Fuego Description

The Fuego is a kayak brought to you by North Shore Sea Kayaks. Read Fuego reviews or submit your own review to share with the paddling community. Check out a few other kayak recommendations below or explore all kayaks to find the perfect one for you!

North Shore Sea Kayaks
Fuego Reviews

Read reviews for the Fuego by North Shore Sea Kayaks as submitted by your fellow paddlers. All of the reviews are created and written by paddlers like you, so be sure to submit your own review and be part of the community!

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4

The Fuego is an excellent…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 4/5/2022

The Fuego is an excellent boat for beginners who are on the smaller scale. I'm 130lbs and this kayak was a perfect fit when starting out. It doesn't do anything that is specific for an experienced paddler but it makes up for that by being a boat that is so well rounded. Can handle whatever comes your way. I was using it the day after a hurricane in Florida, took it out from the inlet with 7+ foot waves. And enjoyed every moment. Surfing was extremely fun. So yeah it's sea worthy, quick for it's makeup, great for rolling too since there's nothing to get in the way behind the cockpit. There's a large fiberglass storage cover aft which can be a bit leaky. But I've used it in the wilderness as a clean surface for many things. The skeg workup can be glitchy as the cable isn't properly adhered to the hull. Well that's my experience and I've had to repair it. All in all, this is a great kayak in the British style. A true icon that's been a model for everything that came after. I now paddle a vintage Valley Pintail because the Fuego brought me to it. I still own my Fuego, it's a part of my love for kayaking. I'll sell it though because I've graduated. Hope this helps for anyone considering buying it. Tears will follow losing my first love.

4

I bought the fuego as i'm a…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 12/18/2019

I bought the fuego as i'm a smaller size paddler, it is great to paddle just a pity more is available to find out about it not much litrature or any vids of it :(

5

I love my Fuego. I paddled it…

Submitted by: paddler233869 on 11/17/2010
I love my Fuego. I paddled it this summer on a large lake in BC. All kinds of conditions. Glided like lightening in the calm and surfed great in the wind and swell. I bought my fiberglass boat used, had to replace the front hatch with a snap on but still, it kept everything dry. I am 5'6" about 125 lbs, it is the perfect fit for me.
5

In December 06 I became the…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 2/23/2007
In December 06 I became the proud & delighted owner of this handsome low volume British fiberglass kayak described below, a wonderful perk of visiting paddling.com. The Shoreline Fuego (its full name) is the little bro of the Shoreline kayak which in 1982 founded the North Shore Kayak line. In fit and form it is the small person's sea kayak, celebrating the seaworthy British modified Greenland form.

Rare to find a kayak of almost 16 feet, 20" beam that's sized for the small paddler (I'm 5'3", 115 lbs, 32" inseam, size 6 feet). The cockpit is low and aftdeck flat which mates well to smaller torsos, and which facilitates rolling and self rescues. No thigh braces are needed- plenty of grab area under the 16"x26" cockpit, nice low 10.5" foredeck (8.5" in the rear). Water ready the kayak is 44lbs (as weighed in at the freight depot when I picked it up) thus very nice to carry & cartop. The layup is thoroughbred and the finish gleams. The seat & combing are also red and smoothly edged. On my very first paddles I felt no tippiness. The cockpit is in neutral (centered) position.

Although the Fuego is wellmannered, it will respond if pushed. It has beautiful glide. The slider skeg moves smoothly & allows you to pinpoint how much skeg you are using. About 1/4 down in mild conditions worked for me. Full on into moderate wind and 15" chop the skeg went 3/4 down & I made good progress. Very nonfatiguing to paddle. I never battled this kayak in wintry Michigan river waters.

Little things to like: * hatch covers are fiberglass, with extra texturing for grip. The aft hatch has two buckles, the front hatch one, for extra assurance (along w. minute blowholes in each bulkhead.)
* Float pump squeezes nicely into the left side betw. seat and kayak.
* Deck rigging is extra thick 1/4" with full perimeter lines. The U-cleats are embedded in the fiberglass - no padeyes.
* the rectangular afthatch is so easy to load. My tent, sleeping bag, and mat all fit nicely w. more room for clothing, etc. - not even getting the 10" round hatch on the long foredeck!

On January 1, in its group paddling debut, the Fuego won much admiration from the paddlers, incl. two kayak shop owners who examined her closely. A month after that paddle, one athletic canoeist of years' experience recently told me "that kayak is fast, usually I don't have to push myself to keep up w. a kayak, but with that one I did." Sadly, the Fuego is no longer made. My Fuego was built in 1997 and gleams w. the pride and craftsmanship of a small British company who forever changed the concept of what a seakayak could be.

4

I purchased mine used for 3…

Submitted by: paddler231862 on 10/25/2006
I purchased mine used for 3 months now. The finish and the fiberglass layup are first class. Mine has the beautiful red top and white bottom. It weighs about 45-48#. It's a British style design quite similar to some made by Valley Canoe. This kayak glides easily and is fast for its' length. The up turn rocker makes if very easy to turn as well. When the wind blows, it weathercocks like most but the use of the skeg will handle that effectively.

The storage size is okay and rear hatch is rectanular so it is easy to load things. Both hatches are water tight. I have paddled and demo quite a number of kayaks and this is in the top 5. The cockpit size is on the small size. Probably good for smaller size paddlers. I'm 5'8-1/2" and 155# with a size 7 shoes. That's about the maximum limit.