YARD SALE!!

[FISH11]

Congrats Superduper. Hard work getting out on those high surf days, the wind though is the real killer because of all the white caps between large swells once you are out there. Smart to come in before the wind picks up and makes it really dangerous. Nice fish.

[Murray]

Super attitude Stevie. I have to pick my days from now on because of core injury. Guess picking a more mellow day or doing the practice thing is the way to go. Had a good laugh when you mentioned your "walk of shame". I am sure you will have lots of success in everything you do with the attitude you have. Always good to not take ourselves too seriously. Good on ya mate.

[King Saba]

Originally Posted by stevie951

Thanks for the kind words brotha,, This is actually my 5th Surf Launch, every time from LJ, about 10th or so time on the Kayak... But yeah, mistake #2, not timing it well enough and just jumping the gun...

As to a Pump, yeah I have the hand Pump, stayed nice and clipped to my Bow... Problem was the first time I was fine, second time around, the Yak was underwater so long and I was so out of breath, I could not flip her over in the surf for the life of me.. Took me at least 30-45 seconds... Looking over it and noting the battery wire issue, not even sure if a Auto Bilge pump would have worked? Although people have suggested here in the past that you stuff your area where your battery case is with blanket like material to avoid this issue.. Learning curve, doh!

I fell the issue is my my size though as well no? How large are you? The 14' being so big already, I'm 6'1 245lb on a good day so this does not help whatsoever... Gotta get to the GYM

And as to your Paddle comment, I sure hope so because that was another issue of mine. I have a hand me down, the cheapest paddle that Crack of Dawn offers, just a lug! Being out of shape, i was huffing and puffing trying to gain power by dragging that thing through the water.

Man sounds horrible. I never fiddled with the auto bilge pump with my stealth. A hand pump was good enough.

Lol you have more surf launching experience than me. It's a skill in my eye.

I'm 5' 10", 178lbs. I have a stealth 12 that I used to huff and puff with when the winds and swells picked up. It's a beast weighing in at 73lbs, not 55 as Malibu states, with all the hatches and no add ons. Super stable yak for sure, but damn hard to paddle since it doesn't carry a cadence. This is where a lighter paddle helped me since I was almost always cranking out strokes to move along steadily. Really suggest getting a lighter paddle. I went from a POS Carlisle paddle (41.5oz) to a super sleek and light Werner Camano (27oz). With that simple upgrade my fatigue went down dramatically where paddling for 6-8hours was very doable.

[PapaJ]

Hey bro I'm pretty new to the sport but, I was watching you from the south side of the parking lot and was watching you do everything right but saw you moving no where when you were paddling up a storm but no acceleration! I saw that group of 3-4 kayakers go out to the south of you with less stokes but with a lot of acceleration. It has to be your paddle. Many props to you I just sat in the car and watched then went home!

[Socalkayak]

I have the stealth 14 as well. I've had several yaks and like the stealth but it has to be the worst yak for paddling through surf. I say through because unlike others it doesn't go over waves or white wash for shit it goes through them so your face takes the brunt of the wave. And water doesn't drain off deck fast enough. And let's not get into the hatches. Again great fishing yak but not made to go through surf at all and unfortunately I only surf launch at countyline. Surfed my whole life so my timing is good but one small white wash and you are now paddling a bathtub. My stealth has sunk in the surf as well no pump would have helped. Sank to the bottom. I clipped on a rope and slowly worked it in with the wave. Piece of crap. My solution now 2 yaks. Calm day stealth 14. Chest high or over the trusted old style prowler with limited hatches. Always the trade off.

[stevie951]

Originally Posted by Socalkayak

I have the stealth 14 as well. I've had several yaks and like the stealth but it has to be the worst yak for paddling through surf. I say through because unlike others it doesn't go over waves or white wash for shit it goes through them so your face takes the brunt of the wave. And water doesn't drain off deck fast enough. And let's not get into the hatches. Again great fishing yak but not made to go through surf at all and unfortunately I only surf launch at countyline. Surfed my whole life so my timing is good but one small white wash and you are now paddling a bathtub. My stealth has sunk in the surf as well no pump would have helped. Sank to the bottom. I clipped on a rope and slowly worked it in with the wave. Piece of crap. My solution now 2 yaks. Calm day stealth 14. Chest high or over the trusted old style prowler with limited hatches. Always the trade off.

BRAVE MAN, surf launching and Stealth 14 at County!? Haha but I feel you, as many times as I have heard just power through and you will plop over; nope, the opposite like you said as with the 14' I feel every time, I just crash right through that shit, no upward propulsion. It has been a wet launch every surf launch for me no matter how well I time the Lulls... And when Loading her up on the car, when I flip her over, on a good day (Bay/Harbor Launch) only about A Gallon or so of water pours out of the hull; but on several occasions when Loading her Up, I have flipped her over and 5+ Gallons of water just faucets right out the Hull scupper(Of course the Scupper Plug was not taken out till days end)... Leakiest hatches ever.. And lets not talk about the Seat area/ Seat Scuppers But yeah man, once out on the open water, even like today with the 5-6 foot swells I was chillen Indian Style fishing so it has it's perks; I heard it referred to as "The Barge" one time and that in my honest opinion is the best assessment... Like you said, I am def. learning that she is not the best for surf launching in rough conditions, glad I was not the only one who felt so lol