Boat Insider THE ALL-NEW 9R
WHITEWATER RACES ARE WON AND LOST between the big rapids. Unless you have an accidental freestyle session in a hole, it’s the class II and III sections that determine your time. Expert handling of choppy waves is what shaves seconds from your run, which is why the next time you’re sprinting to the take- out, there’s a good chance you’ll see the new Pyranha 9R—way ahead of you. With the surge in popularity of whitewater
races, manufacturers have started building more race-specific models. While many have designed them at 11 feet or longer for the long boat category, the all-new 9R aims to dominate the short boat class. It comes in one size: eight feet, 11 inches, to measure just under the nine-foot cutoff of most short boat race divisions. At 185 pounds and six feet tall with a 32-inch
inseam, I felt like I was right in the boat’s sweet spot. Pyranha’s Connect 30 outfitting means it can be easily adjusted to fit larger or smaller paddlers.
PYRANHA 9R LENGTH: 8’11” WIDTH: 25.2” VOLUME: 72.4 GAL WEIGHT: 43 LBS PADDLER WEIGHT: 130-210 LBS COCKPIT DIMENSIONS: 37.4” X 19.5” PRICE: $1,249
WWW.PYRANHA.COM
ensure I ride up and over waves, through holes and stay on the surface of the water where I’m fastest and most efficient. It allows me to sit in an aggressive forward position so I can use my whole body for strokes, saving energy and maintaining speed. The asymmetric hull design—the widest part
of the boat is just behind the cockpit—allows for more downriver speed by displacing water efficiently and minimizing drag. A narrow cockpit area makes it easy to get my paddle vertical in the water without reaching over the sides, a bonus for smaller paddlers and racers. The slim hull means less primary stability
than wider, flat-hulled boats like Pyranha’s Burn, but it also means it’s easy to get on edge. Since those edges run from the mid- point of the boat to the stern, I can get them to bite by leaning slightly back. When I want to spin quickly, leaning forward keeps them clear of the waterline allowing a quick change
RUN FOR YOUR MONEY. PHOTO: KAYDI PYETTE
HOW PYRANHA BUILT THE BEST EXTREME RACE BOAT FOR RIVER RUNNERS The 9R’s high bow and continuous rocker
of direction—a good balance between holding a line and maneuverability. While the 9R is undoubtedly a race ma-
chine, it will also appeal to everyday paddlers who aren’t trying to break speed records. “It’s not just a race-specific boat,” said
designer Robert Peerson when we talked to him at the unveiling of the 9R in August 2014. “It’s not as long so it’s not as intimidating for a lot of paddlers to get in and still have a boat that’s friendly and speedy.” The 9R is likely to find its way onto podiums
in the blossoming whitewater race scene but could just as easily become your go-to kayak for a local run, because a race to the take-out beer tastes just as good. DAN CALDWELL
Digital Extra: Click here to get a preview of the 9R.
54 | RAPID
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68