The Global Paddling Community

2004 Summer Outdoor Retailer Recap. This exclusive Playak report was kindly supported by Fluid Kayaks.

Dagger

The Dagger Mamba is a river runner that seems to fit the same niche as the Wave Sport Diesel or the Pyranha H3 - a boat with creekboat lines on top and a flat bottom. It comes in 3 sizes.

Dagger's outfitting is new this year - no more bubbles to squeeze - the outfitting is made from memory foam - mold it to you and seal it and it holds its shape. Release the valve and it pops back out to its original shape.

This is Dagger's new playboat - it is a little longer and slicier than the kingpin series. This year it comes included with the IR overthruster. It comes in 3 sizes - in the smallest size it is available in a new light blue color.

Dragorossi

The Dragorossi thigh hooks are attached to the seat from the bottom instead of the hull and the top of the cockpit. There is some concern that the outfitting might be tough to get out of in case of a swim.

The Fish is Dragorossi's first playboat. It had lots of demo time in the pool at the show. I am unsure if production boats were on display but they felt much heavier than the advertized weight.

Mafia: New creekboat - already seen on rivers around Europe. Contains the same outfitting with the bottom-mounted thigh hooks as the playboats.

Pintail: New river runner from Dragorossi, to be released soon. This is the prototype.

River surfboard

Squashtail

Stinger: Dragorossi spud boat - prototype

Fluid

Fluid Kayaks showed the Large Flirt, released recently, which completes the Flirt range. The Large Flirt is a full on playboat for big and bigger guys.

The final prototypes of their new creekboats, called the Solo, were also showed. The creekboat will be available in two sizes, called the Small and Large Solo. The Solo's feature semi displacement hulls with soft rails. The decks are slightly peaked and the full volume ensures that the boats are true creekboats, and not river runners capable of creeking. The prototypes shown had the Flirt outfitting in, but the production Solo's will have redesigned outfitting for maximum safety. A major innovation is the hatch system, which will be optional. The hatch uses a neoprene cover with a plastic cover on top to protect the neoprene cover. The storage will not be sealed off with a foam bulkhead, but Fluid will use a dry bag instead. The dry bag is shaped to fit the stern compartment neatly, and will be sealed on the hatch lip.

Jackson Kayak

EJ showed up with the Fun 1 1/2 - surely in between fun 1 and 2 fun.

Necky

Necky Crux, the new creekboat.

Outfitting photo shows the shock absorber attached to the bulkhead.

Necky Orbit Fish - note the "stingers" on the stern of the boat and the swallow tail. Outfitting appears to be the same as before.

Rapid Air

This is an air supply that fits in your life jacket and gives 15-20 breaths which could provide precious extra minutes and seconds to allow a rescue. It is refilled using a Scuba tank. See rapidproducts.com for more details.

Riot

Medium-sized playboat from Riot called the Inferno. Softer edges than previously seen on Riot boats.

Coolest new outfitting system at the show: Thigh hooks swing out and rotate to ease entry and exit, when bulkhead is pulled back, the knees rise and hold the thigh hooks in place. Backband can be set at 4 heights and slots in to the back of the seat. The entire backband system is attached to the seat and not to the rest of the boat. The anchor is beside the right hip and the strap travels around the back, up the left side and to the front of the seat to a ratchet. Everything very padded and cushy.

Riot's new creekboat. High nose to get away from pitons, 72 gallons.

The Riot Nitro is a scaled up Riot Turbo at 58 gallons. It is wider in the tail and has more rocker than the turbo, but it is the same width through the cockpit.

This is Riot's new spud boat, called the Orbit. No rails, should be their first butt-bouncer.

Wavesport

The wave sport EZG is supposed to bring the technology of the EZ and the Zero Gravity to one design. In the design with 2 boats shown, the EZ is on the right and the EZG is on the left.

Very similar lines. It will come in 3 sizes - the small is the final version at 42 gallons. The other 2 are prototypes. The large is supposed to be around 60 gallons. Outfitting is the same as the ZG series.

See you in Salt Lake City in 2005 !