Howya lads, need advice on a playboat, want to use it on some rivers, holes, flatwater and in surf!

I'm 82kgs and 5\"10\"ish and am thinknig of a few possibilities but amn't too sure, just throwing ideas around looking for feedback. I was thinking of:
Rad 180
ZG 48
Project 52
Jackson All Star
Not sure what else to consider???
Any of you paddled these???

Any help is much apreciated!!!

The ZG 48 is too small for you, you would probaly be best suited in a ZG54. The ZG is a great overall boat. Very smooth and great for cartwheels. That boat is going to be the best option for the surf. The all star 07 would be a better player but maybe not quite as good in the surf. The project52 is probaly too small for you. I don't knoq much about the blisstick boats except the RAD series is hard to backsurf.

Well I'm reasnably flexible and fit in both the zg 48 and the rad 175 (even though I'm too heavy but I fit) so I'm not sure if i'd be too small or not. Thanks though!

Rhyner wrote:

Rad 180

Forget about a Jackson I don't think you would be able to get it. How about going for a 4twenty

if you dont fit in a jackson all star which i think you would (im 5ft7/8 and fit in the star which is smaller) then there is the jackson superstar, ive owned my star for almost a year now and love it, its the best freestyle boat ive been in.

the rad series also look rly nice but i havnt had a chance to try one out yet, possibly when my mate gets one next year but personally i dont like the pyranha 4twenty due to the bulge on the stern and i just dont like pyranha outfitting as much

hope this helps

i no of a guy selin a all star in dalkey,dublin(prob willin 2 travel)on the irish freestyle site!!pretty reasonable i think...to bad its 2 big 4 me:arghhh:

WWTCC.COM

phone these people up, they are based in Emgland but will happily ship pretty much any boat to ROI, if u ask nicely

hth

seth

Hey I'm from Dublin, back there all the time! Gonna paddle my friends all star then prob make a decision! You got his number? Or email or anyhing?

Would be much appreciated!

Cheers,
Phil

I paddle a ZG48 at 77 kg and 5'9\" and think it's too small for me. I fit in it comfortably but it is really hard to run a river in it due to not having enough volume for my weight. I get squirted all over the place and feel out of control on medium to high volume III-IV. It's super easy to roll though. Also, the ZG is difficult to throw down on flatwater. I can get it vertical on the stern end but still cannot throw down the front end properly. Usually I have to either start flatwheels with the stern down first or else just start going around and around and build up enough momentum to initiate the bow deeply. It is \"really\" fast on a wave and I would think that on an ocean wave you will find yourself racing down the wave into the trough. The problem will be getting out beyond the break due to the slowness of the hull on flatwater. Fast on wave, slow on the flat. Easy to cartwheel and splitwheel in a hole but that's about the extent of my ability. Squirts well on eddy lines. I definitely think you would want to consider the ZG 54 before the 48. You might have trouble throwing it down but you will definitely have trouble river running in the 48 at your weight.

I have also paddled the older Allstar (2004 manufacture probably) and had no trouble getting it down for flatwater cartwheels even with the extra volume. It's a great freestyle boat and you will find it looser and easier to spin in a hole than the ZG 48 at your weight. The Allstar is not a good river running boat but it is a freestyle Weapon of Mass Destruction, haha. I could do more with it in one afternoon than I could in two years of paddling the ZG.

Have no experience with the Rad.

AP

I'd go for the project 52

You could also consider the Fluid Nemesis. Got one 2 weeks ago and I'm gonna take it to the swimming pool today. I'm a beginner at freestyle, but I'll let you know how I get on in it and I'll probably let some more experienced friends paddle it, so I'll have some flatwater feedback if you're interested. The boat's slightly cheaper than the others you mentioned and the outfitting totally rocks!

You could also consider the Fluid Nemesis

For the downlow on the Nemesis click here: lifebywater.com/linesandblunts/?page_id=157

It also answers the reply i would have given about trying to squeeze into as smaller boat as possible.

Hope it helps,
Scotty R

Hi Phil,

For demos of RAD 180, Nemesis Medium, Project 52 or JK Allstar give me a call on 01-6585015.

Cheers,
Colm
www.i-canoe.com

HEY ABOUT THE ALL STAR TRY TXTING SIMON ON 087 7510763......LET ME NO HOW YOU GET YOU GET ON!!think hes looking for 680 for it,and if your talking to him see if he has any smaller jacksons...there incredibly hard to come by!!

Well, I got the Nemesis in the pool...
As far as my performance goes :/ I can't even seem to roll in it consistently, but rolling has always been an Acchilles heel. I'm a complete novice at freestyle, but I almost got it vertical by the side of the pool (without paddle).

One thing that bugs me: the screws on the inside of the thigh braces stick out of the surface of the grip and bore into my leg!!!! I'll have to file them off or something...

I gave it to two more experienced friends to try. The better of them said it's really cool, though has too much volume in the stern for his taste. He said it makes it more difficult to flatwater loop than his project. On the other hand cartwheels are apparently easier for example. He suggested I try moving the seat back. Does anyone here know how this is done? The explanation on Fluids website is vague...

The other said the boat would be just right for him, but is too big for me... He weighs 90kg, I only weigh 67... Maybe I should have gone for the Small, but I was worried I'm too tall for it (184cm - almost 6'2\"). Besides Scott's review seems to indicate I didn't make a huge mistake after all... Though I seem to be doomed to a hard time learning the basics on flat water

Perhaps when I learn something in this boat I'll post a review

Hi Jan,

The screws digging into your leg sounds like a bit of a worry, i recommend you be in coms with your dealer or atleast the fluid office. I had the same problem with one of the prototypes but yours is the first i've heard of in the production boat.

As for its perfomrance, Celliers Kruger said from the very beginning of the Nemesis design, that he wasn't intending this boat to excell in flatwater, he wanted it to be at home on a wave and a hole.
It is very possible to play in it in the flats but it takes some getting used. Besides it is a new boat so you should give it some time to adjust from your old one, turst me i get frustrated everytime i get a new boat because of this. I'm the same weight as you are and i believe you made the right choice on the medium. Take it for a spin on a wave or a hole and you'll see what it was really designed for.

When moving the seat get a coin or flat-tipped screw driver and just loosen the screws behind the hip pads (the one's facing up) and this will loosen the seat for you to shift it back.

Hope this all helps,
kind regards
Scotty R

Thanks for the help with the seat. I'm afraid my dealer is a couple thousand km away Fluid doesn't have one in Poland... I'll think of something for those thigh braces, maybe more padding or filing/cutting the screws, or something. It's a bother, but I'm sure it's fixable with a bit of diy.

Jan, although the kayak may have a little too much volume for you, I'd say you'll have the same problem with nearly any kayak you purchase.

6\"2 and only weighing 67kg!? You are extremely light for your size, so any kayak that is large enough for you to fit your large frame in will likely have too much volume for your weight. If you're serious, maybe you could think about some free weight training and an appropriate diet (to put ON weight).

Then again, it doesn't really matter how much you weigh, or how much volume your boat has or any other crap like that. More volume means you'll go higher in aerial moves. Lower volume is easier to throw around on the flat or in small features. So long as you're having fun, it doesn't matter

I am actually trying to put on weight

Thanks for the reassuring post though I'll bear that in mind and try not to get frustrated when practicing on flatwater.

Rhyner wrote:

Not sure what else to consider???
[/quote]

i would add the astro 54 or 58 to your list

i'm 6'2'' 190# and used the astro 58 for river running and going down the river from wave to holes

the astro is fast, surf great:2cents: