My old fishing buddy in south Florida responded yesterday to a pm I'd sent him in July of 2019. I'd invited him to join me while I was down in his neighborhood, to fish Flamingo, Everglades National Park. Never got a reply until yesterday. Yes, he is an old. I even offered in the invitation, to load his kayak for him, if he couldn't lift it himself. I'd lost his number years ago and couldn't remember exactly where his compound was, but it was within a couple of miles of the motel I stay at when down that way fishing. He was the first guy I ever met on the water at Flamingo and I came to find out he knew about as much about the Everglades as anyone in the world.

To make a long story short, he tells me he has just put his kayak up for sale and says I can have it super cheap. I tell him sold, without knowing what condition its in or the price. I'd paddled it 17 years ago and really liked it, but it wasn't my style. It was made of fiberglass and you had to baby it around the oyster bars and at the boat ramp. I used to drag my kayak across the asphalt, from my car to the ramp and when coming back in I'd always paddle mine as fast as I could so that it would come up the ramp as far as possible and I wouldn't have to get my shoes wet. Plus I liked rubbing it in that I had a kayak that could take abuse.

Anyway, I told him I could send him the money but couldn't pick it up until this fall, when I go back down there to fish. No problem. He then explains its not the same one I paddled before. He had replaced it twice since then and the one I would be getting was special made for him by the owner of Kaskazi, in thanks for so many referrals he had given. He was the biggest Kaskazi ho the world ever saw. So I'm gettting the special build Kaskazi Dorado II in carbon fiber and glass. I bet he hasn't been in the thing 10 times. He sent me the pictures below of it being built in South Africa and the last picture of it in his koi pond.








This is the Allison of fishing kayaks.

It does look very similar to the stealth. Carbon fiber???? Niiiiiiiiiice. Congrats dude.

Nice kayak! Looks a lot like most of the offshore kayaks in SA. Slim, fast with a ton of center hatch storage.

Looking closer, i love the behind the seat storage. That would be helpfull keeping my drinks out of fish slime and bait yukness.

Congrats Iconn.

That is a very good looking kayak! She looks fast and smooth.

After seeing those pics, I bet that you don't wait until fall... lol!

Here is a link to discussions about it and the Stealth kayak PF475 speed comparisons. Seems like the same Chevy and Ford debates.

http://www.kfdu.com.au/forum/viewto...3090a9676247ff232c52f545aec&start=15

KM/hour to MPH conversion:

https://www.unitconverters.net/speed/kph-to-mph.htm

I used to make fun of everyone that paddled that kayak. Went on a camping/fishing trip with another friend that had one and he couldn't store much in the front hatch because the round hatch was so small. I ended up having to haul most of his stuff in my Illusion with the mega hatches. Then he had rudder problems and ended up going back two days early because he couldn't handle it without a rudder. That's why I like my kayak... can haul a big load below deck, not so long that I need a rudder, and nothing mechanical to break down. I'll have to use my trailer for this one for fear of dropping it on the pavement. Even with carbon fiber being used, at 16 feet and 24.75 beam, it weighs around 59 lbs. The Dorado II designation was the later version of the original Dorado and has a wider interior cockpit. The original was too tight a fit for me and I'm a skinny guy.

Here is a picture of my bud, Dr Hammer... I think I took that picture. He is especially proud of his association with Naked and Afraid.

http://www.rogerlhammer.com/bio.html

Cool story
I’d hang it on a wall for a conversation piece. Or fish it in his memory.

Congrats. Beautiful boat.

Sick!!

First Sit on top I ever paddled was a Tarpon 160 and the second was a Dorado both in Florida. Still have a huge sweet spot in my heart for both. I have been peddling Hobies for a very long time, but my PT for my shoulders has me doing exercises that are identicle to a paddle stroke. I will be looking for a 160 as I don't think I could find a dorado.

REALLY great friend and deal ! congrats.

Thanks.... what's funny is I probably know whoever had the Kazkazi you paddled in Florida. There was an old kayak fishing website called KayakFishingStuff that had a Kazkazi Forum and it seemed every guy that got one posted on it from all over the U.S.

Probably so. I had contacted the manufacturer about getting the US distributorship but he said he was in works with someone already and the first container was on its way. Turned out I was headed to Fla. just after that. Really fast yak and really well built.

Yep, that would have been Bruce Gipson. The first Dorado's came in around 2003.
http://venturesport.com/about-us/

It looks sweet. I love the 59 lbs part. I hope we can one day have an affordable material, that's super light and has the strength of HDPE.

That should be in some different boat or kayak category all to itself, never seen one like that.
Another cool story too.

Thanks.. I took vacation time this past week to make a run over to Miami to fish a few days and pick it up. My bud tells me that south Florida is locked down tight.. No one allowed to go to beach, no launching from any of the ramps inside Everglades National Park, or even go into the Keys unless you can prove you live there. Decided I would go later on this fall if its opened.

Well I got it home, finally. Its been on top of my car for 10 days... I was too tired to get it down when I got home, fished a couple of days ago at Palestine and just took it down to wash all the love bugs off of it Friday. It was nasty.















I went over everything today... its like new condition.. I put more marks on it in one day than he put on it in 4 years. He only used it off the beach so hull looked spotless until I used it on concrete ramp.

My surf to summit seat fit perfectly and with air seat pad, was extremely comfortable. This kayak was made for offshore use and being able to put rods in hull from seated position allows you to keep gear dry while paddling through surf zone. That chute where rods are can also be used to store up to 100 lbs of fish... Luckily he never put any in there as it was clean as a whistle. The kayak has two bulkheads. Any puncture of the hull will not cause kayak to sink. At 16' and 24.75" beam, the stability comes from sitting below the water line. Now to decide how I'll mount fishfinder and more flush mount rod holders. Don't have any idea on how drilling or cutting into fiberglass/carbon will be.

That really is a slick ride. I had to get a much shorter paddle when i got my stealth. Normally im in a viking 440, i use a high angle 230 cm paddle. In the stealth i got a high angle 210 cm paddle. I wonder if you will have to do the same. Im intrested in the seat you described. I currently dont use a seat in the stealth. As far as drilling fiberglass, put painters tape on the cut area. At work we have cut slightly smaller holes and used an electric die grinder to fit. Im not a fiberglass person, a metal fabricator so a couple times we have mounted to fiberglass. Enjoy the boat dude. Its super sexy. Mabey you and me need to hit a nice salty beach.

That, sir, is one nice boat!

A 210 cm paddle would have been better. I have one but I didn't bring it on this trip. I've used a lot of my vacation time but would definitely be in for hitting the Texas coast later on late summer/early fall. Haven't fished for kingfish in many years and miss those 100 yard runs.

That's a slick boat!

On rod holders what I see a lot of Stealth guys do is install flush mount rod holders using a hole saw. As Christian mentioned tape over the cut or drill areas will help reduce chipping around the cut or drill area

Wear eye protection, a mask, gloves and a long sleeve shirt when cutting fiberglass or Kevlar. You don’t want that dust or splinters in your eyes or lungs.

Unless you intend to use them for trolling you might want to consider flush mount bases from Scotty or Railblaza. Just add the appropriate rod holders, with extensions if desired, when you hit the water. I much prefer them to the flush rod holders. Cleaner installation and you can switch holders as needed. I sometimes have to switch the fly rod holders to conventional holders when friends use my kayaks. The flush rod holders are nice for mounting a rocket launcher.

Congrats, man. That’s an awesome boat.

I'll probably not do anything for a while until I see exactly where I want stuff mounted. I'm not familiar with a lot of the latest fish mounts and do want to check out some of those you guys mentioned.

Took kayak out to Naconiche last Sunday and brought the fishfinder. Before I started fishing, I made three short speed runs with kayak empty of everything but me and fishfinder. I am not as fast as I used to be but did hit 6.25 briefly on first run. Every run afterward got slower, even with the 210 ONO. What was encouraging was the much faster cruising speed... I think I could paddle all day at 4 to 4.25 mph.

I just got an old kaskazi Marlin. Unfortunately it was not maintained so am working on bringing back it it’s original condition. Have taken it out a few times and the ride is unbelievable.
It seems as if the way I rigged the up-down rudder lines is incorrect. Would appreciate if you would post more picture so I can see how your lines are set up.

That Marlin is another great paddling kayak. Not sure these pics of rudder rigging will help much as it was dark outside but will try to get better pics during daylight hours this weekend if you need more. You do have to make sure that the rudder is square before trying to pull it up or let it down.. and then it is still hard. The black balls in the third picture are for grabbing and would be impossible to lower or raise rudder without in my opinion.


I pulled some slack so you could better see but cord doesn't go behind that screw... just looks like it in picture.




Just noticed I cropped the second grab ball out of picture completely but one for raising, one for lowering rudder.




Good article on the Marlin.
http://www.anglersafloat.com/Marlin-Review.html

Appreciate the pictures but still not sure how it’s set up. I set it up so that the tension (bungee) is only on the down line.
My up line has no tension, Is that how you have set up ?

Took the Marlin to Pennenkamp yesterday in order to get to know it better. It behaved great, paddled 5 miles against the tide and fairly good winds, The wind barely had any effect. Tested it against large wakes and felt completely safe.
Going to Flamingo this Wednesday.

I have no idea? Never owned a kayak with a rudder until now. Maybe the pics below will help.. there are 4 bungee tag ends attached to rudder.. the two white ones are for directional control of rudder and are inserted into the two outside holes in rudder plate. The two inside holes, one above and one below are where the bungees for lifting or lowering the rudder. Didn't see any name on rudder plate so they must be making them themselves.


pic above is bungee attached to pad eye near mid grab handle and used to adjust tension


looking further back toward stern, the two balls for lifting and lowering rudder.



looking back at stern where bungee enters face plate of rudder.. the two inside holes (lower left) and (upper right) are for lifting and lowering rudder. The two outside holes for directional control of rudder.

The lower left hole will exit in bottom of rudder plate, wrap around sheave and then go through top hole in rudder when rudder is all the way out of water and laid over]] The lower right hole will come out in top of plate and immediately be attached to lower hole in rudder. A simple knot to keep bungee from pulling out hole. Both tag ends are knotted on same side of rudder. Everything changes if the rudder is down as far as which hole tag ends go in on rudder..


when you insert bungee into lower right hole, it comes out on top behind screw in pic above [when rudder is all the way out and laid over]

hope this helped and that you have the same rudder. If I had one more hand it would have been much easier to show as the black bungee agains black background made it difficult to see everything.

I do have the same rudder.
Are you sure that’s a bungee in the picture above going into the lower hole ?
Can see the benefit of having a chafing guard to protect the dyneema cord as it enters the rudder but how would bungee be a benefit.

I didn't know if you knew what kind of chord was being used and you mentioned bungee so I called everything the same not wanting to confuse you if you didn't know the difference. Thought which holes it goes in, where it comes out, and which side of rudder the chord is attached was more important. So is that exactly the same way yours is rigged and if so what problem were you having?

Hope you'll post pics of your trip to Flamingo... my favorite place to fish in the world. Started out kayak fishing there 17 years ago when I lived in Florida and make it over that way twice a year now, since moving back to Texas. Will be back there later this fall or early winter if its still open and folks from Texas are allowed to enter Florida.

Let me know when you get down here, hopefully we can do a flamingo trip.
Wednesday I am taking a friend with advance Parkinson’s so don’t expect to paddle over a mile from the marina.
Will post if we have some good pictures.

Appreciate the help.