Scouted. Set up for a clean R > L run with an aggressive downstream ferry from top right, kissing the right horn on my way in. Got pushed HARD right both subsequent center/R holes into lower right rock. ~8000cfs. Badness ensues.
I was already looking into getting a set of rocky talkies for climbing, and saw they have a “expedition radio” which is marketed for kayakers. It says it’s up to 1 meter submersible and IP67 waterproof rated. I haven’t found any reviews from whitewater kayakers so I wanted to come on here and see if anyone has any experience with it already before I go and spend an extra 150 dollars on the waterproof ones.
I have been having fun surfing a few green waves in my kayak and been interested in river surfing with a board. I own a 7’3 43 liter mini Malibu, I took it out once and after some trial and error I could keep the board in the wave and go side to side on my stomach. I haven’t been able to get up on the board yet. I’ve started looking for a shorter, higher volume board. I weigh 240, so I feel like I need as much volume as possible.
The river specific boards seem to be a small niche and not mass produced, therefore a little out of my price range. I also haven’t seen any river specific boards in the used market near me. I’m leaning towards the right mix of length and volume being a soft top fishtail.
All that being said, I saw this board on Marketplace and it seems like it might work on a river wave. It seems to be pretty short and extremely high volume. Not sure how I would fit fins onto it. Has anyone tried surfing a board like this??
I was intrigued by this find that I saw on Marketplace.
The first time I saw the released design images of the Slick I knew I'd have that boat. It looked like exactly what I was after. Images are great, but you can't paddle them ;-)
I received my Full House and Slick last week. I'll give a run-down of the Full House in another post, but I wanted to start with the bell of the ball, so to speak. To preface this, I have owned and/or paddled pretty much every new creeker, river that have come out over the past 5 years. I'll use references to other boats, not to compare or judge, but to give an accurate impression.
The Slick is a 9' half-slice with 79 gallons of volume and just over 27" of width. The volume is focused from the bow to the front of the seat, where the taper to the sliced stern begins. It carries its overall width beyond the back of the seat, so it will handle hip control something like a Ninja / Ninja 2, but not with such a pronounced taper or visual. It has a wide, flat planing hull the entire length, with a pronounced keel in the bow - not displacement, but has some some characteristics when engaging with river features. It has wave deflectors, a la Ripper 2, with full length pronounced edges similar to what you'd see on a SuperNova or Indra.
Fit: I'm 6'2, 210lbs, with size 12 (Altama Marine Assaults). The boat comes set up with the seat fully forward - I've tried other positions, and this is the best for my size. The outfitting is extremely comfortable and solid. The seat track is roto-molded and feels very stiff, giving excellent connection and feel. The molded-in knee hooks are also very solid and engaging. You do sit a bit high in the boat, which I like, but the pad can be removed to lower it a little. Even while outfitting it, it was apparent it is a very comfortable boat.
Performance: Insane! This boat does an amazing job of bridging the gap between big water confidence I got from the Puffy Steeze with the silliness I enjoyed in t he Skuxx Deluxe. The stern is very playful when you engage it, but out of the way when you don't. It has an extremely loose hull, so you can spin it around pretty easily, and the stern is easy to get up for stalls and squirts. It jet ferries like you're on rails, but can side-slip eddy-lines with a slight unloading of the edges. The bow inspires confidence to charge lines, its rocker and stern make boofing feel smooth and instinctive, and the shape of the top deck make it a very easy boat to roll. It is a surfing machine!!! A buddy of mine has taken to calling it the Ripper 3.0 - another, the Steeze 2.0. I think both references are very fair, and touch on the breadth of possibilities with the Slick.
Durability: These boats are made at the Lettmann factory, using the same plastic. My feel so far is that it is closer to Dagger plastic - soft with elasticity. It'll pick up rash relatively quickly, but will resist denting and cracking. I managed to put a pretty good ding in the hull of the Full House - I left it flipped over in the sun when I went to work and when I got home I could barely feel it anymore. I'm pretty confident it'll take abuse, but we shall see.
In summary, this is an amazing addition to the half-slice segment. I love how it offers access to the fun of a compact half-slice with the competence of a 9' river-runner. I'm very happy to have the Full House as a creeker / step-up platform, but if I were to paddle only one boat, I don't think I'd ever feel bored or under-armed with the Slick. I also feel it would make a great boat for a newer paddler, but for one issue. It is a boat that makes you feel secure, rewards good technique while forgiving imperfection, and it is easy to roll. That said, the lack of a drain plug may be a frustration for a beginner who needs to empty it a lot.
I would caution that, while it doesn't feel like it on the water, it is still a big boat. Of the 5 paddlers who tried it with me, the lightest (160lbs) seemed to have some struggles. Possibly, with the seat moved back, he would have been able to use the stern and edges a little better, but I think 175lbs and up is where you'd want to be...otherwise the Joker or Slicy Joker might be a more suitable option.
I have very happily accepted a position as a brand ambassador for Spade Kayaks in eastern Canada, and feel that should be mentioned in light of the glowing review. ;-)