Has anyone paddled a Dragorossi Stinger? I am curious to know how this boat handles waves and holes. Does it get nice air? Can it carthweel well?

I am considering this boat as well for the spring of '07.

Hum, i paddle the Stinger Once a a big green wave and another time on a small wave.

On a big wave without foam... its slow and its surfing on the ass. On big Joe i big fast wave with foam... it was doing well... You can have a look on Corran's pictures on his website 2imagine.net. The Stinger is a butt bouncer. But where its really performing is on small feature and holes. You can also have links for video on Corran's Website.

For Confort...its very Roomy. I am 6,1 and long legs. No problems for footroom.

Dragorossi compares it to the Riot Disco... but i think its slower.

I am not on the forum often... so feel free to drop a line on my website for anything.

Cheers

Olivier

airsquad.playak.com

Portland, Maine woooo hoooo I like Portland. I'll try to answer your questions with some of the Maine spots that I frequent in the summer.

At Sheepscot, the Stinger is pretty much like every other spud out there. not better, not worse, although I seem to be able to get more loops in the hole behind the wave more often in the Stinger than some other spuds (must be the volume). But that should not be a deciding factor since that little hole is kind of strange anyway.

On the Kennebec, again, it's like most other spuds in that it's slow and can't catch many of the waves that longer boats can get, but it still gets the Taster wave just fine and surfs it well, and I've caught Mama in it a couple of times by dropping in on the fly. What it DOES do better than most spuds on the Kenny is ride a bit more dry. Basicaly the bow doesn't accidently go under as often so I can keep paddling on the line I want through those wave trains

On the Penob it's a pretty fun boat in all of those little holes and small waves . It might bet scary above 3600, but Rip gorge starts to get adventurous above that level anyway. I had an absolute blast in the boat on the Seboomic section this summer and would love to get up there when the water is super high.

Haven't been to Madison in a very long time, so can't comment.

I agree with Olivier. I think the Disco is/was a bit faster, but I also think the Disco is faster than all of the spuds out there today. The Stinger performs as well as my old Disco did, in as much as it's a bouncy spud that I will run easy class V in at low water. It is not a high water boat, but no spud is.

I weigh 165lbs and cartwheel the boat easily in flatwater. BUT, I also learned how to cartwheel a Glide years ago. The added volume makes hole riding beter, but flatwater stuff a bit more precise.

I recommend that everyone try the boat with the seat moved forward at least one notch. I just sits in the wwater better that way. Also, if you slouch in your seat or tend to lean back like a beginner, then you won't like the boat. But, if you lit up straight and/or lean a bit forward then the boat comes to life.

You should come to the Risk Session if it happens this weekend down in Rhode Island.

Drop me a line so we can talk. I MIGHT head up to visit friends in Rumford area soon and would be happy to meet at Sheepscot for a session.

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