Introducing the Jackson Kayak Flex Drive Mark IV, the latest innovation in kayak propulsion. This system offers a shallow water auto-retracting lower unit, a 3-position dagger board to accommodate a variety of depths, and a sealed above-water pedal system with intuitive forward and reverse operation. Plus, it's faster, smoother, quieter, and more durable than ever before. Basically, it's everything you loved about the previous Flex Drive models...on steroids.

Now you can get even closer to the action with the Jackson Kayak Flex Drive Mark IV. Whether you're fishing in tight spots or exploring new waterways, this drive system gives you the power to go where you want to go. So don't wait any longer, order your Flex Drive Mark IV today! This is all wrapped up with Jackson Kayak’s industry leading warranty and customer service.

Faster

The power to get you there. And back – quickly.

This unit is powered by a 3:1 pedal drive input that provides plenty of speed and torque. And thanks to its 4:1 spiral bevel gear pair, it's even faster than ever before.

Smoother & Quieter

Because stealth matters.

Jackson Kayak has upgraded the bearings, increased the diameter on the flex drive cable and reversed the rotation of the drive all in an effort to make sure what is under the water is whisper quiet. On the upper, we completely revamped the drive, and with the new belt driven system it’s quieter and smoother than all past versions of the FD.

More Durable

The Mark IV can handle anything you throw at it.

Jackson Kayak wanted to figure out the best way to make our pedal system even more durable. So, what did they do? They looked to an industry that has been testing pedal technology, in all kinds of conditions, for well over a century – the bicycle. Jackson Kayak started with ‘off the shelf’ bicycle parts and then put them in a closed, maintenance-free housing in a sealed oil bath. They then moved over to a serpentine belt system so that the entire system is stronger overall, and far more forgiving.

Just to make sure this system is as good as we think it is, Jackson Kayak subjected it to hundreds of hours of freshwater and saltwater testing. Every box has been checked and double-checked. This gives Jackson Kayak the confidence to offer a 2-year manufacturer warranty on the Mark IV, just like our previous Flex Drives.

Upper Unit

The upper unit has been completely redesigned. It now features a serpentine belt-driven system and uses ‘off the shelf’ bike parts that have been in use for decades. By moving this direction, we were able to increase speed and durability, all while using parts that have been industry-tested to perform in the worst conditions possible.

The new Mark IV Drive is maintenance-free and ready to use immediately. The sealed oil bath surrounding the internal gearing on the drive eliminates the need for maintenance, and because the crank arms are factory-installed to the proper torque rating, you’re ready to start pedaling!

The Flex Drive Mark IV gear ratio is a 1:12 system, and the propeller has been fine-tuned specifically for this system. The upper unit is still a sealed system, which means no gears or moving parts are below the waterline.

The Mark IV unit is not backward-compatible with older lower units, but you can replace 2021 and previous year FD models with this whole upper and lower unit to work on the older FD models. The upper and lower units work in tandem. The updates to the lower include a larger diameter, reversed shaft and prop specific to the Mark IV system.

Lower Unit

In the Flex Drive 3D, we tightened the tolerances on the lower unit’s flexible shaft. This resulted in reduced vibration, and a dramatic reduction in noise on the water. We have continued the Flex Drive evolution with the Mark IV, adding a thicker, more durable drive shaft and reversing the rotation of the prop to work with the newly designed upper unit.

Since the lower unit is not a sealed system, the water is able to drain easily.

You can view the user manual here: https://hub.jacksonkayak.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/334_Belt-Drive-Manual-BV8.pdf