Hey I'm a relatively new kayaker and I know that I really want to become a really good free styler!! So I want a Kayak that will be pretty easy to throw around. But I also want a kayak that can still go down river! any suggestions? I'm about 5'4\" and 120 Lbs. I'm sort of leaning on a Project 45 or a Rad 175 or a Specialist!
Thanks:roflol:

start w/ a good rr-playboat.. JK fun etc then once you can toss them aout you could get something more specialized

just my opinion

Here is the contact info to demo the Bliss-Stick boats in Georgia....

Both the boats are great. Both play very well and you have the bonus of being able to travel downstream with ease.


Rad 175 and Specialist

Cheers.

I agree that the RAD would be a good contender

Thanks about how much do each of the boats cost?

The Bliss-Stick boats are $935 to your front door.

brand new most top-end boadt will be about the $1000 mark +/-

BS has a really cool sales system, you buy through a local \"agent\" aka a local paddler (suchas yourself)... I respect that and like the personal touch that you'll get from a genuine paddler who appreciates your business

JK on the other hand is a wonderful company who have been excellent stewards for the kayaking industry.

How is the outfitting on the Rad because I've read that the seat moved a lot but i think you guys might have changed it. Did you? and how is it on flat water?

I heard the same thing but don't think it's a problem if if the outfitting has not changed. All seats start to move eventually so in all the boats I've evern owned I have shoved and glued pieces of minicel foam along the sides of the seats to make sure they stay put and don't move at all. It's a trick that coms from slalom boating (for me at least)

I have owned Prijon, Dagger, Perception (now the LL guys), Riot, and now DragoRossi.
I have friends who believe in this foam idea who have had seats that move on WaveSport, Bliss Stick, Fluid, Jackson, Pyranha.

Get the boat design you like best, and that fits without hurting, then foam out the seat to make sure it does not move, modify the outfitting to make it fit you perfectly (because the stock stuff is never perfect) and you'll be a very happy boater.

When people check out my boat, the first thing they usually comment on is the nice outfitting. The seat is really comfortable. It comes with a variety of pads for the hip pad sock. The thigh braces can be adjusted to wrap further around your leg. It's a really nice setup.

I\"m sure yo uhave a nice system. I've been in the BS boats and enjoyed them. My original point is that someone will find a fault with just about anyone's system, and all manufacturers now have a good set up that is very very effective.

If you want to make it perfect it takes some tweaking that's all. Be prepared to spend a short amount of time getting the right fit after you have purchaced the design you want and you will be very happy.

I own 3 play boats. I have played and river-run in all 3. I have a Fluid Flirt, Bliss-Stick RAD and the 2007 Fun. All in the largest sizes (hence bigboy).

I am telling all the new boaters in my club to go with the Jacksons. Jackson has become the most popular boat in my Canadian neck of the woods. Most comfortable, easiest to adjust, best all-round boat of the 3, most durable, lightest, EASIEST TO ROLE, most confident inspiring, and a boat you will keep in your fleet even when you sell the others. It is the best thought out of the 3. Last season it was the boat I used the most...followed by my creek boat.

Look at what team Jackson does in the Fun Series. You won't outgrow the boat skill wise (either playing or river running).

Paddle them all, find out. If you can't easily try one out is it going to be a good company to deal with when things go wrong with the boat?

All 3 companies are run by nice people who will help you out. All of these boats have their virtues, but the Jackson has fewer weaknesses and so far the fewest problems.

Please note I have no brand loyalty and am not a distributor (and am looking for a new expedition boat and will entertain offers from Jackson, Pyrahna, Dragorossi, Prijon, Liquid Logic, or Fluid (if they would make a bigger boat).

ScottBarnes wrote:

I have friends who believe in this foam idea who have had seats that move on WaveSport, Bliss Stick, Fluid, Jackson, Pyranha.

I've never heard of or seen a Fluid seat move (and there are plenty here in SA) as the system is rather good. Imagine taking your hands and closing them into fists and putting your knuckles together so that they link into each other with a sort of 'tongue and groove' system. There is zero slippage with this system as the contact is also on the sides of the seat and not at the top where the seat can pull down on the opposite surface (hull to seat).

Most other manufacturers rely on using a friction hold only to secure the seat from the top. This always ends of with the seat creeping back...

Just my

My friend's Solo has a seat that moved alot on him after a few months. I've seen just about every seat mounting option out there in my more than ten years working for different companies. It's a matter of when the thing will start to move.
I agree with you that the side mount is better than the seats hung by a couple of bolts on the top. (which is why Drago does that)
But, every system has it's weak point and the seat will eventually move. It's not a big deal at all really. Not a problem. Customers should just be aware of the possiblily, and foaming the sides out will make a loose seat firm again,and if the set up is new and solid, then the foam will help distribute stresses more evenly and lengthen the amount of time that the boat maintains that new feel.

No matter what system anyone has, there is a quick fix to any kind of seat moving issue. Foam and glue. Again. Choose the design you want, the outfitting you will get along with and know that you will have lots of fun.

That's it. I have no intention of calling anyone's particular brand out here. It's a simple engineering issue. Thing break down with time. Plastic flexes and moves no matter what it is. The only way to have a 100% non-moving seat is to make it out of a different material, then it would be heavy.

I am slightly bigger than you. I have a project45. I would go with the project45 or the JK star 2007. The star is better balanced and lighter than the project. It is also easier to throw down. Both boats are super loose and you should be happy with either. I have had my project for a bit over a year and it is holding up very well. It is amazing on a wave. It carves and bounces into big tricks on small waves

No doubt about it the Project is an awesome boat... but I dotn think Id recomend ti for a beginner