using spot lock?
What do you mean?
@ what i meant to say was if you mounted on stern does spot lock still operate well?
Loved this video, even though I don’t have a Bonafide. I run a Hobie Passport. With how light that kayak is, I would almost say with certainty that it would probably not be a good idea to mount one on the mount. Any input on what would work best with my passport?
I think the Passport would be best with a stern mounted lightweight motor like the 403 Ultralight.
I bought a passport when they first came out. My take on it is the passport is a great entry level peddle drive. But it don’t like any xtra weight up front. So I definitely agree with Chad put a 403 on the back ….. and love it !!!! Also if u upgrade to the turbo fins that kayak comes alive !!!
Great video!!
The One Objective Bow Mount solves the problem, it works great. 👍 I would love too see you mount the MotorGuide to the Bow of the P127 and show us the Flex compared to the way you showed us in the Video. The One Objective mount is a Thick plate and does not and will not flex like it did the way you mounted it without one.
It takes it out slightly, but the bow is still soft and then you are adding even more weight to the bow. The plate doesn’t flex, but the whole kayak does and that’s why I’m not recommending that people put a bow mount on this boat. I will do a video about it when I mount the One Objective Mount and put it on the boat for the Camera boat just to show you how it does.
@@ChadHooverFishing Thank You Chad, I very much appreciate your feedback and comment. And I 100% Agree that the Bow design is Totally different then SS127. The rear motor design is what I personally like better for myself, the Bow mount for a trolling motor on a Plastic Kayak is a push in my opinion, it does work but it's sketchy for sure. I've had Trolling motors ripped off the Bow on my Ranger bass boats in super rough water, so if that happens with Fiberglass then plastic can totally be a push for sure. Love your channel Chad 😎👍
Do you think I can get by using this trolling motor on the bow of my Bonafide ss107?
Yes, I think so
Good stuff.
I was just going to ask the question why bow mounted trolling motor on a pedal drive system? DO you really need both?
I wanted to do the testing to find out. That way I was offering an opinion based one experience instead of being subjective about it. Thanks for watching and for the comment
Really good, honest review Chad!! Love the idea of running/steering the sonar up front on the mount. I just switched over to a Hobie Outback and still trying to figure out exactly how I want to rig everything up. Looking forward to the 3 part review series!
Thanks, I’m hoping it works out like I’ve envisioned it.
You need a twin to do this with Jackson Kayak. Drew Gregory started to do it, and in my opinion fell short. I cannot fall in love with Bonafide no matter how hard I have tried 🤷♂️.
I don’t need a twin to do it, I can just do it… LOL
Can’t the xi3 be mounted on the back?
Not in any effective way that I can think of.
And all of the controls would be backwards. Let me play around with it through and see what I can come up with. Thanks for the question.
@@ChadHooverFishing just curious… but that does make sense with the controls being backwards… thanks for the response
Merry Christmas to you all Chad
Thanks Chuck.
It’s because it’s basically a Native hull. Greg Blanchard is no where near your size and his Titan keeps water in it too. I have an SS127 and want a peddle boat but it won’t be a Bonafide for that reason
Greg Blanchard is no where near my size is an understatement for sure… 😂😂😂😂
Do you know of anybody that has used that bow mount on a old town 106pdl
Honestly torqueedo is 2-3x the price. You could buy a second kayak and still have money left for the xi3. Then use some starboard as a backing plate and be good to go. Torqueedo isn't at a price point it should be compared to the xi3. Price aside the xi3 control and GPS remote also make it leaps and bounds better than torqeedo in my opinion but I'm just a broke marsh kayaker.
I’m not sure what you are basing that on. The Torqeedo is the most lightweight and advanced motor on the market. I’m putting all options out there but the Torqeedo is by far faster, the battery, throttle and unit weighs less than the unit or the battery for the Xi3 and most other motors on the market. It’s also got built in GPS, a magnetic dead man switch, automatic shut off when it kicks up or rolls over, the battery is waterproof and it floats and you can control it with your feet (actual hands free) and with the motor in the back it’s more efficient. I mean, the bow mount has a few advantages and that’s that’s why it’s great to have options, but that doesn’t make the Torqeedo overpriced. If. Torqeedo hadn’t blazed the trail for kayak motors we would still be several years away from any of the major companies taking kayak anglers seriously enough to make a motor.
Hey awesome video. I'm just starting the process of getting a kyack for myself and my son. Have you or would you help someone pick out good beginner fishing kyack but also the ability to grow with it ? I'm in ky and not sure where u are but it could even be thru emails etc. I wish I would have found this channel a long time ago lol.
I can help you out here, that way everyone else in the same boat can benefit from it.
@@ChadHooverFishing so where does it start or how lol. Just let me know what u get worked out etc. Also I'll be looking into joining someone the stuff on your channel. If need my email let me know thanks
Chad I was so excited to hear that Bonafide was making a pedal drive kayak. I am and still will be it looks like running the Radar 115 pdl. Out of all the kayaks on the market there the only ones that have the ability to run the rudder control on the right side of the boat. I have the hardest time understanding why this boat was made with the rudder control on left ide only. I know good and well that over 80 percent of us use right handed reels. So my question for you to bring up in your next talk is why is this kayak gimping the masses of people. Think about every time I want to make an adjustment with my rudder I have to take the reel out of my left hand put it in my right to use the rudder makes zero since. All kayak company's should be have the same standards as wilderness does on there ruder controls by now. Anyhow that's my rant was really wanting to buy this kayak and support the local company's but they in my mind failed hard in this one area.
You won’t get any argument from me on that point. I said this very thing in my feedback to the company.
The cost of fully rigged good quality fishing kayak vs used flat bottom boat rigged is getting to be very close now days I've noticed. If you add live scope it's even more interesting to compare
The cost doesn’t tell the whole story though, flat bottom boats are harder to paddle, motorize and maneuver and are more limited on where you can get them to get in the water and where you can go when on the water. So, I would love to do this comparison, but we would have also carry that comparison over into performance and all the other reasons why I think the kayak is a superior watercraft in many regards
@@ChadHooverFishing Thanks for that reply on the flat bottom boat. Gees people the concept of kayaking is stealth. Drop a rod or anything in a flat bottom boat with a good fish finder on and watch the fish scatter. 1. Chad I don't know anything about fishing or kayaks but love the idea of being able to control the view of a transponder. Looking forward to seeing more videos on that idea. 2. I also like this video on a well balanced boat. If you want the option of paddle and pedal with making it a easy glide on the water yet still able to power back to launch point then weight and balance is a huge. 3. Each boat or person using it has endless different needs when it comes to picking a kayak , how to rig it or what we fish for. We all do not weigh the same, carry the same amount of equipment or have close to the same budget so thinking outside of the box like this is spot on. 4. When it comes to a kayak weight with power option the weight a lithium battery is far below a lead acid battery . They cost a lot but so does a hernia operation so weight is huge on the water.
I’ll say it a hundred times they need to make a scaled down unit for kayaks !
Those are used on boats weighing hundreds if not thousands of pounds no need for that on a kayak if you just want it for positioning and spot lock hopefully the manufacturers will figure it out
Not sure why a bow mounts are so popular unless you are always fishing big deep lakes and you can't really fish hands free with them as you have to futz with the remote.
I set up both my kayaks with foot steered stern mount motors including my Slayer max 12.5 and it's honestly fantastic for the water I fish i.e. shallow lakes and rivers.
Since I put gear track mounted foot steering on the slayer max i never use the pedal drive anymore, the motor does better in weeds and shallow water.
I think it’s primarily because they are more affordable in many cases, they are easier to setup in many cases, people are already familiar with them from the crossover in bass boats and the GPS holding position is probably the biggest feature that attracts anglers to them, especially for stand up fishing.
@@ChadHooverFishing more affordable compared to a torqeodo, but I used a 89 dollar minn kota and 250 dollar lifepo4 battery way cheaper than a bow mount. Check out my Slayer Max setup and my falcon 11 setup.
yea i mounted a xi3 on my yak , so called designed for it yak won't mention brand , performed great but the bow flex turned into cracking so i'd hope other brands are truly testing this stuff. guess im buying a 127 ss . im out 3 grand on the other. really no fix to it. sad part is was talked into this other yak when i went there to buy the 127 ss was promised it was better set up for it,, 3 months later salesman forgets who i am. no more buying local got burned. chad your info shows commitment thanks , got a pedal drive for sale oh how i want to bash but i won't , let a non informed salesman lie to make a sale. no the hull isnt thicker there its thinner. and cracks easily. see your mount your sale , your fail, and i got ,, i didn't tell you that.. that co . gets bashed by me but is a nice yak buy not designed for what there claiming.
DM me some pics of your other kayak and let’s see if we can come up with a fix, if not, I will also do a warning video so that others don’t end up in the same boat as you.
@@ChadHooverFishing sorry late reply , dad passed etc. i have sold that kayak and xi3 to a friend. we glassed the inside etc. and im am just getting back into yak fishing. . been looking a used ss127 . life has not been cool so its budget right now. back using my sundolphin ss in the creek for now. need a better quality roto molded yak because of my size. soon i will be back fishing , my stratos 201 pro elite hasn't moved in over a yr.
What kind of trailer is that?
Tennessee Trailer
Great reviews and opinions. I have been wanting to upgrade to something else after having my vibe yellowfin for 2 yrs now. So many choices and so many different decisions on what works and what does. Thank you for your honest opinions
Thanks Will. It’s crazy how many options there are now
Why does the color look so off?
Because I didn’t color correct it. I said that in the beginning of the video when I apologized for the quality and stated that this was more about the message than the video appearance or audio.
try a pro angler they are fast and dry!
I have one. They are also really heavy, twice the cost and harder to get into many of the places that I fish. Great platform for sure though
Did bona fide ever claim the nose would hold a motor, I doubt it its a kayak !
That was one of the things that front mount was designed for in theory, but that’s part of my job, to get out there and validate a lot of this stuff. I’ve communicated all of this to Bonafide Leadership as well.
I doubled my Kusion fish USA
All these people going apeshit with issues and crazy mods to motorize a bonafide and hobie when they can simply buy a oldtown auto pilot and be ready to roll. Sad.
I wouldn’t say it’s “sad” but I hear what you are saying and that’s why I’m covering all the bases. That being said, I’m working on the on water review right now and I will tell you the top two reasons that people are going through it the “trouble” to mount the other motors. Mostly it’s because they either already have the other kayak and don’t want to buy a whole new kayak or it’s because they are looking for speed. The biggest drawback to the Minnkota is that it’s slower than a stern mounted motor. For a bow mount, I 100% agree because most of them are around the same speed as the Autopilot, but for more speed the stern mounted motors are just a lot faster. I will cover all of this in my upcoming follow up video.
Stop all that nonsense and just move the xi3 to the back of the boat$ hahaha
That doesn’t work, but thanks for the comment
This video is going to get you fired!
Nah! I can’t get fired….. LOL
Over kill Dude, over kill. What happened to Kayak fishing? I have a torqeedo 403c that's where I stopped. You all are going way too far!!!
Thanks. I think it’s funny when someone decides what someone else should do, but then also expects people to respect what they do. There are plenty that would say the same thing about you and your Torqeedo and then you turn about and do it to others. C’mon man. We are all in this together and we can all decide what works best for us.