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.