So I'm pretty new to paddling and am looking for a reasonably cheap boat- Something that I can still run rivers in (class III to easy IV) with some speed but learn some tricks in. I've been using longer boats(Foreplay mostly), and want a shorter one. I tried the Dagger Prescription RX and it was by far the most comfortable boat I've sat in, but its a bit pricy. Can anyone give me their opinion on the Pyranha I:3 or Seven-O or the Dagger Juice or ID's? or the Riot Disco or Booster? or Necky Mission. Im having some trouble deciding what would be best for me. (sorry for the massive list of boats).

I am familiar with the Necky Mission and the Juice. I have paddled both and found them to be good boats for surfing. I did find the Necky Mission had a grabby tail (i have reviewed the boat on this site). Both boats have a lot of rocker in the bow so they do not pearl (dive into a wave with the front) but this also means it is harder to do a bow stall. I find that the outfitting on the Dagger is better than Necky except for the inflatable hip pads. It sounds good in practice but the valve starts leaking quickly and I haven't been able to get it to stop even with a replacement valve.

I would say that you should fork over the dough and get the RX. Another boat to look at is the Wavesport EZG. It is supposed to be the same type of boat as the RX ( I have paddled both back to back) but it feels noticably different. If price is an issue look into getting a Jackson Fun (whatever boat in the series is for your weight). They have been widely talked about in the forum's if you look for them.

[quote:970c6577c4="taliesin38"]...I did find the Necky Mission had a grabby tail...[/quote:970c6577c4]

[color=cyan:970c6577c4]A mate of mine has a Necky Mission and both of us find the tail to be very grabby. This past weekend we took the seat out and worked out that the seat can be moved forward another 40mm forward. Then the seat bolts in the hip pad mounting plate are at their limit in that slot. But there are no more holes for the seat pin on the spine. I drilled another 2 holes 40mm further forward in that block that slides in the spine of the boat for the locating pin on the seat. Now the seat is more forward and the boat is feeling better. The thigh braces are at their limit already in the forward position and are not that comfortable. We are thinking of maybe removing them... I'll let you know what we do.

Any other experiences from other Mission users? [/color:970c6577c4]

Hey guys thanks so much for the advice.
One more question tho, I've heard great things about the Jackson kayaks, comfortable and a good all around boat... but I've also hear the plastic is very soft. There are a lot of rocks where I paddle, and I am afraid of it getting wrecked too quickly.
Alex

Oh ya and one more question,
there is a Pyranha I:3 that I can get fairly cheaply, but the weight range is about 10lbs. more than I am. Mostly I am looking for a river runner, but I did want to get into the freestyle world. Is 10 lbs too much for me to even dream of handling?

10lbs how? Are you 10lbs over the recomended weight or the recomended weight is 10 above what you weigh? Are the rocks sharp or rounded?

jackson plastic is as hard as nails ( cept the one that went through that guys boat at HPP), and the boats are really comfy

I am 10 lbs less than the recommended.

If you are 10 less then it may not be a big deal. You would most likely just find the edges of the boat to be a bit more forgiving.

Adrian: That seems like a lot of work just to make a boat paddle right?

jackson boats are very nice i havent heard tha plastic is soft but if it was it would probably be for some good reason look on there site and if it says its hard its hard and if it says its soft itll explain why (did any of that make sence?)

The I3 is a similar boat to the foreplay both will do all the tricks you can think of!

If you want a shorter boat i would recommend trying the Seven-Os/m paddles much better than the juice ezg both down river and playing in waves and holes!

Theres nothing wrong with moving seats we used to do all the time years ago so 1- 2 mins playing with a drill to make your boat handle better for your paddling style is nothing unheard of

If you are after more of a river runner that can still go big in moving water then check out the CR from liquid logic really comfy boat great on waves and in holes but dont expect much on the flat water

I have an i3 and love it. Like a few others, the tail is a littel grabby. If you can get one cheap, and it's your first boat, I would grab it. The LL CR is a good choice of an all around too. The Jackson fun series are great boats, but if you are fairly new, they might be a little small for you in bigger water. The 10lbs under weight issue is fine. It just means that you'll have a tougher time throwing it around, but it's not a true playboat anyways. The I3 is a great boat for bow stalls in holes and it's pretty easy to cartwheel. The 7-0 is a little smaller, and will be a little easier to play in. Again, if the I3 is cheap, grab it. It's a great first boat...just remember to lean forward when paddling bigger water!

hello! i got an I3 for my first boat almost a year ago and although at first i wasnt keen (because i was used the old club spud!) i love it now!
mine is a little bit big for me even though its the smallest but i have never found it to be a problem - just needed alot of extra padding to wedge myself in!lol!
xLx