Sterling's Kayaks Illusion

Return to Kayak Product Page

 

The Sterling's Kayaks Illusion Kayak is the newest concept in sea kayak design. The Sterling's Illusion kayak is not a beginner's sea kayak, and the Sterling's Illusion is not another Brit kayak. The Sterling's Kayaks Illusion puts new meaning into high performance sea kayak. The Sterling's Kayaks Illusion is completely built in the U.S. by Sterling's Kayaks in Bellingham, WA. The Sterling's Kayaks Illusion combines an extremely low rear deck like Greenland kayaks (for ease of rolling and reduced weathercocking) with a hull that harkens back to the secrets of the Aleut kayaks and features that one-up the British kayaks with new implosion-proof rubber hatches, full sculptured foam seat and seat back, and a bigger, deep retractable skeg. All together these feature create something completely new and exciting! When was the last time anyone called a sea kayak exciting? The Sterlings Kayaks Illusion truly is exciting because it is one tough, extremely light, super maneuverable yet good tracking (usually these are mutually exclusive properties, but not for the Sterling's Kayaks Illusion), comfortable, efficient, fast touring and expedition sea kayak. A sea kayak that makes people go, "Wow!" when the try it. The Sterling's Kayaks Illusion was designed for efficiency and ease of handling when conditions get rough. In rough conditions you need maximum maneuverability and the lowest deck height/profile that is comfortable for your legs and feet (so the Sterling's Kayaks Illusion is available in a range of deck heights to fit different sized paddlers). The Sterling's Kayaks Illusion has maneuverability like no other sea kayak over 14', yet the Sterling's Kayaks Illusion is 17' long. By definition, the Sterling Kayaks Illusion has the lowest possible deck height/volume for your size because the deck height of the Sterling's Kayaks Illusion is custom sized to fit the owner's lower body. Some sea kayaks are available in a choice of two deck heights (a.k.a. "high volume" and "low volume"), but the Sterling's Kayaks Illusion is available in four heights. The range of Custom Volumes (deck heights) is from High Volume (HV which we call CV -0.00", indicating that it is cut down zero inches from full size) to CV -1.25"(lowest volume, 1.25" lower than full size). So instead of being limited to choosing between one or two sizes, with the Sterling's Kayaks Illusion CV you get the lowest possible profile that fits your feet and legs (plus or minus 1/8"). In addition to reducing wind surface/sail area of the kayak's profile, having the optimum deck height for your body makes for more efficient forward stroke entry, easier Eskimo rolling, better control for turning and bracing, less wind drift, and the best comfort for long journeys. Due to the Sterling's Kayaks Illusion's custom volume deck height feature, the Sterling's Kayaks Illusion can be built to perfectly fit paddlers from 5'3" and 130 lbs. to 6'4" 230 lbs. And even in the lowest volume size, the Illusion has all the room you'll need to take multi-day and longer expeditions. (We've used many Sterling's Kayaks Illusion on our yearly Exposed Coast Training Expeditions which are an eight-day self supported wilderness camping trip on the Pacific coast in SE Alaska.)

Usually you have to choose between a rockered kayak for maneuverability and fun or a straight keeled kayak for tracking and speed, but the Sterling's Kayaks Illusion is an exception to the rule. The Sterling's Kayaks Illusion has enough tracking to please even novice paddlers (it's novices that demand the stiffest tracking due to their lack of forward stroke technique) combined with remarkable maneuverability and an efficient way of slicing through the water. Sure the Sterling's Kayaks Illusion looks wild with it's semi hard chines and big rocker, but don't let its looks fool you (remember it's an Illusion). The Sterling's Kayaks Illusion looks radical, but it is a pussy cat at heart -- that's why George named it the Illusion. Its name was inspired by this contrast between its wild looks and its sweet handling. It is no accident that the Sterling's Kayaks Illusion works so well. The lines of the chines and keel were developed through testing and experience by George Gronseth. George and Sterling collaborated to refine this design through multiple revisions of prototypes. This trial and error development of the Sterling's Kayaks Illusion's design went on for over two years before George told Sterling it was good enough to make the final production mold of the hull. To make sure the Illusion would be the best handling sea kayak ever, George would go looking for extreme conditions to test the prototypes. When there was a big winter storm in the Puget Sound, George was out paddling the prototype Illusion. When there was a spring tide, George would be shredding Deception Pass in the experimental Illusion. And the notorious NW coast was the proving ground for it's ocean handling, strength, and surfing characteristics. Over and over George fed Sterling changes to make to improve the design and then retested the prototype to fine tune the performance of the Illusion's hull in every aspect that an advanced sea kayaker wants. Few sea kayaks (if any) have ever gone through as much field testing or been tested under as extreme conditions as the Sterling's Kayaks Illusion did before finalizing the design. The result of all this R & D work is the first kayak worthy of having George Gronseth's name on it. Like soupping up a race car to get the most out of it, Sterling says the Illusion was "Performance Tuned" by George Gronseth. George put a lot of hard work into testing and redesigning the prototype, but the results make it all worth while. Now when George paddles his Illusion he's all smiles.

The Sterling's Kayaks Illusion is for intermediate to expert paddlers. Beginners and inexperienced kayakers find the Sterling's Kayaks Illusion a bit too tippy, but the Sterling's Kayaks Illusion wasn't designed to be a beginner's kayak (Take a lesson -- a good lesson like the Kayak Academy offers and with a year's experience you'll be ready for a Sterling's Kayaks Illusion). Intermediate and experienced paddlers find the Sterling's Kayaks Illusion plenty stable and love the way it edges, carves, tracks, and turns. The rougher the conditions, the more the Sterling's Kayaks Illusion shines.

The Sterling's Kayaks Illusion comes standard with the most implosion-proof rubber hatches available (SeaDog hatches), the biggest retractable skeg, the most comfortable seat ever (a warm, soft, closed cell foam seat that is easy to customize for trim, tilt, hip width, shape, etc.), recessed deck fittings, and the innovative "Strong-Lite" lay-ups developed by Sterling's Kayaks and Fiberglass.

Thanks to Sterling's "Strong-Lite" lay-ups, even the lowest priced fiberglass Sterling's Kayaks Illusion is lighter than comparable sized Kevlar sea kayaks (with 3 hatches and skegs), and yet a fiberglass Sterling's Kayaks Illusion is much more rugged and durable than a Kevlar kayak.
The Sterling's Kayaks Illusion comes standard with a foot brace rails that are mounted without holes in the hull (using glassed in studs), molded fiberglass bulkheads with flanges (rather than flat plates) for flexibility and bulkhead seams that are durable, the hull has fiberglass seams inside and out (for added strength), recessed deck fittings for safety lines, a pump and sponge holder below the front deck (so they won't get in your way while paddling), self-rescue outrigger lash straps, chart holder bungees, keyhole shaped cockpit large enough to pull your legs out, good hip and knee braces, strong foot braces that are easy to adjust while seated in the kayak and big for comfort on long expeditions.

*A skeg looks like the fin on the bottom of a surf board except on sea kayaks the skeg is designed to retract into a trunk on the bottom of the hull. With the skeg up, the Illusion is extremely maneuverable for a 17 foot sea kayak. Put the skeg down and the Illusion tracks straight even in side wind conditions where most kayaks without rudders weathercock (turn up wind). This combination of great, well balanced hull design and a retractable skeg makes rudders (and all their problems and limitations) obsolete on sea kayaks (at least for people who know how to paddle).

There's only one place where you can order a Sterling's Kayaks Illusion that is the ideal size (Custom Volume) for you, and that is here at the Kayak Academy -- the home of the Sterling's Kayaks Illusion. After George got Sterling to agree to build the Sterling's Kayaks Illusion in multiple deck heights (or Custom Volumes) it created a need for a jig for people to use in order to find out what deck height is right for them. So George designed the first ever kayak fit jig which Sterling built for the Kayak Academy. Our fit jig is basically the middle section of an Illusion with the deck and hull held together by clamps. You can sit in the fit jig while we adjust its deck height to fit your body. Once the best fit is determined, we take measurements from the fit jig and have your Sterling's Kayaks Illusion built to fit you. No guessing, no mistakes. The fit jig has worked for people of all sizes and shapes. There's only one kayak fit jig in the world, and it's here at the Kayak Academy waiting for you to come order your next kayak. (A fee is charged for the kayak fitting service, but you may apply 100% of this fee toward your purchase of a Sterling Kayak from the Kayak Academy.)

If you like the features and of this kayak but want something narrower, for a smaller, lighter person, try the Ice Kap by Sterling's Kayaks (also available in Custom Volumes). For a more stable, roomier, yet maneuverable high performance kayak, you'll have to wait till 2010....

Call the Kayak Academy to arrange a demo.
206 527-1825

Feedback from Illusion owners:

"Just wanted to say hi and say how much I like the Illusion CV -.789" that I bought from you. Its a wonderful boat that fits like a glove and handles beautifully. I sold my NDK." S.K., Portland, OR

"I just wanted to tell you how much I love my new Illusion (CV -.789"). It is just the best boat ever! I was a little nervous about the price of the kayak but now that I have it I am completely sold! It is so maneuverable and yet tracks like a dream. The boat fits me just beautifully. I have struggled with finding a boat that was comfortable enough for me to paddle and didn't put too much pressure on my bad knee. Now I don't have to wear a knee brace when I paddle. How great it that?! This boat takes almost no effort to paddle. Its like a hot knife through butter! Plus, it is so light I can car top it myself. I have had so many people ask me if they can paddle it because they have heard so many good things about the Illusion. Thanks you so much for the great service and helping me choose this awesome boat!" E.H., Belfair, WA

"I used my Illusion CV -.385" while teaching this year's High Wind Training at the Columbia R. Gorge near Hood River, OR, and it made everything so easy! We had winds over 20 knots opposing the river current kicking up steep breaking seas. The Illusion catches waves with little effort and makes staying in control on them unbelievably easy. Over the years, I've tested a lot of sea kayaks in the Gorge, and nothing compares to the ease of handling or the pleasure of surfing a custom sized Illusion." G.G., Issaquah, WA

We had three Illusions on this year's Exposed Coast Training Trip in Sitka, AK, and all of them performed beautifully. One day I swapped kayaks with a student using a Tempest 170, and the contrast between kayaks was profound. Until then, I'd always felt the Tempest was a good fitting and comfortable kayak, but after a week of paddling the Illusion, the Tempest seat actually felt hard (Love that custom foam seat in the Illusion). The Illusion also took noticeably less effort to paddle.

The Illusion was the buzz at the demo beach at the 2008 West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium. People couldn't believe how easily they rolled, how well they tracked, how maneuverable they were, and that foam seat! We had four demo Illusions representing four custom deck heights from High Volume down to 1.25" lowered deck height/volume and everything in between, and they all got used a lot. Most women fit the -1.00" or -1.25" CV (custom volume/deck height), and guys fit the full size CV -0.00" to CV -1.00"