Fluid Bamba - Rudder has arrived

[Andre Laas]

Thanks for all the info guys! I am still just in the phase of doing homework, and will be for another while. It does not necessarily make the choice easier, but there are some very valuable and insightful views and information coming out, which is always nice to have.

In an ideal world  I would have taken one of each, one for fishing in the surf and one for fishing the the bay, lagoons, dams, rivers etc.

Just to add one more thing that I have heard...... The Wilderness systems Tarpon angler series of plastic kayaks is probably the best know plastic fishing kayaks out there, and I was 100% sure that that was the kayak that I was going for, even if it meant i had to save a bit longer etc.etc. On "calmer" "flatter" "more protected" waters, the plastics got awesome reviews However, I then heard similar stories about it not being ideal for the SA surf in terms of punching waves, and quick bursts of speed to outrun waves etc. I would however think that the plastics would be a slightly better choice as all rounder egg beater for use on a variety of waters. For pure surf fishing with a lot of active trolling and generally bigger distances to cover both getting to the water over the beach, and on the water to get to the right spots etc, I think the lighter, faster, fiberglass ski's are tops. (Again, I am not even a newbie as my only experience comes from canoe-fishing on the Vaal )

PH, Thanks for the offer! I will definitely chat to you about that at some stage.

 

[zulu-X-treme]

Features of the Bamba... Just so we are clear on the bouancy.

Excellent Surf Launching and Return Capibilty
Excellent stability to speed ratio
High volume storage & comfortable deck lay-out
Sealed-off central fish/touring hatch - 1700mm x 280mm width x 250mm deep
Hatch opening - 420mm X 280mm wide
In-hull storage for rigged rods
Hatches for in-hull storage of tackle and gear
2 Hatches with scuppers that can be flooded via scuppers for livebait storage
2 Rear rod holders and 1 forward bait-up rod holder (space to fit a 3rd rod holder)

Paddle Park and molded-in transducer housing
6mm screw-in brass threaded secure points for DIY accessories
Lure & knife stowage either side of the cockpit
Great adventure and touring capabilities
SAMSA 35% bouancy and safety compliant
Carrying Capacity - 180kg safety rating
Length - 4250mm
Width - 800mm
Weight - 31 Kgs

 

[ThefishinMagician]

surfaMIKE wrote: 

Out of all the plastic skis, the bamba wins hands down.

How many other plastics have you paddled / viewed to come to this conclusion.?

 

[Andre Laas]

To get back to the original topic..... what would a rudder system add-on for the Bamaba cost you?

 

[Tyrone ter bruggen]

zulu-X-treme wrote:

Features of the Bamba... Just so we are clear on the bouancy.

Excellent Surf Launching and Return Capibilty
Excellent stability to speed ratio
High volume storage & comfortable deck lay-out
Sealed-off central fish/touring hatch - 1700mm x 280mm width x 250mm deep
Hatch opening - 420mm X 280mm wide
In-hull storage for rigged rods
Hatches for in-hull storage of tackle and gear
2 Hatches with scuppers that can be flooded via scuppers for livebait storage
2 Rear rod holders and 1 forward bait-up rod holder (space to fit a 3rd rod holder)

Paddle Park and molded-in transducer housing
6mm screw-in brass threaded secure points for DIY accessories
Lure & knife stowage either side of the cockpit
Great adventure and touring capabilities
SAMSA 35% bouancy and safety compliant
Carrying Capacity - 180kg safety rating
Length - 4250mm
Width - 800mm
Weight - 31 Kgs

When i have more time i will upload a whole bunch of info on why i believe the SupaliteX is a by far better option than any other ski on the market...

 

[ThefishinMagician]

every manufacturer believes their craft is the best.. Therefore, I agree with Tryone that to cut and past info from the manufacturers website is not a true reflection as to how the craft will perform vs another one.

Best is, if you intend buying a kayak, is to go a dealer and demo all the ski's you interested in.

 

[zulu-X-treme]

I was showing the buoyancy, the other stuff is just a bonus... Especially the extra big rod hatch... ::craz

 

[zulu-X-treme]

I'm waiting for the price on the rudder, as soon as I have the info. I'll post it... I'll also include some testimonials from the manufacturer that I'll just cut and paste to 'convince' everyone the Bamba is the best craft in the whole Universe... :rasta

 

[BulkCarrier]

zulu-X-treme wrote:

I was showing the buoyancy, the other stuff is just a bonus... Especially the extra big rod hatch... ::craz

Is that standard. I see you have to buy it as an extra on all the other fluid kayaks. Would love to know what they did to get the 35 % buoyancy. Plastic alone won't be enough.

 

[zulu-X-treme]

BulkCarrier wrote:

zulu-X-treme wrote:

I was showing the buoyancy, the other stuff is just a bonus... Especially the extra big rod hatch... ::craz

Is that standard. I see you have to buy it as an extra on all the other fluid kayaks. Would love to know what they did to get the 35 % buoyancy. Plastic alone won't be enough.

The rudder is extra, but like I said I'm not sure how much yet. I've also arranged a seat from Nic at Great Kayaks, may as well be comfy.

It's packed full of polystyrene, and  it's packed in such a way that it's still allows for ample space for safety equipment, tow rope, odd's and end's etc... ::titanic:



I've also decided to get myself 2 of these... Should make trolling an absolute pleasure. I'm just not sure whether I'll get the extensions or just add the RAM base mounts, can't decide.

 


Then again if I flip I don't think the clip-in's will be a good idea...

 

[Danie Burger]

Well I know I love my Stealth, but if the Bamba was available when I bought the Stealth and if the hatch is as big as they say and the rudder is not to expensive I might have had a second look at the Stealth.

The only reason for this is I like the lines of the Bamba.

That just shows how people are and if I bought the Bamba no one would ever dare tell me it's a sh*t ski as is the same with my Stealth.

So instead of fighting or arguing or going off topic, be glad that we have a couple of new gentleman in our sport and try to help them where we can. Doing that will only promote our sport further and hopefully make things a bit safer due to shared knowledge etc.

 

[surfaMIKE]

ThefishinMagician wrote:

surfaMIKE wrote: 

Out of all the plastic skis, the bamba wins hands down.

How many other plastics have you paddled / viewed to come to this conclusion.?

I have paddled a few, but not many I will admit. A feel free, a synergy, and some random name whitwater, but it doesnt count, its not a fishing vessel

Just look at the bamba. What other PLASTIC kayak has a hatch like the bamba? And the features of the bamba? At the same cost? Dont worry about comparing though, because I havnt seen a plastic kayak available in SA with the same features of the bamba. And R7500 isnt that bad. A new stealth costs that much. A kaskazi dorado costs more

If you go back to my post I say I am more in favour of fibreglass skis purely because of the weight and hole shot speed factor, so in that sense it looks like Im sticking to fibreglass skis, so I am not against you or even the plastic lovers, but I want to ask why are you so against the bamba? I cant see why people think that the bamba isnt for the ocean. It only differs from the glass skis by being made out of plastic, is wider, and slightly heavier. Have you paddled a bamba TFM? Have you paddled any plastic kayaks? Why didnt you like them?

 

[surfaMIKE]

Just so that I dont get flack from the fibreglass lovers for defending the bamba, my next ski might be a pinnacle or supalite X

 

[PH]

When considering the purchasing of your first kayak, it is very difficult to determine what your needs will be.

My choice nearly resulted in a divorce LOL.

see

http://sketse-grepe.blogspot.com/

 

 

[ThefishinMagician]

I dont have any issues with Plastics.

In Fact I believe that if a plastics manufacturer could come up with a kayak that has a decent sized hatch (2,1m long by about 250mm wide), is light enough to handle alone and has a good hull shape, they will have the market covered.

You would be a fool not to admit that plastics have come a long way. Fluids Very own Chumani to the Bamba is a big step in the evolution of South African Kayaks. The Bamba is the one first SA kayaks to offer a "Paddler-Friendly" hull. Brian at Hunterski also made some serious ground with the Hunterski utelising a paddling mechanism similaur to the Mirage drive of Hobie Cat / Kayaks.

I do however feel that most plastics fall short by not including a hatch size that can accomodate your average 6 ft rod. Fair enough you could leave the rods in the holders or strap them down to the kayak, but you do face a higher possibility of loosing or damaging tackle. Another downfall is the that any fish that you catch you have to store / tie down some how. It will be heart breaking if you catch a 20kg+ fish for the pot and then loose it when you coming back in. So the absence of a hatch means that you could not only loose your catch but also your tackle will take more of a knock.

Most plastics are also very wide... hence if you ever want to double team to a venue, you are going to have to modify your roof racks in order to accomodate a 2nd ski on the car roof. This means either a trailer or some ingenious loading idea.

The weight of the plastics is also a bit of an issue. Smaller plastic kayaks seem to weigh the same as the larger fibreglass kayaks. I have a fibreglass dorado and know how difficult it is to load alone. Weighing in at 28kg it is a mission to load. Hence i tend to use my Stealth for when i want to do quick trips. Any kayak over 30kg will be difficult to load and offload alone.. and hence you will have to go in a group, which again due to the width of the kayak, you will have to go with 1 kayak per car.

As far as the material goes, you just cant beat the plastics for durability. But that does not mean i am goin to fill my kayak with water and drop it from a building, or use it for sand ski-ing or any other wacky stunts just to prove how strong it is.

My personal favourite in the Plastics is again the wilderness systems Tarpon series. Great kayak, rows well and comes with a rudder. Only crappy thing is again.. not hatch and the price. The ocean kayak range is also very good. Great reviews from all over. paddles well. the Mission kayak range, although using self alignment technology, i found that if you have the wind pushing you from behind, the tail end of the ski seems to want to over take the front... which leads to more drama.

Hobie kayaks, great yaks and the mirage drive is a great addition to have if you need to have your hands free... only problem.. it does not row backwards.. so when using for crayfishing or fishing tight corners in dams, the paddle drive system has its down sides. The hobies are also very heavy kayaks.

The hunterski, another new SA kayak, perhaps lacks the hull design and hatch of the bamba but for its price it is a winner for average weekend warrior. It performed well in Paindane and Brian is also always willin to help where he can.

The Bamba, is.... yes..wait for it... a good kayak. although i think that perhaps is they did not put on the hatch and the cup holders and concentrated rather on a bigger hatch or making the rudder a permanent item and not an add on it would have been better. If they made the kayak an extra 30cm long they would have been able to accomodate ave. the 6ft rod. Check point 1. but now guys are having to cut rod butts etc. to make them fit.
The width at 800mm makes to wide. (sorry Zulu, your comment of all kayaks should be wider than 800mm is just not valid as stealth and other plastic manufactures have proven that you can get a stable ski under 700mm)

So its not a case of me not liking plastic or being biased towards any particular construciton material, its just a case of if you are going to do something.... Do it properly.

 

[surfaMIKE]

ThefishinMagician wrote:

I dont have any issues with Plastics.

In Fact I believe that if a plastics manufacturer could come up with a kayak that has a decent sized hatch (2,1m long by about 250mm wide), is light enough to handle alone and has a good hull shape, they will have the market covered.

You would be a fool not to admit that plastics have come a long way. Fluids Very own Chumani to the Bamba is a big step in the evolution of South African Kayaks. The Bamba is the one first SA kayaks to offer a "Paddler-Friendly" hull. Brian at Hunterski also made some serious ground with the Hunterski utelising a paddling mechanism similaur to the Mirage drive of Hobie Cat / Kayaks.

I do however feel that most plastics fall short by not including a hatch size that can accomodate your average 6 ft rod. Fair enough you could leave the rods in the holders or strap them down to the kayak, but you do face a higher possibility of loosing or damaging tackle. Another downfall is the that any fish that you catch you have to store / tie down some how. It will be heart breaking if you catch a 20kg+ fish for the pot and then loose it when you coming back in. So the absence of a hatch means that you could not only loose your catch but also your tackle will take more of a knock.

Most plastics are also very wide... hence if you ever want to double team to a venue, you are going to have to modify your roof racks in order to accomodate a 2nd ski on the car roof. This means either a trailer or some ingenious loading idea.

The weight of the plastics is also a bit of an issue. Smaller plastic kayaks seem to weigh the same as the larger fibreglass kayaks. I have a fibreglass dorado and know how difficult it is to load alone. Weighing in at 28kg it is a mission to load. Hence i tend to use my Stealth for when i want to do quick trips. Any kayak over 30kg will be difficult to load and offload alone.. and hence you will have to go in a group, which again due to the width of the kayak, you will have to go with 1 kayak per car.

As far as the material goes, you just cant beat the plastics for durability. But that does not mean i am goin to fill my kayak with water and drop it from a building, or use it for sand ski-ing or any other wacky stunts just to prove how strong it is.

My personal favourite in the Plastics is again the wilderness systems Tarpon series. Great kayak, rows well and comes with a rudder. Only crappy thing is again.. not hatch and the price. The ocean kayak range is also very good. Great reviews from all over. paddles well. the Mission kayak range, although using self alignment technology, i found that if you have the wind pushing you from behind, the tail end of the ski seems to want to over take the front... which leads to more drama.

Hobie kayaks, great yaks and the mirage drive is a great addition to have if you need to have your hands free... only problem.. it does not row backwards.. so when using for crayfishing or fishing tight corners in dams, the paddle drive system has its down sides. The hobies are also very heavy kayaks.

The hunterski, another new SA kayak, perhaps lacks the hull design and hatch of the bamba but for its price it is a winner for average weekend warrior. It performed well in Paindane and Brian is also always willin to help where he can.

The Bamba, is.... yes..wait for it... a good kayak. although i think that perhaps is they did not put on the hatch and the cup holders and concentrated rather on a bigger hatch or making the rudder a permanent item and not an add on it would have been better. If they made the kayak an extra 30cm long they would have been able to accomodate ave. the 6ft rod. Check point 1. but now guys are having to cut rod butts etc. to make them fit.
The width at 800mm makes to wide. (sorry Zulu, your comment of all kayaks should be wider than 800mm is just not valid as stealth and other plastic manufactures have proven that you can get a stable ski under 700mm)

So its not a case of me not liking plastic or being biased towards any particular construciton material, its just a case of if you are going to do something.... Do it properly.

Fair enough

If fluid or hunter ski came up with a ski like you said, with larger hatch, lighter weight, basically a copy of a glass ski, then the fibreglass manufacturers have some very VERY stiff competition

I still think its unfair to compare a plastic kayak to a fibreglass kayak. Like a marlin reel vs a jigging reel. For fibreglass kayaks, stealth is the leading manufacturer (correct me if Im wrong). For plastics, well fluid have a very good product, and its going to make a big impact on kayak fishing IMHO

No offence or any insult intended to anyone

 

[Tyrone ter bruggen]

Plse understand that i am not taking a knock at anyone personally, or the tupperware range for that matter, but seeing that we have now opened the forum to Newbies and experienced paddlers alike, i have managed to upload a few reasons as to why i prefer the stealth fiberglass range of skis.
Note size, weight, standard fittings including rudder, large fish/rod and dry hatches... Oh, and also keeping in mind that should there be any other extras you'd like fitted, it is very possible. As i have 5 rod holders on my ski.

Supalite 2010 X
Wednesday, 13 January 2010 11:44 | Written by Brett Challenor | | |
The next kayak in our range is the Supalite X fishing kayak,first designed late in 2001 it was the second design kayak originally aimed at the slightly bigger angler.
This slightly wider and longer craft than the standard Supalite has gone through many changes over the years and has been tried and tested in every type of fishing conditions.
Our 2010 version is just a continued improvement of the earlier models, we increased the width and length of the kayak compared to the standard Supalite and in so doing made the kayak a little more stable and slightly faster but still managing to keep the excellent surfing abilities traditional to the Supalite range. An improvement in the rocker design and a more rounder sleeker looking appearance make it one of the best " surfing " fishing kayaks around.
The Supalite X fishing kayak has become very popular with the anglers looking for that extra stability over the Supalite and slightly more speed without compromising too much in the extra weight of the kayak.The large rear storage and super size fish hatch make storing everything you need an absolute breeze.
Ideal for the complete novice angler looking for a light and easy to carry kayak, yet she still has all features you need to enjoy the ultimate days fishing...
Standard features of the Supalite X fishing kayak include;

-4 carry handles
-paddle strap/holder with a protective rubber mat
-front and rear webbing for extra storage
-2 rod holders.
-large fish hatch to store thus monster fish and rods up to 2,2m
-bait cutting pad on hatch lid
-factory adjustable foot settings with peddles and an excellent yet simple rudder system.
-Large rear dry hatch for extra storage
-extra recessed area on the back deck for even more storage
-front rod loop for extra spinning rod storage on the deck.
-2 drain holes for separate fish hatch and hull of the kayak.
recommended for the novice to experienced angler weighing up to 115 kgs.

 

[Tyrone ter bruggen]

2.
Evolution 465
Thursday, 04 February 2010 15:59 | Written by Jason Antao | | |
Stealth evolution 465 4,65m long craft suitable for paddler up to 115 kg.This evolution was the second designed in our evolution range.Wanting to match up to the carrying capacities of the Supalite x the evo 465 was born.This beauty is a little longer and wider than its brother the 430 making it a little faster and more stable making it the perfect ski for the angler hungry for a little more stability, more speed and performance.As long as you under 115 kgs she will be ideal for those long paddles and fast lures...Still small enough to be light and manageable .

The Evo 465 kayak has become very popular with the anglers looking for that extra stability over the evo 430 and slightly more speed without compromising too much in the extra weight of the kayak.The large rear storage and super size fish hatch make storing everything you need an absolute breeze. The 465 has all the standard features and more that you need to enjoy a great days fishing!

-4 carry handles
-paddle strap/holder with a protective rubber matt
-front and rear webbing for extra storage
-2 rod holders.
-large fish hatch to store thus monster fish and rods up to 2,1m
-bait cutting pad on hatch lid
-easily adjustable foot settings with peddles and an excellent yet simple rudder system.
-Large rear dry hatch for extra storage
-extra recessed area on the back deck for even more storage
-2 drain holes for separate fish hatch and hull of the kayak.
The Evolution range of boats are a lot more efficient on straight line speed, but lack the surfing ability and are therefore more technically challenging in big surf. This range of craft cover the territory a lot quicker resulting in more strikes. Also lures can be pulled faster which often result in more fish hooked. Ideal for easy launch sites which are a long way from the fishing area as speed or efficacy means less paddling effort.

recommended for the novice to experienced angler weighing under 140 kgs.

 

[Tyrone ter bruggen]

3.
Supalite 2010- fishing kayak.

The Stealth Supalite 2010 Fishing kayak was first designed back in 2001.The idea was dreamt up that a Lighter and far more novice friendly fishing kayak was needed for the fast evolving fishing kayak market. Back in 2001 there were a few fishing kayaks available. Our own original Couta range of fishing kayaks was a great kayak for its generation but a rethink and redesign was needed. And so the concept and design of the Supalite 2010 was born. The Stealth Suplaite 2010 was designed and built from what our customers were telling us they needed.With the lighter smaller angler in mind, the Supalite 2010 was designed for someone under 100 kgs in weight. First We gave the kayak more rocker( rocker is your bottom curve) this allowed the kayak to respond in the surf a lot more and climb up over the approaching white water and waves. We then gave the kayak a more sleek look. Rounded off and cleaned up all the edges and brought in some practical thinking.

A larger, which is also neatest and largest fish hatch entrance was designed to allow bigger and easier access into the central hatch between your legs. Plenty of space to get those monster fish into your kayak. The central fish hatch is a necessity to keep your fish safe and sound inside your kayak just like a fish hatch on a boat. This central hatch acts as a massive storage area which in a kayak like the Supalite gives you approximately 100 ltrs of space bringing in the innovative idea of central rod shoot as well. The rod shoot is a built-in extension on the front of the fish hatch allowing you to fit rods of up to 2,1m long comfortably inside the central hatch.When taking on the surf and waves the ability to store all your rods and tackle safely inside your kayak is a must.

An unfortunate roll in the surf and you will have a piece of mind that all your expensive fishing tackle and rods are safe and sound. Behind the seat of the angler is another round storage hatch which is easily accessible while you are sitting on the water. The well sealable inspection hatch has an 8 inch access allowing you to store loads more tackle, safely and nice and dry. Today there are too many kayaks that have been merely adapted to fishing with hatches that are inaccessible while sitting on the water and other changes that are not necessarily suited for comfortable fishing. The Stealth Supalite 2010 fishing kayak has been well thought out and designed to suit every Fishermans needs. And Just to make this kayak even better is that it comes standard with a rudder and steering which can be vitally important when trying to go in and out of the waves.

It also allows you to track those big fish when you fighting them. Last but definitely the most important aspect of this kayak is that is completely manufactured using the vacuum infusion process. This allows us to make a far superior product reducing the overall weight of the kayak without in any way reducing the strength. In fact the infusion process gives us a stronger and lighter product.

To conclude:
The kayak is Ideal for all types of anglers from novice to expert, looking for the lightest, easy to carry and great wave riding abilltiy fishing kayak, the Stealth Supalite 2010 Fishing kayak still has all features you need to enjoy the ultimate days fishing...

Dimensions of the Supalite 2010.

Length : 4.00m
Width: 0.62m
Weight: 23kgs
Recommended angler weight : under 100 kgs
Maximum load weight : 150 kgs

Standard features:

Front and rear carry handles
Two side carry handles
Two separate drain plugs for draining the fish hatch and the main hull of the kayak
Front rod loop – keeps your extra rod well stored on deck while fishing.
Paddle elastic and Paddle pad for protection and easy placement of your paddles while fishing
Webbing on front deck for possible extra storage.
Large fish hatch and fish hatch entrance for loads of storage for those monster fish and all your rods,reels and tackle
Factory adjustable foot positions for excellent fit and maximum comfort
Foot pedals and rudder system to make steering and paddling the kayak a lot easier
Large rear storage hatch with 8 inch hatch entrance.
Two standard rear rod holders with rod loops to secure your rods.
Rear recess area with webbing for that extra on deck storage facility.
Easily accessible rudder system with 4 inch inspection hatch.
Available in a variety of colours.
Kayak Rating


Stability 8/10
Speed 7/10
Wave Riding 10/10
Manuverability 10/10

 

[Tyrone ter bruggen]

Internet - It's Maklik!!!