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Topic: Stealth Pro Fisha 525 First Impressions Review-Update on evolution  (Read 13246 times)

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wizz

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Stealth Pro Fisha 525 First Impressions


I received my Stealth Pro Fisha 525 to kick off 2014, and after getting a few miles under the belt I thought I would give a first impressions review.

After paddling an x-factor for the last 6 years, I wanted something a little faster, lighter and easier to paddle. The x is a very good fish and dive platform, but it is big, slow and tiring to paddle. And at the end of the day truck topping "the barge" (as Ive come to lovingly refer to it) is a chore. So, I searched for a while and finally settled on the Pro Fisha as it looked liked a high performance boat with a good compromise of speed and stability. Moving from plastic to fiberglass was also high on my list of priorities as I had experience from surf kayaking of how much faster glass can be. My expectations were pretty high, and I can say the Pro Fisha delivers.

First, the nuts and bolts. The 525 is 17.2 ft long, 24 inches wide, and weighs in at 54 lbs although it feels much lighter. (The x-factor tipped the scales at 78lbs) It has a generous fish hatch with enough room for multiple rods, fish and gear, as well as a nice sized dry hatch behind the seat, which gives the ability to carry more gear than would appear at first glance. Foam stringers in the bow and stern along with seperating the fish hatch from the main hull provides good bouyancy. Theres also 4 flush mount rod holders behind the seat.

The Pro fisha promotes an uncluttered deck because there simply isn't that much of it. This is a good thing in my opinion. Theres plenty of space for gear below deck, more than I would need, and I tend to travel light. There is room for a fish finder and some forward mount rod holders as well. I haven't had a chance to really test out the fishing aspect of the kayak yet, but I did manage to cast a few flies and it is a nice stable platform. The fish hatch/rod storage and deck are well laid out and should function well, but  only time will tell.

The footwells are pretty narrow, so those that wear Boggs or other boots will have to get used to wearing slimmer neoprene socks or booties. The seat is very comfortable but I'm not a huge fan of the fabric loop attachments. The seat also holds water, but after sitting in it for a while it actually ends up feeling like warm insulation. I am 6'2 and the rudder peddles are not maxed out, so a tall guy can fit in this boat. The rudder works excellent. It is fixed in the hull about a foot in from the stern which makes it very responsive. I am not too concerned about hitting rocks as the only time I have run into rocks in the x-factor was in the river and it left a nice hole in a scupper.

What this kayak is really about is performance. This boat is light, sleek and fast. The fiberglass construction makes it effortless to paddle and allows it to glide on the the water. This is by far the best feature in my opinion. It takes a small amount of energy to get to a good cruising speed and very little to stay there. It really makes it a pleasure to paddle.
And if you stop for a moment, the kayak doesn't come to a halt, it continues to glide and loses speed very slowly, which in turn requires even less effort to return to a comfortable cruising speed.

And speeking of speed, this kayak has it in spades. Over three outings and 20 miles I have consistently averaged between 4.7 and 5 mph with a max of 6.3 for a half mile, and one of those outings was 10 miles! For reference I took the x-factor out and over 2.2 miles averaged 3.2 mph  with a similar pace and a max of 5 for a quarter mile. The biggest difference was the feeling of pushing the plastic through the water as opposed to the fiberglass gliding. This is really the biggest advantage of the Pro Fisha- the amount of energy needed to carry a much faster speed for miles is significantly less. The farthest I've paddled the x-factor was 8 miles and I could barely lift the boat on the truck afterwards. Whereas 2 laps around Big Lagoon (10 miles) in the Pro Fisha and lifting what feels like a big surfboard is not a problem. The above speeds were at what I would call a comfortable workout pace, so a very mellow pace with minimal effort still yields over 4 miles an hour, so all day paddling covering some serious water is very much a reality with this boat.

Overall the kayak tracks well, and has less hull slap in the chop than I was expecting with such a long boat with not much rocker. Even with a little slap the energy loss is minimal with the long water line and fiberglass hull.

So, does this performance come at the cost of stability? I suppose that depends on your experience and comfort level. I think anyone with a sea/whitwater background wiil find it has good initial and very good secondary stability for such a narrow beam. I took the boat in 5 foot swells to the front side of Pilot rock in order to get some good chop and mixed swell and found the Pro Fisha comfortably stable, especially when danglin. The seat is low, and with most of the gear stored below deck, the center of gravity is low and the seat cockpit really locks you in. This is a big plus for me as, coming from a whitewater/surf kayak  background, being able to control the boat with my hips is essential to my comfort level. If your only reference for kayaking is a big stable sit on top this boat will feel a little tippy. However, after a few outings and armed with good paddling technique and the knowledge that the kayak will move under you but won't tip over because of good secondary stability, I think any experienced paddler would be comfortable in the Pro Fisha.
Hopefully the ocean will sit down enough at some point so I can get out in the surf.

This review is obviously focusing on the paddling aspect of the Pro Fisha, but for me enjoying the paddling aspect of kayak fishing is crucial to the enjoyment of our sport, and the Pro Fisha is a true joy to paddle. There is very little to not like about this boat (maybe a little wider footwells, hard mounts for seat straps), but all those wash away once your gliding across the water. This is the kind of kayak you look at and with its lightweight, easy-loading, speedy characteristics that makes you want to load up and get out there.

The ocean fishing season can't get hear soon enough. Covering miles chasing Salmon and Pacific Halubut are very much in reach with the Stealth Pro Fisha.

See ya on the water. 

edit- I have the oppurtunity to paddle an evolution for 3 days upcoming, so I will update with some impressions of the evolution for comparison afterwards, and by the end of summer should be able to give a more fishing oriented review.

















« Last Edit: February 23, 2014, 02:37:40 PM by wizz »
"The howling tide of unreason beats against pure fact with incredible fury"-Terrence Mckenna


novofish

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No pics, didn't happen :smt003

JK - I drool over boats like that, if only the budget would allow...

NICE boat!!!!!
« Last Edit: January 27, 2014, 08:54:16 AM by novofish »
AOTY 2011 - 9th
AOTY 2012 - 16th
AOTY 2013 - 6th
FAOTY 2014 - 4th
AOTY 2015 - 5th
AOTY 2016 - 56th
AOTY 2017 - 37th


wizz

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I have a lot more detailed pics, but I think they are in raw so Im unable to post them. Ill update with more pics when I can remedy this.
"The howling tide of unreason beats against pure fact with incredible fury"-Terrence Mckenna


LoletaEric

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Good looking boat and a great review.  Thanks for that, Matt.   :smt001

Since I like 15 mile X-Factor days I look forward to maybe doing a couple miles in your hotrod - should only take about 20 minutes.   :smt003
I am a licensed guide.  DFW Guide ID:  1000124.   Let's do a trip together.

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Being an honorable sportsman is way more important than what you catch.


wizz

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Good looking boat and a great review.  Thanks for that, Matt.   :smt001

Since I like 15 mile X-Factor days I look forward to maybe doing a couple miles in your hotrod - should only take about 20 minutes.   :smt003

I was thinking of you paddling this boat the other day. The kind of miles you put on the x amazes me, maybe now i can hang.  :smt003
"The howling tide of unreason beats against pure fact with incredible fury"-Terrence Mckenna


tallpaul

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Thanks for the information.

I'm curious about details of getting one. Who is dealing, and what (approximately) do they cost?

Good looking boats
Always willing to join others in the Monterey/Santa Cruz/Half Moon Bay area for a bit of fishing...feel free to contact me.


ravensblack

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Great write up. I really want to paddle one of these. I don't really care for the wet ass aspect though. The tempest pants would make it more tolerable though for sure. The glass boards I fished and dove on way back were a wet seat ride and with just the wetsuit after about 6 hours the bum really needed a scratch if you know what I mean. The Scupper pro is 26 wide and I thought that to be a pretty stable craft for me. Hip checks in that light of a boat would be quick too I would assume. I wish you were closer Wizz. I think Dan at Adventure sports has a container coming at some point in time.
"I always entertain great hope" Robert Frost


wizz

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Great write up. I really want to paddle one of these. I don't really care for the wet ass aspect though. The tempest pants would make it more tolerable though for sure. The glass boards I fished and dove on way back were a wet seat ride and with just the wetsuit after about 6 hours the bum really needed a scratch if you know what I mean. The Scupper pro is 26 wide and I thought that to be a pretty stable craft for me. Hip checks in that light of a boat would be quick too I would assume. I wish you were closer Wizz. I think Dan at Adventure sports has a container coming at some point in time.

One of the things that takes some time to get used to is that everything about this boat is quick and responsive which is just awesome. If youre comfortable in the pro this would be no problem for you. Ill be at GS8, bit if Im coming your way Ill let you know.
"The howling tide of unreason beats against pure fact with incredible fury"-Terrence Mckenna


crash

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That's a great looking boat.  Thanks for the write up.  I'd love to take it for a spin sometime :)
"SCIENCE SUCKS" - bmb


wizz

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That's a great looking boat.  Thanks for the write up.  I'd love to take it for a spin sometime :)

Anytime. If the ocean ever flattens out, can give it awhirl waiting for pots to soak.   
"The howling tide of unreason beats against pure fact with incredible fury"-Terrence Mckenna


Paddleboy84

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Great write up. I really want to paddle one of these. I don't really care for the wet ass aspect though. The tempest pants would make it more tolerable though for sure. The glass boards I fished and dove on way back were a wet seat ride and with just the wetsuit after about 6 hours the bum really needed a scratch if you know what I mean. The Scupper pro is 26 wide and I thought that to be a pretty stable craft for me. Hip checks in that light of a boat would be quick too I would assume. I wish you were closer Wizz. I think Dan at Adventure sports has a container coming at some point in time.

Doh! Craig meant to say Dan at Headwaters Kayak in Lodi. Our container should be shipping shortly. We have 9 Pro Fisha, 11 evolution including the tandem, and a few of the Splash rage for the more recreational paddlers. I updates my website to reflect prices. Check out the Stealth Page. www.headwaterskayak.com
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Paddleboy84

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Wizz I can't wait for you to post the pics you sent me of the Rod Pod setup. It looks so cool. I can't wait to get my butt in one. Thanks for the review. Look forward to seeing you post your first fishing report off this baby.
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wizz

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pics
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wizz

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more pics:
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fishkraft

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Ok, I'm jealous  :smt007 Great write up wizz and thanks for the porn. More photos of how you rigged your seat would be great if you have them?

Speed, lightweight, simplicity, sounds like the perfect 'yak to me .

I'm gonna spolde if I have to wait much longer for mine. I'm supposed to get photos of it via email next week.

ruben
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anything