What's everyone paddling these days?

yomchi · 07-01-2014 10:50pm #1

More a question for kayakers/river runners.

What are folks paddling at the moment?
I've noticed a sharp turn away from Pyrhana boats over the last 3 years. Not so many burns around anymore. Also the new Recon hasn't seemed to catch on much either. Seems there's an increase in Dagger Mambas on the rivers and I'm seeing more Zet Raptors as well. The Stomper didn't catch on much either and I've seen only a few Jackson creekers/river runners.

I'm in a 8.6 Mamba at the moment. The Karma had my eye as a possible new boat in the future.

What's everyone else in?

Arawn · 08-01-2014 2:46am

yomchi wrote: »

More a question for kayakers/river runners.

What are folks paddling at the moment?
I've noticed a sharp turn away from Pyrhana boats over the last 3 years. Not so many burns around anymore. Also the new Recon hasn't seemed to catch on much either. Seems there's an increase in Dagger Mambas on the rivers and I'm seeing more Zet Raptors as well. The Stomper didn't catch on much either and I've seen only a few Jackson creekers/river runners.

I'm in a 8.6 Mamba at the moment. The Karma had my eye as a possible new boat in the future.

What's everyone else in?

I'm in a jackson jeffe grande myself, but the mambas seem to be massive, Tbh I was considering buying the JAckson Zen last year as it seemed to be a nice boat, but nobody bought one bought of anyone I know!
Personally I find the jeffe a bit slow but its ability to take anygear you want compensates for that

KenHy · 08-01-2014 1:55pm

Mamba 8.1 - great boat. Had a Burn before and think the Mamba is just so much better.

yomchi · 08-01-2014 4:07pm

I noticed on Facebook there a lad broke his Jackson Karma twice in Kerry. Doesn't ring too good for their plastic which is a pity. I like the Jackson range, having said that I paddle their playboats as opposed to their river running/creekers.

Chavways · 11-01-2014 1:33pm

I have a Mamba 8.1 and love it. A good few people I know are starting to buy them. Zet Raptors seem to be the boat to have this year though. Loads of people I paddle with have them and having been in one a few times, they are a very good boat, if only the outfitting was a bit more rigid. I know of a few people paddling Exo's from Italy, especially the XT260 and XT300. I used the XT260 once on the Boluisce and it's an absolutely fantastic boat. It almost feels as narrow as a surf kayak but it's an absolute rocket and so easy to maneuver.

MugMugs · 13-01-2014 3:11pm

In a Project most of the time. Have a trusty old H3 for anything juicy.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it

yomchi · 14-01-2014 12:38am

Chavways wrote: »

I have a Mamba 8.1 and love it. A good few people I know are starting to buy them. Zet Raptors seem to be the boat to have this year though. Loads of people I paddle with have them and having been in one a few times, they are a very good boat, if only the outfitting was a bit more rigid. I know of a few people paddling Exo's from Italy, especially the XT260 and XT300. I used the XT260 once on the Boluisce and it's an absolutely fantastic boat. It almost feels as narrow as a surf kayak but it's an absolute rocket and so easy to maneuver.

Was that run on the Boluisce recently? I just watched a video and there's an orange Exo moving quite nicely on it

Chavways · 15-01-2014 9:59pm

yomchi wrote: »

Was that run on the Boluisce recently? I just watched a video and there's an orange Exo moving quite nicely on it

Yep that's the one! That was my video and me trying out the Exo in Poll Gorm. It's a savage boat.

kieranfitz · 17-01-2014 5:10am

In 6 months-ish I'll be back home to my frenzy.

yomchi · 20-01-2014 4:48pm

Chavways wrote: »

Yep that's the one! That was my video and me trying out the Exo in Poll Gorm. It's a savage boat.

One of the lads at my club is the main dealer for the Exo, looks like a great baot alright. I thought the plastic felt a bit 'hard' or crisp maybe. Not sure how it would hold up under a bang or two.

MugMugs · 20-01-2014 5:05pm

Paddled down the Roe on Saturday. It's near Derry.

Bit more water and it'd be savage !!!!!!

ec18 · 20-01-2014 5:51pm

a new Burn

MadYaker · 23-01-2014 6:16pm

Habitat 74.

68deville · 15-02-2014 3:32am

Does and one use a wooden kayak?me and the old man bought a Canadian
Kayak off a friend in the US and are having it shipped home,pure beginners
But it was built from kit form?

Zuppy · 16-02-2014 10:15pm

Kit building kayaks is huge in the states and I looked into it awhile ago (6 months). The kits are simple but time consuming. Depending on the kit it should be ok as long as the builder followed the instructions.

Canadians and kids kayaks seem to be the biggest kit sellers???

carthoris · 17-02-2014 2:12am

To be cantankerous I would would say I am paddling a 'boat' - the boat doesn't matter, the paddler does.

If it doesn't do what you want that is your fault and not the fault of the boat.

Must try harder

yomchi · 18-02-2014 6:33pm

carthoris wrote: »

To be cantankerous I would would say I am paddling a 'boat' - the boat doesn't matter, the paddler does.

If it doesn't do what you want that is your fault and not the fault of the boat.

Must try harder

10 out of 10 for being off topic

john lanigan · 20-02-2014 7:38am

so your saying as a newbie having maybe 3 flat water lessons and 5 river runs in a pyrahna 242 the fact that the tail gets caught very fast and im swimming is all my fault ,not maybe wrong boat at all,perhaps inexperience ,,,NO,...I was half thinking of a medium karnali ,where are all theese second hand burns gone to,I would like one of them,long summer comming to hone my skills n 242 is fun at the bech,

yomchi · 21-02-2014 6:56pm

john lanigan wrote: »

so your saying as a newbie having maybe 3 flat water lessons and 5 river runs in a pyrahna 242 the fact that the tail gets caught very fast and im swimming is all my fault ,not maybe wrong boat at all,perhaps inexperience ,,,NO,...I was half thinking of a medium karnali ,where are all theese second hand burns gone to,I would like one of them,long summer comming to hone my skills n 242 is fun at the bech,

Kanarli is a great boat! I started in a medium Kanarli great river runner.

ec18 · 21-02-2014 11:21pm

john lanigan wrote: »

so your saying as a newbie having maybe 3 flat water lessons and 5 river runs in a pyrahna 242 the fact that the tail gets caught very fast and im swimming is all my fault ,not maybe wrong boat at all,perhaps inexperience ,,,NO,...I was half thinking of a medium karnali ,where are all theese second hand burns gone to,I would like one of them,long summer comming to hone my skills n 242 is fun at the bech,

But when you get it right in a 242 you'll be able to do it burn/karnali even better :P :cool:

yomchi · 22-02-2014 9:35am

I think less people stay in the sport when their early learning is done in a low volume river runner/play boat. You are right in what you say in relation to skill and that if you can pull off ferry gliding and breaking and out in a low volume unforgiving boat then you will have no problem doing it in a larger volume boat, but the head games that go with that learning curve often put an end to participation in the sport. My very first river trip was in a Wave Sport EZ 69 and I thought I was just sh1te compared to everyone else who were in Liquid Logic Hoss's and Kanarli's.

Luckily I'm still here

carthoris · 23-02-2014 6:00pm

yomchi wrote: »

10 out of 10 for being off topic

My apologies. I feel that the natural progression of such a thread is to what is the best boat and ... well I think I have already made my feelings known on that

As to the original topic; I paddle a Mamba and have done for for a while. It is a nice boat and very MOR. I don't think I would get a new one however as they are so heavy, I would like something quicker and more fun like a Remix, Axiom, Zen or even an Innazone.

yomchi wrote: »

You are right in what you say in relation to skill and that if you can pull off ferry gliding and breaking and out in a low volume unforgiving boat then you will have no problem doing it in a larger volume boat, but the head games that go with that learning curve often put an end to participation in the sport.

I am not sure if I should continue this line as it might drag this further off topic, but I wonder if having a shallower learning curve at the beginning makes it more difficult later on when things get tougher. I.e will someone in a large forgiving boat starting out quickly get to L3 and then plateau as they need time to develop more. This could also lead people into getting into stuff they are not able to deal with.

ec18 · 25-02-2014 2:00pm

carthoris wrote: »

My apologies. I feel that the natural progression of such a thread is to what is the best boat and ... well I think I have already made my feelings known on that

As to the original topic; I paddle a Mamba and have done for for a while. It is a nice boat and very MOR. I don't think I would get a new one however as they are so heavy, I would like something quicker and more fun like a Remix, Axiom, Zen or even an Innazone.

I am not sure if I should continue this line as it might drag this further off topic, but I wonder if having a shallower learning curve at the beginning makes it more difficult later on when things get tougher. I.e will someone in a large forgiving boat starting out quickly get to L3 and then plateau as they need time to develop more. This could also lead people into getting into stuff they are not able to deal with.

I agree with this.....I started off learning in the smaller boats and although I capsized a bit I think I ended up with a more confident edge control when I got fat and started paddling bigger boats

fundi · 28-02-2014 4:40pm

paddling a sit on top. great fun, can use it in very small waves too, self draining.

Ironlungs · 12-04-2014 8:39pm

A Tarpon 120, great for ocean kayaking, have done a bit of fishing off it. Not as agile as some, but I can take the kids for a spin quite safely, so all good.

SALIERI · 16-04-2014 10:23pm

Started off with GTX's at the club. Got a H2 255 this year in great nick and really liking the feel of it. Seems quite nippy.

What's everyone paddling these days?

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