Location; Long Reef Wide.
Conditions; 0.5m swell
Wind; 0.0 knots
Distance paddled; 5.5nm
Target species; Yellow tail kingfish.
First off a brief on what we wanted from this ski;
Speed...Length...Stability
A light yet durable ski that can be easily handled fully rigged on and off the car and then to the waters edge without the need for trolleys etc.
A ski that had the speed to run poppers, fast lures,deep divers and dead baits as well as the ability to cover vast distances with minimal effort.Incresed length to around the 5.500m.Reduced width with just enough balance to land 90cm plus fish.
Loaded the ski up with minimal kit comprising 1.6m rod, lures, cut bait, and assorted tackle. Set up time was around 5 min.Launch was a breeze carrying the complete rig down to the water. The minimal gear approach I feel is the only way to fish this ski to its true potential.Keeping the weight and thus displacement to a minimum so as hull speed does not suffer.
Plenty of speed and acceleration with minimal effort was the first thing I noticed. Turning circle was excellent for a 5.5m ski.
More than adequate stability with the skis 600mm beam. Having said that I still think you would need a reasonable amount of offshore paddling under your belt to hang onto some of the larger kings without the fear of being reefed.Cockpit area stays nice and dry in swell thanks to the raised forward deck area deflecting water off to the sides.
I intend to only carry and fish with the one rod to keep things simple and organised.One species one rod for this ski is my motto.May just sneak the odd squid session in.
Deployed a 100mm popper out the back and had it running like a dream. This is one lure up until now that I have never had enough boat speed to run. Went wider with cut bait and got into some action. I found fighting and bringing the fish on board no problem with both legs over the side of the ski.The rod shute can handle a 91cm king(Pauls fish...Marks ski) with a squeeze. The internal drain system in the rod shute and foot well is a weak point and as we is as speak being redesigned.It holds water and does not drain quick enough when the ski is nailed by a breaking wave.My next 550 will have a screw hatch in lieu of a lift hatch fish box arrangement.I have opted to fit a backrest to the ski which made for a very comfortable ride. A couple of the boys are paddling without one and say they find it OK.
The foot pedals are easy to adjust giving the ski correct leg length.
Rear hatch is large and easy to reach which makes it ideal for keeping gear dry.
I dont fish with a shark shield so did not bother trying to mount one. I think Mark uses one on his 550 and stows it in the rear hatch.
The ski is fitted with two rear flush mounts angled to the side.I opted to mount a forward Scotty which also accommodates the Go Pro camera.
Rear tank well comes with shock cord and is a great place for life jacket or spray jacket stowage.
To conclude the ski met all of my expectations and I believe it is “The Ultimate Fishing Ski” however it will not replace my BFS which I love for its stability,deck layout and massive fish box. The combination of the two skis is perfect. You could fit a downrigger to this ski(running a light 2lb bomb) making it much more vesatile however the BFS looks after that aspect of my fishing.
If you want the ultimate paddling /fishing experience this is your craft.The ski with its length/beam and cockpit layout is pure kayak fishing "Eye Candy".
Thanks Bruce...Thanks Barry you have produced a very tidy package that has raised the bar just a little higher and put a smile on a number of faces around the Northern Beaches of Sydney.
