how i got here
shane
Benedict, 43
Boat designer
My entry into the world of boat design was total-
ly random. I was working at nantahala Outdoor
Center teaching kayaking and guiding rafts. One
day I pulled into an eddy and someone asked me
if I wanted to compete in a rodeo. I did quite well
so I entered another one that turned out to be
for team trials and before I knew it I was on the
national team. While training for the ’93 World
Championships, I became friends with Bob Mc-
Donough of Perception Kayaks. I had a natural
inclination to talk about boat shape and design.
Bob invited me over to the Perception shop and
I started helping him with designs. After two
seasons, Bob left and there was no one to design
whitewater boats so the job of lead designer sort
of fell in my lap.
I never thought I would be a designer. I wasn’t
particularly creative as a kid but my mom is an
artist and my dad is an architectural, graphic and
industrial designer. I used to sit and watch my
mom in her studio or look at the things my dad
was designing and shaping and it ingrained in me
an aesthetic appreciation.
In 1999, Watermark bought Perception and
the culture changed. six of us ended up leaving
and starting Liquidlogic. It was awesome but also
a lot of responsibility. Your designs can literally
make or break the company. I’ve designed around
50 kayaks so far and I test them all personally—
for me that’s the best part.
There is some dirty work in this business.
When you’re grinding fibreglass and the dust is
leaking in through the little cracks in your chemi-
cal suit and facemask and you’re itchy and hot…
R
s
that’s a really horrible moment.
d
eite
On a scale of for love or money, I’m well on
the love side. I get to make toys and go play with
them. —As TOLD TO VIRGInIA MARsHALL
P
hoto Polk
technique
pop BiggEr
cal you need to be Michael “Air” Jordan with a
giant slam-dunk and jump up throwing your hands
LoopS
above your head. Like basketball, the higher you
jump, the more airtime and float you will have. This
NiCk TrOuTMAN
all happens extremely quickly—until your timing is
The air loop was one of the first moves to bring
on, expect to flop on your face.
playboating into the aerial realm, and it has been
After flying through the air, throw your weight
a staple trick ever since. When you launch a really
forward and tuck for a somersault. Don’t wait for
huge loop you will feel suspended and weight-
gravity to kick in—you need the upward momen-
less— like you’re on the moon—before slamming
tum to help hurl your boat over your head as you
back to planet earth.
tuck. For snappier loops, throw your weight for-
Huge loops start at the top of the foam pile, from
ward sooner.
where you can accelerate down the face of the
To finish the rotation, pull your body back to the
wave or hole to plug your bow into the oncoming
stern as hard as you can. Throwing your weight
green water. If it is too shallow, plug into the seam
back pushes your legs down to flatten out and
where the foam pile and the green water meet or
complete the flip. You can use either one or both
ever further back in the foam pile. The best way to
paddle blades to pull on; when learning, using both
catch your bow and plug in is to lean forward and
blades will help keep the boat straight while pulling
push your heels down. Two details at this stage
t h r o u g h .
can help generate huge air for your loop: First, the
Now sit up
straighter your boat enters the water, the straight-
and do a
#
R
ight
er it launches up and out; second, the deeper you
fist pump—
reality check
5
plug your bow into the green water, the more pop
you just
P
hen w
and momentum you have coming out.
popped a i
nTerna
When your bow buries, stand up on your foot
T
s
te ional
huge loop.
blocks to help pull your boat vertical. Once verti-
saF
eTy boa
P
hoto T
er
same shit, dif
ferent river.
2 Rapid summer/fall 2009
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