mamba

[dustin harwood]

i've recently considered buying a mamba 8.0. im an imtermidiate paddler that has a moderate/decent roll and im looking for a good kayak for me. i've just learned how to surf a little bit from my dad, any opinion of would this be a good kayak for me?

[Lemme Hucknboof]

I have had this boat for bout a year as I learn. Got rid of a rodeo boat so I could pick things up quicker and feel more comfortable. It really depends on the water you usually run to determine if this boat is for you. It is great for the pushier water but when you want to play its just a little big, although you could surf all day at the right spot. I am satisfied with my purchase but am still keeping my eyes open for a used play boat to use as well. Give me a holla if you have anymore questions.
Levi-

[L.A.paddler]

I just bought a Mamba 8.5, and paddled it for the first time yesterday. I have paddled a Deisel 75 for the last three years and have gotten very used to it. I would have probably bought another Deisel, but I am unhappy with the last couple of Wave Sport boats that I have bought because the plastic seems weak to me.
I liked the way the Mamba sits in the water both ends seem high and dry. It handles very different than my Deisel, and the outfitting is going to take me a little while to get right. But I think for what I bought it for (creeking) it should end up being a very good design. I am a larger paddler than most at least as far a weight goes 5'9" 220lbs. I will make more comments about this boat as I get a little more used to it. Good luck with yours, let me know what you think of yours as you get used to it.

Terry D.

[okieboater]

Hey Terry, Glad you got a big Mamba. Back last year when I was testing boats, it came down to the wire between the big Mamba and the big Burn.

The Burn just felt a bit better to me than the Mamba, not sure why. But, I think I would be happy with a Mamba as well. Outfitting my Burn to the fit I wanted, took me a while, but at this point It fits like a glove.

Good luck with the Mamba, hopefully, we will get to creek together soon and can compare outfitting, boats, etc at that time.

Anyway, am interested in how the Mamba works out for you just for personal information.

dave

[L.A.paddler]

Dave

I have not yet paddled my boat on a good creek, but hope to get the chance pretty soon. Matt paddled it on Oolagha spillway and looked pretty good doing it. It is a lot different outfitting wise than my Deisel 75. It seem I am going to have to figure out a way to lift my feet and my seat up in inch or so to get a proper fit in the thigh hooks. It paddles really well on the lake and my local run ( I like how high its ends set up in the water). I think I am going to like it better on creeks and big water than the Deisel. Just need to get it fitting like a glove. I will let you know how this progresses.

Later, Terry

[okieboater]

Here is what I did in a Skreem creek boat some years ago.

On the seat, you can use a closed cell foam pad from wally world to build up thickness in the seat. Then on top put the softer dimpled foam pad (also from wally world camping dept) as the final top layer. The dimples seem to help hold you in place better than the slick flat surface of the regular closed cell.

On the thigh hooks knee braces, I also put in a layer of the dimpled foam. Also I sometimes build up the outside edge of thigh braces with a base strip of closed cell foam then overlay the entire thing with more foam.

All in all, that old Skreem fit me like a glove and felt like setting in a easy chair. I got the idea from Cowper (he also had a Skreem) so I cannot claim bragging rights to the wally world foam, but it sure worked for me.

One of the best creek boats I ever owned.

Have not shopped wally world lately, but they used to have this foam in the camping department as camping pads.

One thing I did to my Burn's thigh hooks that might help your Mamba was to put in a lower block to keep my knees up in the general area of the top hooks. I used the premade, preglued hip pads that normally go on the sides of your seat - just install them below where your leg rests in the thigh hooks and they work really well.

The Burn has so much room inside that my knees were flopping around and these blocks keep them in the general area of the thigh hooks so it is much easier to stay in the boat. I actually fell out of the Burn one time on flat water was drifting along sideways looking at the scenery and hit a semi submerged rock that flipped me over in a micro second. I believe the blocks would have helped me stay in the boat.

good luck on your outfitting, that is what makes a good boat great.

[Renee H]

Hey, Terry -

Back when I was looking for a creek boat, I was trying to decide between the Mamba 8.0 and Diesel 65. I have always liked the Dagger boat designs and was really leaning towards the Mamba cause it just felt better, but Dagger boats have a tendency to leak due to the amount of screws/bolts they put in. So I buy the Diesel. I have learned to paddle it and the outfitting is very cushy - nicer than Daggers, but you are correct about the plastic. Around the cockpit where the bolts hold in the suspended seat, there is a tendency for the boats to crack. I have heard several people say they have had to send their EZG's back or repair the cracks. When I called Wavesport, they said they have never had issues with the Diesels, but I think that is untrue. Anyway, I love the boat, but am dissappointed with the plastic as well. Next year, I will look at Mamba's and I heard the new ones will have the Nomad (Dagger Creekboat) outfitting which is supposed to be stronger than the playboat outfitting. I have a Crazy 88, which I love, but hate the outfitting. Let me know what you think about this boat as you start paddling it on creeks. I think that will be my next choice for a creekboat.

[L.A.paddler]

Thanks for the tips Dave, I haven't outfitted the boat yet as I am still paddling my Diesel until I get the outfitting done on my Mamba. I like the idea of the blocks under the knees that sounds like it will work well. I have not figured out how I am going to raise the seat yet as it has plastic rivets holding the cushion down. I am going to put some 1/2" blocks under the heels of my feet to lift my legs a bit as well as give my feet some cushioning. I need to get going on this very soon, but I have had little time because of the all the water around here this year.

Renee as far as the diference between the Mamba and the Diesel. I do think the outfitting is better on the Wave Sport boats ( for me at least). But I think when I get used to it the Mamba will be a better creek boat for me. I like the way the ends sit up higher out of the water. There is also more volume in the bow and the stern and I think this will serve me better in creeking and big water situations. It paddles great at least from what little I have paddled it and will keep you posted on how I feel it performs when it gets used properly.

As far as the plastic is concerned this is my first Dagger and I'm not sure how it will test out. But as one of the people who had to get a new EZG after the cockpit cracked out after a couple of months, and now that my not quite three year old Diesel is cracking out between the seat mount screws. I had had enough from Wave sport and decided to go in another direction. My new EZG (1 and half years old) has not cracked yet, but is deeply gouged and I don't think it will last much longer. I hope I'm wrong on that but I doubt it.


Thanks for the comments guys, Terry D

[okieboater]

I have a good friend, who is retired and lives back east in the middle of serious boating country.

He kayaks a ton.

He is my size and boats a Diesel.

Loves the boat, is on his third replacement due to cracking problems. He purchased the boat from a well known outfitter and so far replacements have been show up with the boat and on the spot replacement. So, the manufacturer has to know there is a problem.

Like I said, he went from a RPM Max (like me that was his favorite ever kayak) until he got the Diesel - is very pleased with the Diesel boat design, just feels there is a design problem with the cracking issue.

I have owned a lot of Daggers over the years, enjoyed them all and all were wet boats. I just sponged out the water.

I have never ever enjoyed a relatively dry kayak ride till I got my large Burn and a Mountain Surf seriously tight spray skirt. True, I have to work to get the skirt on, IE getting the back portion to stay on while I pull like crazy to get the front lip hooked - but on many trips I am bone dry. Others I may get some leakage if I'm getting semi pounded, but never much.

My take is if you want a dryer kayak ride - the key factor is the spray skirt fit to the boat and your body.

[newman99]

Newbie here with Newbie questions. I was thinking bout the Mamba for my first kayak. I plan on running what I can here in Ar and when I go back home to Pa and WV. This will be my first kayak. Would this be a good starter boat ? If not what should I look for ? I'm trying to research this out before I buy, but there are tons of opinions. Thanks for helping out a rookie. Paul

[L.A.paddler]

Paul,

The Mamba will be a forgiving boat for a newbie. The main question is what kind of kayaking are you going to be doing? If you just want to run rivers the Mamba should be great for you. If you are wanting to get into playboating it's not the right boat. The learning curve will be less steep in the Mamba than something shorter and edgier. I hope this helps.

Terry D.

[newman99]

Paul,

The Mamba will be a forgiving boat for a newbie. The main question is what kind of kayaking are you going to be doing? If you just want to run rivers the Mamba should be great for you. If you are wanting to get into playboating it's not the right boat. The learning curve will be less steep in the Mamba than something shorter and edgier. I hope this helps.

Terry D.

Thanks for the reply. After alot of research and talking to different people, I'm looking to get a Diesel 65. The folks I've talked to have suggested this kayak for what I wanna do. It seems to be a good starter kayak for playboating and creek running. Thanks again, Paul

[RandyJ]

Paul, you'll like a D65 a lot. I've pounded mine down steep creeks, flushed through big-volume spillways, done an impromptu over-niter, and a few things in between. Comfy, responsive, and predictable. Probably not as bomber as a full-on creek assault boat, but so far, no problems here.

Good luck and have fun!

[newman99]

Yea now I just gota save up the beans to get one !!

[L.A.paddler]

Paul,

I loved my Deisel 75, great river runner decent creek boat and surfs better than the Mamba. I just have had problems with Wave Sport plastic the last couple of boats that I have had. Hopefully they have worked that out.

Good luck, Terry D