Shakedown #2

Launched with Davebeat at The Basin at Collaroy at first light. No issues there as usual as it is very protected. Setup and trolled around the point into quite mucky conditions. Not really choppy but there seemed to be swell coming from several directions.



The good news is that the Evo handled it very well. In particular it tracks very straight. I've been using the pedals much less that I would in any other yak that I've paddled in open water. It is not real fast, being a bit slower than the longer Prowler 4.5, but then that's simple physics and I chose the 430 rather than the 465 or 495. It didn't bounce around in the mucky conditions with the waves coming over the bow more frequently than either the tunny or pro fisherman. This prevents the jarring drop off the back of waves and helps maintain momentum. It also coped being side on to the swell, which settled to come from the east, as the wind and current did their work. Current was ripping through and was more than the equal of the opposing breeze.

Fishing was not flash. Hooked one king, probably undersized that taunted me on the surface for a while then plunged. My albright didn't cope. Need to go back to leader tying school I think.

Hope to get the boat into the surf next weekend. All indications are that it will go well