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WAVE SPORT RELEASES LIMITED EDITION PrOjeCt 54Cx
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S JOURNALISTS and consumers, we can’t have tested this concept and are now working on
help being sucked into the concept car hype. the final lay-up.”
Who can resist a first look at the 2010 Camaro or The 54Cx is more than just a 19-pound carbon
other latest and greatest design innovations? At version of the plastic Project. According to Peer-
last year’s Outdoor Retailer Show and again at son, the 54Cx is a blend of ideas that have devel-
Gauley Fest, industry folks and the public alike oped after the last several years of paddling the
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were treated to kayaking’s own shiny black pin- Project series. “We have increased the bow and
nacle of excitement, the composite Wave Sport stern rocker. This rocker change has helped to
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Project 54Cx. project the boat higher both backwards and for-
Freestyle paddlers have been dreaming of stiff wards when carving or bouncing into a blunt or
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and light carbon fibre boats for years. With just backstab. We increased rocker without decreas-
a few exceptions however, the last 20 years of ing the speed because of the stiffness of the ma-
whitewater have seen us paddling only polyethyl- terial and the overall weight of the boat.”
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ene plastic—unless you count slalom and squirt. Carbon is also cropping up in some of Wave
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So why now? Sport’s sister brands, including Wilderness Sys-
Freestyle is going aerial on big, deep waves tems, Perception and Mad River Canoes. “With YZa^X^djhbZVahVcYVhijcc^c\adXVi^dcl^i]
instead of plunging into shallow boat-smashing the concept boats, we wanted to demonstrate
holes. Radical design innovations are slowing our leadership as both designers and master
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down. Outfitting is pretty solid. Materials are the craftsmen,” says Sue Rechner, new CEO of
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next, and maybe only, frontier left in boat design Confluence. “The result was truly special, hand-
and performance. crafted, limited edition masterpieces that mar- hjbbZg#AdXViZYdci]ZBVYVlVh`VG^kZgVcY
The Project 54Cx is made of multiple layers of ried the technology and the art form of kayak
different materials, some woven, some uni-direc- production.”
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tional. Carbon fibre, Kevlar and glass combine So far it looks like the concept Project will
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with a core material in the hull to stiffen the flat beat the new Camaro off the line. Wave Sport
surfaces. is promising a February release of the Project eVYYaZghVcYhZV`VnV`Zgh#
“We determined the easiest and fastest way to 54Cx. Authorized Wave Sport dealers and boat-
develop a very lightweight hull was to start light ers around the world will be lining up for 50 lim-
and add materials where there were signs of fail- ited edition boats, suggested retail $2,500 US.
ure,” says Project designer Robert Peerson. “We —Scott MacGregor
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