Surf @ Turf pictures and video by Karla

[-HotLilNacho-]

Karla, DeBo isn't going to help the cause! Don't you remember her jumping up and down on the raft?!? LOL...good times, good times

[JTarver]

Yes Karla, I believe one of the pics is me going off the ramp. I appear to be fairly inverted. As usual, I'm never sure which way is up. Thanks for the photo op though. =)

Joe

[Paddlegal]

Dude! :shock: Your boats fulla watar!

http://thumb11.webshots.net/t/60/760/5/ ... jwN_th.jpg

[Roy Staggs]

I have some good pictures of Hunter going off the ramp and I will post a link when I can. I have been downloading 299 pictures taken at Surf & Turf for over 6 hours now (about one third done). Gotta find a better place to post pictures.

[KAYAKN]

Hey Roy
Are you the guy i meet with the Detonator on his truck. Im the newbie open boater that was demoing the Zephyr that probably drove you nuts with all the questions. Got one more, do you know anyone that has a Ocoee i could demo??
Thanks Adam

[Roy Staggs]

Yup Adam, that was me. I'm not sure who has an Ocoee right now but I will say this; I know at least one paddler who quit paddling canoes and started paddling kayaks because he started with an Ocoee. IMHO the Ocoee is a boat for the more advanced paddler. You may be the exception but I would start with a different boat. Some folks here on this board can wear an Ocoee out but they have a more advanced skill set. Keep in mind - this advice is worth exactly what you paid for it. The rest of you Ocoee paddlers, feel free to chime in.

[knu2xs]

Cowper, you love to show off don't you?

Next time I'm going to take advantage of your reputation, since you're going to get all the blame...er, credit anyway.


Big South Fork of the Obed, circa ~1997

Regarding the Ocoee, I would strongly argue it depends largely on the individual. I am not the strongest supporter of putting an athletic individual in a "friendly" boat. If you are going to teach somebody how to drive a racecar, why start in a Pinto? The learning curve is going to be much faster in something that goes fast to begin with.

A higher performance craft offers much more feedback and reward for correct technique. Boats designed exclusively to be, "friendly," do not offer this same feedback. Poor technique is rewarded just as much as correct technique. The learning curve is flatter and the level achieved much lower initially.

Of course, this coin does have two sides. This does mean a steeper learning curve, especially initially. The long term progression will be greater faster, but the initial learning has the potential to be much more frustrating. Still, for the right individual, an higher performance craft is the perfect tool.

This is why, when starting out many of the slalom racers, we don't even bother with plastic boats. Yes, they are friendlier, but athletes progress much faster when initially learning in edgy and largely unforgiving race boats as they reward correct technique and initially usually provide plentiful opportunities for roll practice.

[Cowper]

Cowper, you love to show off don't you?

Now, we both know if you'd been there, you would have been bumper-boating me out of that hole.

[Randy Dodson]

Adam, it seems strange but there doesn't seem to be just a whole lot of Ocoee's on Arkansas rivers.

I know that Larry Pearce from Ft. Smith has one or at least he did a few years ago.
Tim Muse from Hot Springs has a buddy that paddles one. Don't know the buddy's name.
Terry Prater (Prairie Tater) from Springfield Mo. has one.

your best bet for a demo might be to PM TMuse and see if his friend can meet you at Rockport sometime.

Another option would be to demo a Viper. Viper's don't handle exactly like an Ocoee but it's similar enough to give you an idea. Tim Muse has a Viper as well as T Yamashita.

[KAYAKN]

Thanks for the ifo Randy, i'll see if i can reach him. I been having a bunch of fun in other boats and im just wanting to try some others out. Rockport is the only thing running close to home in the summer so i want a boat i can have some FUN in.

[knu2xs]

Cowper, you love to show off don't you?

Now, we both know if you'd been there, you would have been bumper-boating me out of that hole.

Bumper boat, me? Never. It would have been much more fun to swim up and bleed a little air out of the boat.