The Future of Freestyle...

[knu2xs]

...is composite. Rigidity = more pop and light = easier to toss around. This is some very impressive paddling.

http://vimeo.com/16436117

[GN YAKN]

Nice! Where is that wave? Nice smiley faced wave.

[Fish]

Proof: time in the water is more important than boat design

1. any new kayak design + pro paddler = average paddler thinks it's the boat
2. any new kayak design + average paddler = average performance
3. average paddler + hell of a lot of time in the water = pro boater
4. Therefore: living next to a year-round play wave > paid vacation time > new kayak design
Q.E.D.

- Fish

[A Savage spanke]

Whatever fish, I could totally pistol flip McNasty, if only I had that boat...

[FarPastGone]

That video doesn't really distinguish composite boats over others. Fish is right, any video of a pro boater on a badass feature, regardless of the boat he is in is generally going to yield some good stuff. There are more companies making composite boats (Vajda, Guigui-Prod, Wavesport, and Titan) now though. Here are some other videos of composite boats:

Vajda Stealth - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpY9TDbMw8s" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Guigui and Wavesport - http://vimeo.com/13850688" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

GN YAKN Platting is over in Europe somewhere.

[Fish]

Case in point: I remember when the pros showed up for the first time at Rockport. They were doing stuff at the ledge that I'd never seen anyone do there. Even the people who live 15 min away couldn't keep up. Difference? Not the boat designs. Those guys spend 300+ days a year paddling and most of that on a good feature.

Conclusion: until he spends a lot more time on the wave, the only McNasty Spanke will be doing is in his pants while scouting class 5.

- Fish

[RandyJ]

Conclusion: until he spends a lot more time on the wave, the only McNasty Spanke will be doing is in his pants while scouting class 5.

- Fish

THAT was funny right there!

Agree - quality time in the saddle is the single thing that makes the MOST difference.

Also agree, though, that when you get to the top of your game, technology/gear can make the difference.

[Fish]

Also agree, though, that when you get to the top of your game, technology/gear can make the difference.

You're probably right, but I wouldn't know. I've never been close enough to the top of my game.

Paddle 'em if you got 'em,
Fish

[Roger]

Kayak? Kayak? KAYAK?

Dude is doing it with one blade! Only thing in common with the KAYAK is the skirt he has on. He's in a C-1!

Love that reverse cartwheel/spin (?) sequence right there at the end!

[Jim Krueger]

Roger,

I noticed that too. I know you paddle your boat with a single blade, but with the skirt and higher paddler profile, I thought of friend Mike Coogan.


Best Regards
Jim Moose

[Fish]

I thought he just had a glandular problem resulting in abnormal torso growth and that he broke his paddle and was making due with what he had. Had no idea he was actually dumb enough to be sitting on his knees.

- Fish

[Roger]

Had no idea he was actually dumb enough to be sitting on his knees.

Sitting on his knees?! Sitting on his knees?!?! Sitting on his KNEES!?

Too funny! Can't even get that right!!! Kwackers!

[A Savage spanke]

c-1'ers do sit on their knees. If you were actually sitting on a saddle, your knees wouldn't constantly hurt when in one. C-1 is a much better version of the riverboard (in reasoning). Hear me out, both are designed for people who want to run higher quality, and skill levels of whitewater than they were previously capable of. People that river board are people that think they are to old or just plain not talented enough to learn to kayak (this is my observation after three summers of rafting), but they still want to run class III/III+. People that are canoers that want to run better quality, harder whitewater (all the way up to class 5+) get in c-1's because its obviously a better design for whitewater (being a kayak and all) and they can use techniques they are already similar with and use transferable skills. I know there are open boaters that can run class V in their canoes, but lets be real, for every person you know that can do that, you know at least three people (probably ten) that could do it in a kayak (which goes back to why people switch to c-1). No doubt I've seen a handful c-1'ers absolutely throwing down in play spots (they get crazy leverage), and Dr. Bob is without a doubt the man. With less and less young people learning to solo canoe, the numbers that switch to c-1 are dropping too. I'd put money that its dying out quickly, which pretty much proves the disadvantages outweigh its pros. Who knows a young c-1er? Matt bought one last year and its back up for sale. I don't know what my point is, but if you take all the outfitting out of a kayak, and make it way more uncomfortable and less stable, its just a worse kayak. Since this board is getting boring, and I don't have anything to do today, Flame on

-Ryan

Fish, if you just buy me that boat, I'll prove it to you... comon I know you want to

[Roger]

You sit on your butt, you kneel on your knees! It's all in the semantics and having a little fun at Fish's expense! No flame here.

[PROBOATER]

YO give me a boat and I will paddle it! JUST NOT ON MY KNEESSS