Grand Illusion Reviews
Gordon Schanck in his Grand Illusion
Sterling --
Went to the pool last night and
at the end of my session the hatches weren't dry--they were bone dry--damn you're good. I am just starting to get a feel for the boat but it's teaching me what it can do--the feedback is amazing and for a 17'3" boat and compared to most other boats I have tried thisis among the most maneuverable rivaling the Mariner Coaster.
More to come as the adventure is just beginning--thanks for how you handled everything--you and Marsha are a pleasure to deal with.
The picture is somewhere north of Russian Gulch.
Best--Gordon
Went to the pool last night and
at the end of my session the hatches weren't dry--they were bone dry--damn you're good. I am just starting to get a feel for the boat but it's teaching me what it can do--the feedback is amazing and for a 17'3" boat and compared to most other boats I have tried thisis among the most maneuverable rivaling the Mariner Coaster.
More to come as the adventure is just beginning--thanks for how you handled everything--you and Marsha are a pleasure to deal with.
The picture is somewhere north of Russian Gulch.
Best--Gordon
Sterling --
I have much more to try and to learn about my Grand Illusion but wanted to share what I've learned and so far all I can say is WOW--its like I am cheating--I have gotten way better at all of this without training, instruction or practice. It's like when I first started paddling a Mariner coaster only more so. This boat is simply the best compromise in hull design I have ever experienced--it packs a load yet it handles rough conditions empty--it has a skeg but doesn't need it (max wind to date without weather cocking empty -- 17 mph)--tracks well but maneuvers tightly--despite it's width and rocker has decent speed to weather and leaves everyone in my wake downwind playing with the wind waves--loves to surf and edging can forgo the need to rudder with the paddle--and edging whether positioning on a wave or just to turn feels positive with the abundant secondary. Doesn't get squirrelly with a main compartment full of water--hatches and bulkheads are water tight. The only thing this boatdoesn't do is load itself on and off the car. I don't know how you did it but I'm glad you did -- may all your illusions be Grand! Thank you! Best--Gordon Schanck
I have much more to try and to learn about my Grand Illusion but wanted to share what I've learned and so far all I can say is WOW--its like I am cheating--I have gotten way better at all of this without training, instruction or practice. It's like when I first started paddling a Mariner coaster only more so. This boat is simply the best compromise in hull design I have ever experienced--it packs a load yet it handles rough conditions empty--it has a skeg but doesn't need it (max wind to date without weather cocking empty -- 17 mph)--tracks well but maneuvers tightly--despite it's width and rocker has decent speed to weather and leaves everyone in my wake downwind playing with the wind waves--loves to surf and edging can forgo the need to rudder with the paddle--and edging whether positioning on a wave or just to turn feels positive with the abundant secondary. Doesn't get squirrelly with a main compartment full of water--hatches and bulkheads are water tight. The only thing this boatdoesn't do is load itself on and off the car. I don't know how you did it but I'm glad you did -- may all your illusions be Grand! Thank you! Best--Gordon Schanck
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Jean-Francois(JF) Marleau www.skils.ca Certified SKGABC Lead Guide Level 4, GuideTrainer and Examiner Certified Paddle Canada Level 4 instructor, Level 2 Instructor Trainer Sea Kayak Instruction and Leadership Systems Ltd (SKILS) |
"100 days on the water"
Jean-Francois(JF) Marleau To say that I am excited about Sterling kayaks is an understatement. The Grand Illusion seems to be a perfect kayak for me for teaching overnight courses and guiding. First and foremost, the Grand Illusion is meeting and exceeding my best expectations. By far, this is the best touring kayak I ever tried. I love my Grand Illusion it is a class apart--Amazing performance--Outstanding Maneuverability Your slogan “Pure performance” is so true. In my humble opinion the Grand Illusion is in a different class. I had so much fun at Surge Narrows with the Grand Illusion. Keep up the outstanding work Sterling! JF |
photo by Mike Dedman
Damon Maguire on his new
Grand Illusion
Hi Sterling:I wanted to catch up with you now that I've had time to put the GI through its paces. It had its maiden voyage at the Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium, where it garnered a lot of interest.The first day featured of 40 to 50 mph squalls and lots of tide race action at Yellow Bluff. I was a bit nervous since it was the first time with my butt in the boat, but it handled it all with ease. Since then I've been out at Trinidad several times in fairly intense conditions, with swell anywhere from 12 to 18 feet with long periods.
My conclusion? It's a magic boat!!
Somehow you've managed to build a craft that is crazy maneuverable, unfazed by wind and so stable in rough conditions that I have to remind myself not to be stupid. I'm afraid I'll forget how to brace since I so seldom have to do so.
Thanks for a beautiful boat, Sterling...... The boat amazes me.
Talk to you soon.
Damon
Grand Illusion
Hi Sterling:I wanted to catch up with you now that I've had time to put the GI through its paces. It had its maiden voyage at the Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium, where it garnered a lot of interest.The first day featured of 40 to 50 mph squalls and lots of tide race action at Yellow Bluff. I was a bit nervous since it was the first time with my butt in the boat, but it handled it all with ease. Since then I've been out at Trinidad several times in fairly intense conditions, with swell anywhere from 12 to 18 feet with long periods.
My conclusion? It's a magic boat!!
Somehow you've managed to build a craft that is crazy maneuverable, unfazed by wind and so stable in rough conditions that I have to remind myself not to be stupid. I'm afraid I'll forget how to brace since I so seldom have to do so.
Thanks for a beautiful boat, Sterling...... The boat amazes me.
Talk to you soon.
Damon
Grand Illusion Trial into 2009 Deception Pass Dash
Brandon Nelson Takes 1st Place in the Men’s Sea Kayak Division in the New Grand Illusion
Excerpts for Brandon: Sterling asked me if I would field-test the new Grand Illusion design for it’s “rapid transit” qualities. It’s viability as a big boy’s rock garden-hopper, surf-lander, gear-hauler and overall expedition survival pod are already accepted by the who’s who of the Pacific Northwest expedition paddlers…and now it’s rapid transit quality has indeed been established. Despite it’s ability to carve like a surfboard, the boat cruises easily enough to the win in the Sea Kayak Class and finish 35th overall. With a little more time in the boat to get the outfitting and trim tuned to my weight and inseam, another minute or two could have been shaved. If we could add in a 30-knot wind and head-high wave, I think the Grand Illusion would’ve been laughably more competitive…..I cruise the Grand Illusion @ 5.5mph
Brandon Nelson Bellingham, WA 1st place SK_M 61:27
Brandon Nelson @ Hoebuck Hoedown 2010
By Brandon Nelson
When I found out there was a sea kayak division in the surf contest at the Hobuck Hoedown, I knew exactly who to call Sterling Donalson, the legendary kayak designer and builder who’s helped Heather and I build, fix, modify, tweak, re-design and win races in pretty much every boat we’ve owned since we moved to Bellingham in ’03. Sterling’s business these past couple years has shifted heavily towards a growing fleet of extremely popular and well-received British-style expedition/coastal exploration boats. I raced one of these boats, the Grand Illusion in the last year’s Deception Pass Dash to see how it stacked up against other designs in the sea kayak class. The boat moves so easily through the water, despite having enough rocker to surf and stay on top of the biggest seas I’d care to encounter, that I easily won the division. So it was a natural choice for me to take the same boat to Hobuck and spend a few days playing with it in its “stomping grounds” – the surf zone. The waves at the Hoedown were waist-to head high for 3 days in a arrow, just perfect for, folks like me who only get out in that kind of water MAYBE once a year. With my helmet strapped on and sprayskirt fit tight, I cruised out into and through the impact zone as if it were all green water. Even with a wave breaking right before I reached it didn’t prevent the Grand Illusion from lifting right over it and dropping me cleanly on the safe side to keep heading out. I had a few good ones stop my momentum, but I never got tumbled or pushed back toward shore – unless I intentionally back-surfed (more on that in a minute!) When I’d cleared the impact zone, I found the fastest way to turn the Grand Illusion around was to lift one knee, stroke on the opposite side, and the boat just tracked around like it was on a rail. It spins with alternating sweep strokes, too, but that forward track-around is too cool. And when I was facing back in, as a swell reached me it was a quick two strokes and I was surfing. There is nothing in all of paddle sports, in my humble opinion, that equals the feeling of that moment you know you’ve caught a wave, and the ride is on! It’s a mixture of commitment,thrill, joy, a little uneasiness for good measure (at least for the first few waves), and pure stoke! The GI just carried me so sweetly over the green wave face every time. I’d reach a blade and lean my torso way out toward the wave face to carve a turn, looking straight down the line as it reached top speed, and as that first pitch of whitewater spilled over the top. Then an avalanche of froth dumps down and the sidesurf is on! The GI is as comfortable heading at speed toward shore in a full sidesurf as it is ripping across the green faces. A little more practice and I’ll be throwing window-shades in the bigger piles (maybe next year) but for this session I was happy just bouncing along feeling solid and thinking about my next take-off.If there’s an area the GI really blew my mind, it was on the back -surfs. On maybe a dozen occasions I’d be paddling slowly back out through the lineup when a nice wave was right in front of me, so I’d just throw a few backstrokes and the ride was instantly on. Each time I wondered if I’d pearl, but that stern stayed so sweetly on top and even let me carve some turns before peeling sideways and starting the side surf. It was AWESOME fun. It helped me one-up the other boys in the sea kayak division of the surf contest Sunday. That was my first time at competing in the surf, but I’m hooked. It’s like the anti-competition: you just go out there and ride, and let some folks on shore critique and score what you are or aren’t doing without worrying about how you’re ranking or who else is doing what. Win, lose or draw, I loved it and I’ll be back next year for more!
Thanks, Sterling, for a great boat and once again for helping us get out on the water in style!
Brandon and Heather
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Alan's Grand Illusion & Marlene's Ice Kap
Even at “our” ages, we manage to “turn heads” with how easily maneuverable are our boats, and how stable they are on the water. We have been able to paddle in some difficult waters lately, and have not experienced any stability issues. Love those boats!!! :-) Alan owns a Grand Illusion, his wife Marlene owns an Ice Kap
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It was a real treat for us to watch you work on our kayaks this past week and learn from you. We paddled around Orcas over the weekend and on one brief occasion, I had to partially deploy the skeel in following seas and it worked perfectly ….Thank you, thank you thank you!!!! One on of our trips, 6 of the 10 boats on the journey were Sterling boats!!!!!
The boats sell themselves, but we certainly are strong ambassadors for you! :-) Alan |
I am writing because Marsha and Sterling indicated that you might wish to converse with someone who has paddled the Grand Illusion. I can sum the experience with one word: AWESOME! I am an "elder statesman", and a bit "vertically challenged" for my weight.....5'-9", approx. 195#. My wife and I began kayaking about a year ago and initiated our experience with the purchase of kayaks which proved to be woefully inadequate for our needs. We were not accomplished kayakers to say the least ( not to suggest that we are now--by any stretch of the imagination!) but we had incredible difficulties negotiating even minimally challenging water conditions. Because of our experiences with skiing, biking, hiking and the like, we knew we were on the wrong track. So we began "test driving" other boats. I paddled the Grand and found it to be incredibly comfortable with prolonged paddling. The seats are prefect...(.I had a (removed) and I was so miserable sitting in that boat, I eventually refused to paddle it again.) As a novice I found the Grand to be very responsive and maneuverable beyond my expectations. The balance is perfect fore to aft, and side to side. She handles like a dream in high waves ( high for me are 3 footers) and waves abeam. She is stable as a rock! She slices through the surf and waves like a knife through butter. And is she fast!!!! Others have problems keeping up with me. Today I led a gaggle of kayakers across the mighty Columbia with 15kt cross winds ( at least) and never missed a beat! I kept hearing people telling me to slow down! I was sold after paddling the Grand as a demo....so I ordered one! When we picked her up in Bellingham, we met Sterling and Marsha, which was a unique blessing, not only because of their honesty and integrity, but because of their extreme wealth and depth of knowledge they are so willing to share. My wife and I garnered an incredible amount of information about our kayaks and kayaking in general. My wife test paddled the Ice Kap....recommended by Sterling because of her more petite frame, and she fell in love again...! We ordered one for her and over the last two days we have paddled with a large group of experienced paddlers who have complemented us on our selection of boats, and how rapidly we had progressed in our skill development. Many have expressed a desire to eventually own a Sterling. I can continue to effusively laud the Grand, but it is a perfect boat for me. As Sterling said...and I quote: "The boat will never let you down"....and he was sooooooooo correct! Alan Fisher