Quote:
Originally Posted by walrus
In early September Makobob gave me a chance to try out his the stealth and here's my view.
Conditions: 10-12 mile per hour winds, open sea, normal wind chop for winds.
What I did wrong, but not it's a kayak problem. I didn't adjust the rudder pedals to fit me before I launched.
I'm 66 years old and found carrying the kayak from the house (in Baja) to the water over my head was easier than pulling my Hobie down there with a wheeleez cart. With the exception of when a gust of wind got underneath and it nearly pulled me over sideways. Yep! it's that light.
The Stealth has a small fixed rudder that was far more responsive than the one one my Hobie. It's important to adjust the steering pedals if you using it after someone else or using it for the first time. You simply cannot turn against the rudder using the paddles. Once I got the steering figured out I turned into the wind and took out like a rocket, this really impressed me for as a person who has not done much paddling the last couple of years. I would give this kayak five stars for performance.
The design is a somewhere between a stand up paddle board and a rotomolded plastic kayak. Because of the low profile it's a wetter than a pro angler, which is not a bad thing when your in Baja.
I'm not ready to give up my Hobie's quite yet, but if my knees continue to get worse, It's good to know I have an alternate choice to giving up the sport.
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Did you find it considerably faster than the Hobie?