THE
BEST and WORST O BOATS
F ALL TIME BEST OLD SCHOOL KAYAK
Perception Dancer Originally marketed as a radically short, low volume kayak. Times may have changed but this boat will always be recognized as a game-changer.
WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY:
“Without a doubt, this is the boat that ushered in the plastic era.” —Strad, Bristol, England
BEST EARLY CREEKBOAT
Pyranha Micro It was considered the first “short” creekboat. At around eight feet, it’s average by today’s standards but Pyranha broke the mold with this heavy-hitting, hole-smashing machine.
WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY:
“Revolutionized steep creeking—a stable, fast, easy to turn boat.” —Jerry, Atlanta, GA
MOST REVOLUTIONARY WHITEWATER BOAT OF ALL TIME
Dagger RPM Likely the best-selling whitewater boat of all time, it worked for everyone. A flat stern for big squirts, solid stability in a displacement hull, it could surf, run rivers and play with the best of them. Thousands of paddlers ran their first river in this boat.
MILESTONE
The Dawn of Rodeo The first world rodeo championship was actu- ally held in 1991, but boats designed specifically for freestyle weren’t manufactured until ‘93. The appearance of the splitwheel had people seeing beyond pirouettes, cartwheels and enders.
BEST OC-1
Dagger Ocoee Flat bottom, drastic rocker and hard chines—the ingredients of the most celebrated open boat of all time.
WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY:
“Designed by Frankie Hubbard, this boat had the balance, nimbleness and dry ride to do everything from winning rodeos to class V creeking.” —John, Beachburg, ON
MILESTONE
The Birth of Creekboats In 1997, the rigors of ever-escalating extreme downriver paddling refocused creeking as a separate discipline. Rounded, stretched hulls were honed for boofing and steeper whitewater.
MILESTONE
The Planing Hull Takes Over Before the cartwheel came along, everyone was downriver paddling. Flat bottoms ushered river run- ners into a new era of user-friendly stability, effort- less eddy turns and play. By ’97 the way was clear— the planing hull was the future of river freestyle.
WORST EARLY PLAYBOAT WORST OLD SCHOOL KAYAK
Wave Sport Lazer This early river runner was half slalom, half squirt. Narrow and very round-hulled, its cockpit was located forward of center and it was lightning fast. Still, most paddlers com- plained about its lack of maneuverability.
28 RAPID EARLY SUMMER 2012
Savage Fury Undoubtedly ahead of its time, this planing-hulled pioneer proved to be too radical for the masses. Side cut gave the boat a distinctive shape and a distinctive bad taste in paddlers’ mouths.
WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY:
“Only Corran could paddle it properly” —Geoff, Burlington, ON
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