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Originally Posted by BigAppa
any chance of getting a review from your friend about the fusion? specifically 1) speed 2) How well the livewell works 3) comfort 4) how well it handles in the surf if he's had a chance to beach launch. thanks!
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Hey! Mike here. I love my Stealth, it's almost like it's rekindled my love for kayak fishing.
To answer your questions (I've only taken it out once but I made a point to test it out on a few things):
1) Speed- in the Newport harbor channel going
against the tide/current, I hit 6.2mph with some effort. Granted, the tidal swing on Saturday was huge and I could tell it was pushing me back. As soon as I got on open water, a casual paddle was about 4mph. The wind at some points picked up to what seemed like 20kts, and my kayak didn't seem to notice.
2) The livewell was a huge surprise! I was skeptical on its refill system, but it has a huge capacity that refills completely every time you move and stop. When you aren't paddling, it is about 70% full with room for maybe 15 mackerel (really depends on how much load you have on your kayak as the sitting level of water matches the waterline). Now if you're moving all day, say trolling, I could see 20-30 mackerel in the tank. One way I could really tell the refill was working was that I used it to bleed out my first Cabezon. I got a nice 18"er and cut its gills, and for a minute the live well was blood red, and I paddled maybe 50 yards and looked down and saw no sign of blood in the tank.
3) Comfort- I think it's very well designed in regards to comfort, however there is no back support. If you have core issues or a history of LBP then consider a seat. The recumbent position is fantastic however, and it definitely does take a lot of pressure off the lower back even if there is no support. I also feel comfortable being so low and stable to the water. Less effort paddling, less constant core adjustments to counteract swell and chop like you would if you were sitting higher off the water.
4) No surf launch yet (does Newport harbor count? lol) so I can't speak on this. I can't wait to take it to LJ or Central/NorCal within the next few months! However, based on my experience with the 3-4' swell at 8 seconds on Saturday, this thing punches through waves like nothing I've ever seen. I don't think I'll have a problem in the surf. Especially since they were designed to excel in that environment.
Let me know what other questions you have over BWE or Instagram (@nomad.fish). I will gain insight as I take it out more often. There's an orange once in Anaheim if you're interested in picking up the last one in SoCal (for a few months at least).
Mike