| Value For Money | No Ratings |
| Stability | No Ratings |
| Suitability As A Fishing Kayak | No Ratings |
| Speed (Ability To Cut Through Tide Etc) | No Ratings |
| Weight (Ie For Transport/Carrying) | No Ratings |
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Kaskazi Dorado
A Quality Sit On Top Fishing Kayak. The Dorado has been designed to satisfy the most demanding of anglers and still maintain the paddling efficiency of a proper sea kayak. This is a specialist fishing kayak that can be used for accessing offshore reefs in pursuit of big fish and also for touring trips to remote locations with her impressive load carrying capacity of 180 kgs, that is a big paddler and over 1cwt of gear.
The Dorado provides excellent comfort, stability, efficiency and the ability to handle extremely rough conditions with ease. The unique design separates this fishing kayak from the rest. The deck is securely bonded to the hull, IN THE MOULD, to prevent any distortion and then reinforced with both an internal and external seam providing immense strength. For additional safety the hull is divided into 3 separate compartments by the use of flexible, fiberglass bulkheads that do not break away in the event of a heavy impact or cause hard spots on the hull.
Besides the cavernous fish hatch this kayak has a cargo crate / diving cylinder holder, place for a fish finder and no fewer than 3 attachment points for an anchor or drogue coupled with the finest handling of any fishing kayak made. The solid foot brace with pedal operated rudder is a standard item. With her fast hull, catching and using the energy in waves makes paddling long distances very efficient and I have done more than 50 miles in a day. The Dorado paddles brilliantly in any open water situation and her amazing stability gives the newest of novices confidence from the outset.
The seat well in the Dorado has been carefully contoured to be comfortable for prolonged periods in the saddle. The deep, safe seating position with proper back support gives the supreme comfort of the cockpit. 12 hour shifts in the saddle are quite common during the summer months.
Practicality is another strongpoint of the Dorado. Within easy reach astern is the large, self draining well with its dedicated cargo crate. The sealed, fully gelcoated, easy to clean fish box is large enough to take a brace of 100lb fish with ease. Access to this is right between your legs and it is long enough to stow a 9-foot, 2-piece rod. These are very welcome features not found on other fishing kayaks. The rectangular access into the fish hold is also useful for keeping things that absolutely must stay dry both safe and close to hand.
Flush mounted rod holders, either side behind the seat, are angled so as to fish effectively either on the troll, or with static baits, but they keep the rods well clear of the paddling arc so as not to interfere with paddling ability. Situated beside each rod position is a point for attaching a security lanyard to your valuable rod and reel. In addition, there is a loop on the foredeck to put the tip of a rod through with the reel resting on the semi-circular bait cutting surface in your lap. This is very handy for a fly or spinning rod when you are only moving a short distance or want quick access to your rod when chasing shoaling fish.
The Dorado is a purpose designed fishing kayak that rewards the owner with enhanced fishing pleasure through superior performance, superior comfort and superior practicality. The advanced, grp sandwich construction ensures rigidity and strength with light weight. The Dorado is a fishing kayak designed and built by kayak anglers with over 30 years of experience.
| Features | |
| Description | Single sit-on-top fishing craft |
| Design | Leon Franken – 2004 |
| Material? | Fibreglass |
| Length | 4.8 m |
| Width | 63 cm |
| Weight? | 26 kg |
| Rudder | YES |
| Fish Hatch | YES |
| Hatches | 1 |
| Bulkheads | 2 |
| Max. carrying capacity | 180 kg |
| Maximum depth (bow) | 0.4 m |
| Depth at cockpit | 0.3 m (average) |
| Construction | |
| Hull | Advanced GRP Sandwich construction |
| Deck | Advanced GRP Sandwich construction |
| Seam Bonding of hull and deck with both an internal and external seam after in-mould joining of deck to hull. | |
| Additional strengthening Around the carry handles, seat area. The bow and stern are heavily reinforced to resist enormous impacts. | |
Standard colours are white hull and white deck with orange trim. Please contact us for other colour combinations.
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Tags: dorado, kaskazi, kaskazi dorado, Kaskazi Kayaks, Sit On Top Kayak Reviews, sit on top kayaks
Hello, In late 2008 I took delivery of a Kaskazi Dorado. Despite concerns over the length weight and robustness I decided that the Dorado was a beautiful kayak and would be ideal for fishing off the coast around Durban. Sadly the Dorado has not lived up to my expectations. It is too long and rather cumbersome to be transported with ease.
Many of our launching areas in South Africa are over rocky areas and whilst returning from fishing near Aliwal Shoal on the south coast I holed the hull of the Dorado on a rock. This was easily repaired but would never have happened in my old plastic kayak. Admittedly the dorado is a very fast fishing kayak and I think it would outrun any other kayak over a distance of 2km or more.
I have all but lost faith in the dorado and have now bought an Ocean Scupper Pro which is much lighter, more robust and I think much safer for fishing over the reefs.
Hi
I have had my Dorado for a couple of weeks and it’s been on and off thecar at least 10 times already. I must say I am delighted at how easy it is for one person to handle the Kaskazi Dorado. I tried out the Ocean Kayak Prowler trident 13 before I tried the Dorado and the Trident felt a lot heavier. I couldn’t have lifted the Trident over my head but I lift the Dorado straight on to the roof of my Subaru Forester – from the side – in one go!
I haven’t had it long enough to give much more of a review but, as my first fishing kayak, I’m really impressed with it’s stability and how easily it paddles.
As to value for money – only each individual can decide depending on their needs/circumstances but for me it’s good value.
I have taken the time to post a review here because of my extreme satisfaction with my two Kaskazi kayaks; I have both the original Dorado and the Dorado II.
My prior kayak experience was limited to more traditional fishing SOT kayaks manufacturered by major U.S. companies for just over two years. of which I have paddled a half dozen or so different models.
I am located in the northeast United States, retired, and spend a minimum of three days a week paddling my Dorado kayaks from mid March to the beginning of October at which time I generally spend one or more days a week in my kayaks through October into November.
I have logged well over 2000 miles paddling my Dorado and Dorado II in the past year.
During the main spring striper run and parts of the fall run I spend my time fishing from the kayaks until I get to the point where I am actually start getting somewhat bored with catching a fish and then releasing, catching a fish and then releasing, catching a fish and then releasing…
I know that seems an odd thing to say, but when you are retired and can fish whenever you want, you eventually catch enough fish for a day and look forward to intermixing another interest with your daily fishing outings…
That is where the Kaskazi line of kayaks really shines simply because they make the process of simply paddling a kayak as enjoyable as catching fish from one like no other fishing specific kayak has ever done…
Launch your kayak early in the morning… Paddle two miles to that secret fishing hole… Cast and land three or four fish and then start paddling once again…
Next thing you know you have paddled another 5 miles. Suddenly you realize that you have just happened to come across fish swirling on the surface underneath working birds. That’s when you stop for a moment, take another four or five fish real quick and then paddle onward once again…
The sun gets higher in the sky, the bite slows down so you just paddle… Another two hours just slip by and another 8 or 9 miles clocks up on your GPS…
It’s mid-afternoon and you stop and decide to have a bite to eat and just drift a bit and enjoy the beautiful day and the warm sun on your face….
Twenty minutes later, you are once again on your way. As you paddle along a fish swirls in front of you or off to the side… You grab your pole quick, already rigged with a surface popper and cast …
Fish on! A big 12 pound blue….
In a few minutes he is off the hook and you are on your way again… until the next swirl… .. and then the next …
Before you know it, it’s late afternoon and the sun is dropping lower in the sky and you find your paddle coming to an end…
Your GPS says you have paddled 15 to 20 miles. You don’t even consider that you have actually seriously “gone fishing” , yet you have landed more than a half dozen fish which is more than you would have probably caught if you sat in one spot all day casting and casting and casting…
After two months you wake up and go to get dressed and you realize your pants don’t fit anymore. People start to ask if you have been going to the gym because your beefing up a bit in your shoulders…
“No”, you reply… “I have just been paddling my kayak. Not really doing anything else special…”
It’s kind of crazy…For the first time in your life that “next fish” doesn’t seem to matter as much as it always has even when you are the greatest of fishing addicts.
Why? Because you have spent so much time on the water “catching fish along the way” and not just “fishing in one spot hopeing to catch fish”, that the experience starts to become commonplace…
Somewhere along the way, your love of fishing has started taken a back seat to a new passion… That’s when it hits you… That’s when you realize just how “special” a Kaskazi Dorado is…
Now 10 miles of paddling is just as rewarding to you as catching a 10 pound striper…
Is the Dorado a “perfect” kayak for everyone? No it is not… If you are the type of person that likes to paddle a mile or so and sit and fish in one spot all day, there are many other fishing kayaks that can do that job for you.
But if you are a person that likes to be inspired to do “more”… If you are the type of person that has the desire to be encouraged to go just a little bit further and challenge yourself to reach out a mile further each trip… If you are the type of person that loves going fishing, not just to catch a fish, but to enjoy all of the natural beauty that the experience of being on the water and part of the water, has to offer…
A Dorado may just be the kayak of your dreams…
A Kaskazi Dorado is a kayak handmade just for you by artisans in a very small shop in South Africa
and then shipped to where you live for about the same price as the most popular, plastic, rotomold mass produced factory fishing kayak.
For the most part, they are about 30 percent cheaper than many touring kayaks such as the Epic 16X yet have a fit and finish that not only matches, but often even surpasses those more expensive offerings AND also performs as well or even better …
Are they the right “fishing” kayak for you? Only you can decide…
One thing is for certain however. They are without a doubt, the right kayak for me…
Items of interest:
Weight of Dorado in glass layup, 64 lbs … The Dorado II : 68 lbs
I recommend the original Dorado for anyone 195 pounds an under that fish in “warmer climates” or just during the warm weather that really likes to paddle as much as they do fish. It makes an outstanding fishing kayak as well as touring kayak.
Currently as it is offered, the footwells in the original Dorado can be tight for larger people or those that like to wear heavier footwear when the paddle…
For others, I recommend the Dorado II. It offers a larger sitting area and a larger fishbox that can hold a 7ft one piece fishing rod within it’s below deck fishbox.
That’s a great review Russ. I so want one of these kayaks!