Nathan Skinner's Fishing Kayak Walkthrough
Thank you to Fletch Griffin and Mike Manivanh over at Westbrook Supply Co. in Atlanta, GA for hosting Nathan Skinner and filming a tour of his Bonafide SS127 fishing kayak.
About Westbrook Supply Co.
Located in Atlanta, Georgia, Westbrook Supply Co is a fishing and paddle shop dedicated to providing quality equipment and supplies to ensure you have the best kayak and fishing experience. Their mission is to provide the highest level of products and services while sharing our passion for all things kayaking and fishing. If you’re in the market for a new fishing kayak, accessories, or rigging, check them out on their Facebook page, website, in store, or give them a call at (470)-588-1406.
Nathan’s Bonafide SS127 Fishing Kayak
Designed for maximum stability without sacrificing paddling performance and angler-friendly features where you need them, you really have to paddle this craft to fully appreciate it. The Bonafide SS127 “sit/stand” fishing kayak is carefully designed for - as Bonafide puts it - “Ultimate Fishability.” The kayak features a catamaran style hull, removable DryPod for rigging a fish finder and electronics, HiRise seating system, junk drawer, and more.
Key Specs:
- Length: 12’ 7”
- Width: 33.5”
- Deck Height: 15.5”
- Capacity: 475 lbs.
- Weight: 94 lbs.
- Price: $1799 USD
Rigging
Nathan rigged his SS127 with modularity and flexibility in mind. While mainly fishing electric only reservoirs and big lakes, Nate likes to drop in to the Etowah and Chattahoochee every now and then as well. His rigging had to be flexible to adapt to the different types of water. From bow to stern, Nathan’s kit is the following:
Power
Nathan powers his kayak with the Motorguide Xi3 kayak edition trolling motor. It’s a 12v 55lb remote controlled motor with PinPoint GPS. The motor is mounted on a One Objective motor mount, and uses the Motorguide quick release bracket for easy on-off and storage. He now uses a Dakota Lithium 12v 60ah lithium cranking battery protected by a marine 60amp inline fuse to run his Motorguide. Marinco 70 amp marine plugs and upgraded 6 awg marine wire make the connections.
Electronics
The electronics on Nathan’s kayak are controlled by the Yak Power wireless switching system. It offers 5 different channels to control lights and devices on the kayak. The navigation lights on the bow have been upgraded to Oznium inset USCG approved lights. The cockpit and sternwell use Yak Power blue LED lights. A couple of auxiliary plugs are found throughout the boat for powering or charging devices.
His graph is a Lowrance HDS Live 7 with sidescan, down imaging, sonar, ActiveTarget, and GPS capabilities. The graph is mounted and contained on the Bonafide’s DryPod for easy removal for travel and security and mounted with a YakAttack LockNLoad mount. A Lowrance Point1 GPS Puck is also installed, and integrated with the graph and motor via a simple NMEA network.
When a graph isn't needed, Nathan drops in a spare DryPod for river and pond fishing.
Stern Storage
The YakAttack 16x13” BlackPack Pro is the main storage container in the tankwell. It has 6 TetherTube rod holders mounted to the outside. It can contain up to five 3700 tackle boxes. Two YakAttack Omega Pro rod holders are mounted on the built-in tankwell tracks for additional fishing rod capacity.
Steering and Anchoring
On the stern side of the kayak, Nathan set up the Bonafide rudder system for hands free steering while keeping the Motorguide pointed dead ahead. A Power Pole Micro Anchor is also mounted to the stern for steady shallow water anchoring. A YakAttack HD Anchor Trolly is also mounted port side and used in tandem with an Anchor Wizard for additional anchoring options, and for when the motor is not mounted on the bow.
Wrap Up
The kayak fishing world has come a long way in the past few years, with kayaks decked out like Nathan’s becoming more the norm in the fishing world. If you’re interested in a list of components, parts, and tools Nathan used when rigging his kayak, connect with him on Facebook or Instagram. If you want any advice on kayak fishing, I'm sure our kayaking friends Paul Coenen and Nathan Skinner would be glad to help. If you need any gear for rigging, or need fishing supplies, stop by the Fish North Georgia shop in Marble Hill, GA. We carry a full range of YakAttack products for your kayak, as well as rods, reels, tackle, and lures for your next trip.
If you’d like to share your kayak setup, let us know! We’d love to feature it on our blog in future kayak through posts.