Up to about 265 lbs. after a year of no training from shoulder injury and then shoulder surgery this past August (shoulder resection surgery during which the doctor found he also had to reattach my rotator cuff--still doing rehab 3X/week, but shaved clavicle is still VERY painful at some angles of movement). Just started running machine routine to trim things down, but won't be able to fully use shoulder until Feb. at earliest to build up upper body and there is no way of realistically telling how much lighter I will be by next spring.

Well, that's the body I have to work with--short and tank-like--but what tool would be best to hit both the Chitose River (Hokkaido, Japan) just a hundred meters from my door AND the Japan Sea and Pacific coasts both within an hour from my door is more problematic is the problem I'd like help with. I will be on the more tame parts of the river, since most of my experience has been in the ocean, where I am a self-taught (probably meaning rather poor) kayak surfer--have been for the past 10 years or so. I do have surf-specific composite boats, but sometimes it is really fun just to play in shore break, especially on days when it is too big to go out further, where a composite boat would take too much of a beating.

Both the Jackson Super Fun and Super Hero are boats that have been variously recommended to me. It is impossible to demo large-size boats here since most of the importers cater mostly to the smaller Japanese market, so I more or less must buy on recommendation. I do worry about the Super Fun's ability to get up to speed on take-off, though, and whether or not the stern would hold me up in the soup. I would need recommendations from people who have used the boat for ocean surfing. Then the Super Hero, which I am sure would serve me more than well on the river, leaves me wondering how all that weight would handle in the ocean. Again, if anyone has used it for surfing...

Alternately, the Riot Thunder 76 and the newer Pyranha Z.one L both are touted as good ocean surfers, but I can't find anything from people with experience.

Any feedback or recommendations from HEAVY people who have used any of these boats for both the river and ocean surfing would be appreciated.

You may want to try the Fluid Flirt L. It is available with fins, which would make it great for surfing, but still should run whitewater fine. It is a playboat, but worth checking out. The Pyranha S7 /2 is a well designed boat, and you can find them for not much now (I got one for $200, but ended up selling because it didn't fit right). It is one of the better whitewater kayaks that can still surf well, but the top of the weight range is 220 lbs. As long as it has a planing hull, it should be fine, but you won't be able to do bottom turns or other common surf moves easily. Alternatively, you could get a boat for surfing and a boat for whitewater, but if you could only have one, I would say the Fluid Flirt L, JK Superfun, Bliss-Stick RAD 195, or any other WW boat that has bow rocker and not too much stern rocker.

JK Super fun
Fluid Spice
Fluid Flirt
B-S RAD 195 (trust me its big)

These are good jumping off points, Id recommend a river running playboat like these as they will surf but wont kick your a$$ right away either

Be able to have fun all over the place

Thanks for the input. What do you think about the volume of the JK Super Fun? Will it support my weight in the soup? How much do you weigh and have you used it in the ocean? What is its speed like for takeoffs?

Thanks again.

At your weight youll be just about prime for the SuperFun. It sits at about 70 Gal so youll float well and proportionally should be fine...

I have not paddled one in the surf but I have paddled them on rivers at about your weight.. It is definately larger than the new spec full on freestyle boats. then again. 6 yrs ago it would be considered "cutting edge" playboat. The kayak will do most of the basic and advanced freestyle moves (not as easy as a new design)... With that, it should be a stable platform for for progression on all the river running aspects of kayaking... I really like the design

One other benefit is the hardware wont corrode on the saltwater unlike some of the other manufactures.

Id get out on a demo to make sure you like the boat and dont feel like youre too small for it... If you do, you might consider the 4 fun, youll be a tad heavy by design specs but ithink youll find it to be quite fine, just a little more playful

Good Luck

Hi chap
I’m same weight as you I paddle a Liquid Logic XP 10
Does all you ask of it and more.
Regards
Richard

What about the Necky Rip or Jive 8 10?