So, let’s start this off by stating the basics.
- One, I’ve owned better than 10 kayaks over the years, most of which were intended for fishing.
- Two, I’ve owned multiple watercraft ranging from eight feet (a beginner’s kayak) in length to over twenty feet (a classic bass boat).
- Three, there is nothing I enjoy more than spending my time on the water, chasing after any fish I can get my hook into.
These factors being said, I have to say that the Bass Raider has proven to be one of the more impressive small vessel products we have added to our arsenal. — And, no, we are not sponsored by, affiliated with, or receive any incentives from Pelican. — This is strictly AJ and my evaluation of a product we have been extensively investigating.
Pros and Cons — The Big 7
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Price is significantly less than comparable vessels (small boat and kayak alike) | Drainplugs for the hull are difficult to use and not well placed for drainage |
| Size is small enough for easy transport but big enough for comfort | Flooring design is difficult on the feet after several hours of standing |
| Suitable for fresh and saltwater applications | Weight can make moving difficult for some |
| Moveable/swivel seat | No scupper plug |
| Trolling motor or outboard motor ready | Only 2 rod holders |
| Electrical wiring already installed | No means to secure paddle or rods |
| Bow and stern motor mounts | The vessel will drift significantly in wind |
The Specs
The Bass Raider 10e is billed by Pelican as a “fishing boat.” With an overall dimension of 10 feet 2 inches long and 4 feet 2 inches wide, it’s comparable in length to a tandem kayak. Where its differences first present are width and dry weight. Most tandem kayaks are 34 to 36 inches wide while the Raider is 54 inches wide. The Bass Raider weighs 166 pounds rather than the 70-120 pounds of a typical tandem kayak. And while most tandem kayaks or small boats are rated for the 500-550 pound capacity range, the Bass Raider is approved for up to 600 pounds.
The vessels we used for our comparisons were:
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BKC TK181 Angler
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Feelfree Lure II Tandem Overdrive
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Vanhunks Sauger Fishing Kayak
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Jackson Kayak Big Tuna
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Bass Hunter 120 Pontoon Boat
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Sundolphin Sportsman 10
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Twin Troller x10 Deluxe Boat
Why about women?
AJ and I have become rather interested of late with the notion that few women are boat owners, boat enthusiasts, compared to the vast number of vessels sold every year in this country. 320,000 boats were sold in 2020. The boat industry recognizes that women are a majority influence in the decision process behind boat purchases in a household. They also recognize that women are not going to be the the majority user of these household boats, traditionally. That number, however, is rapidly changing.
Women are learning to become more independent. They are beginning to explore more diverse recreational adventures. And women are becoming independent boat owners. That in mind, AJ and I decided to focus on how accommodating, adaptable, and practical our choice could be for female anglers in general.
Based on the Big 7 Pros and Cons we listed above, we found that there were 4 primary issues that make the Bass Raider 10e a practical and reasonable choice for female anglers.
These practical solutions do, however, lead to a few added questions that we will address also.
First is stability.
The Bass Raider 10e is significantly wider than a standard kayak. There are dual hull and tri-hull kayaks (3 Waters Big Fish and Wavewalk are the first two that come to mind for me) which offer comparable stability…comparable.
Let me paint a picture for you.
I was fishing a new lake, on an extremely windy day (18-20 mile per hour gusts). It was the first serious weekend of the bass and crappie spawning season for our area. During a 4 hour span of fishing a rather secluded cove, I had three separate bass boats enter the cove.
They would kill their motors to coast past me, then spend a few minutes casting. Inevitably, each time, the guys would turn around and coast up to about 4 feet from me and gun the engine. In a kayak, the wakes they were producing would have thrown me into the shore if not flipped my boat completely.–An experience I witnessed a few kayakers endure that day.–On the Bass Raider, I had a mild rocking that didn’t even cause me to shuffle my feet as I reeled in a catfish while standing at my bow. (I hazard to guess this was one of the frustrations that led to the less than sportsman like behavior of the men AJ and I encountered.–Or it could be that AJ was pulling in a 4lb bass at the time).
Second is sizing.
The size allows you to move around on the deck with less concern of stepping overboard. There’s less risk of tripping over structural components. Oh, and (for those of you fond of a furry critter joining your adventures) there’s plenty of room to set up a puppy bed without losing movement or flexibility. When you keep to the weight restrictions approved for the Bass Raider 10e (600 pounds max capacity) you will find that there is little to no resistance in traversing waterways as shallow as 3 inches. Regardless if you use a gas motor, trolling motor, or your own muscles you will find that there are means by which to easily move this vessel in these shallow waters or in deeper waterways.
Foot space can make or break a fishing trip
I’ve used a paddle, standing on my Raider, to work my way through 2 ½ to 3 inch deep creeks searching for those hidden jewel fish pockets. This is accessible to kayakers as well, but not to people using typical boats (jon boats, bass boats, and the like). During competitive fishing seasons, this can serve as a massive advantage in multiple ways. While the width makes paddling a bit more involved, the process becomes rather easy and repetitive. AJ and I recently fished a Nature Preserve in which we were frequently making our way through thick patches of lilly pads and growth that made the use of a motor impossible. We were actually shocked at the speed we obtained once we found our groove, standing at the bow, paddling across the fields.
Third is transportation.
Not everyone owns a truck. This has lead to many people feeling their only option is a kayak. The Bass Raider is essentially a crossover-style vessel that functions as a jon boat but acts like a kayak. That being said, your options for transporting a Bass Raider are far more diverse than a true jon boat and not much more demanding than a kayak.
You can transport it on top of your car. Most vehicles have means by which you can install a roof rack that will easily accommodate the weight of a Bass Raider. There are several videos on YouTube that show how to load and offload your Bass Raider this way.
Then there’s the option to load the boat into the bed of your truck. There is a growing trend of using a bed extender to brace boats that extend beyond the end of the truck bed. The more you use the Bass Raider, you’ll discover the extender is not needed. AJ and I are able to load both of our Bass Raiders into the bed of my truck with minimal hangover. A couple simple straps to prevent shifting and we travel 2-3 hours all over North Texas fishing out of our Bass Raiders. These are extremely sturdy vessels, to begin with, and their square structure reduces the risk of pressure points often associated with kayaks.
You also have the option, if you really get into the Bass Raider adventure, of a trailer. The Harbor Freight folding trailer is a very popular option among Bass Raider owners. There are also options for jet ski, flatbed, and boat trailers that can easily be converted to accommodate the Bass Raider 10e.
Forth, and what I find to be most fascinating with this vessel, is its versatility.
Now by versatility, I don’t just mean how you can fish. I’m also referring to the modifications you can make. I’m thinking about the extras you can add to your skeleton vessel. And I’m talking about the ways you can personalize your Bass Raider.
AJ and I fish small creeks, larger rivers, and lakes. We are just as likely to target bass, crappie, and perch as we are to go for carp, gar, and cats. Each target fish calls for different styles of fishing. The Bass Raider allows us to modify our fishing styles and gear with little to no effort. We are notorious for having to find ways to make our adventures uniquely ours. The Bass Raiders are designed in such a way that we have found literally hundreds of ways to modify our adventures.
We are currently filming modifications for the Bass Raider that will allow us to use the boats for bowfishing, boar hunting, and duck hunting. Check out our YouTube channel in the coming weeks for the start of these builds.
To get an idea of the versatility that has already been explored on these Bass Raiders, check out YouTube. A quick search of Bass Raider modifications will show you that there are a few projects that have been done, repeatedly. AJ and I, however, decided to take a slightly different spin on the Bass Raider 10e.
The Outdoors Quest Bass Raider 10e plan, as it stands right now:
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Paint Job
Tan and dark green is just too common for either of us.
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Lights
Not only are navigation lights mandatory for vessels on the water at night, our fishing and hunting adventures often require some lighting assistance.
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Rod/Storage Lockers
While the shelf on each side of the Bass Raider has its advantages when laying out our rods, there are times when we want to be especially certain that the items traveling with us are not going anywhere. There is likely to be some tweeking to this project so we can replace the cup holders and tool bins that will be lost with the locker setup.
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Transom Reinforcement
The Bass Raider’s specs (website and boat label) state that it is rated for a 3.5hp motor. We have experimented with a 55lb thrust trolling motor at the bow and aft mounting plates. The torque we have seen on the boat just from the trolling motors, we have decided to reinforce the rear plate before adding the outboard motor. And, since we’re at it, we’ve decided to incorporate some storage in the design to better secure the battery.
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Bowfishing/Casting Deck
Nothing big. Not going to be elaborate. Just a little platform to keep us level while hunting those night time carp and gar.
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Rod Holders
The Bass Raider comes with two “rod holders” at the bow. This is an admirable start, but we want a bit more versatility than that. We want the capability to troll from time to time. I, especially, want a place to put my rod while dehooking my catch without having to take one of my other poles down to accomplish this. Our solution will be rod holders in strategic places around the boat. Two possible combinations are already in planning.
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Flooring
While the Bass Raider is exceptionally easy to stand on, and very forgiving to walk across, the grooved flooring takes its toll on high mileage feet. AJ and I have decided to opt for a more smooth flooring that matches the flooring we’ve used on our kayaks. It reduces noise, prevents unexpected sliding of equipment, and is much more forgiving to our feet.
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Scupper Plugs
Every time we have taken our Bass Raiders out on the water we have ended up with water inside the boat. Now we’re not talking excessive amounts. We’re not concerned about flooding or sinking the vessel. What we are concerned about is the convenience of draining that water should it become too much or before moving the vessel by hand.
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Anchor System
AJ and I are in the design mode for a two-point anchor system. A crank system for the anchor on one end of the Bass Raider and a power pole anchor on the other end. We’ll let you know how the design comes out and if we put it into practice.
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Seats
The plastic seats that came with the boat were okay, but definitely not rear-end friendly when put to use for hours on end. We have already opted to switch out our seats for high back bass boat seats and we have been exceptionally satisfied with the decision.
Putting all this together, what you have is…One Major Outdoors Quest!
Women of the outdoors are capable of doing hundreds of things that they have not, traditionally, allowed themselves to accomplish. Many of the women we come across on social media these days express concern and trepidation of the use or ownership of a boat. Even a kayak can be intimidating for some of these women that are new to the outdoors adventures. Should you choose to go the route of a kayak, check out our article on getting into kayak fishing. But, if you want to step up your game to a whole new world of adventures and challenges, give the Bass Raider 10e (or one of its comparable vessels) a consideration. You just might be surprised by how much fun and independence you’ll discover.
