EARLY SUMMER 2012
BEST and WORST BOATS
p.27
COVER PHOTO: BEN YORK / TANDEM STOCK // THIS PAGE: DAVE NIEUWENHUIS, HIGH TENSION, GATINEAU RIVER, QC / PHOTO BY TYLER FOX FEATURES 27 BEST AND WORST
BOATS OF ALL TIME Readers cast their votes for the best and worst play, river running, creek and open boats ever made. You’ve shown your colors; now discover the surprising results. Plus: The biggest design successes and failures of all time.
33 THE ULTIMATE CANYON
RIG: PART 1 Dreaming of a multi-day on the Green, Middle Fork or the Colorado? We are. We built what we think is the ultimate canyon rig including everything but the kitchen sink—we’re saving that for Part II. Plus: Watch an exclusive how-to Rapid Media TV digital extra.
Departments RIVER SIGNALS
6 COMMUNITY: Introducing Rapid TV, reality check, pushing rubber and early summer events.
8 9
OFF THE TONGUE: Fluffy bunny.
CONTRIBUTORS: Behind the lens, pens and paddles in this issue.
WATERCOLORS
10 Catching air in Cali, an open and closed case for young talent, and the yin yang of creeking.
STANDING WAVES
15 New extreme race on the North Fork Payette; why open boating is dead; North Carolina’s hot new freestyle wave.
17 PADDLER PROFILE: Extreme race champion Sam Sutton’s impeccable sense of timing.
18 RIVER ALCHEMY: When life imitates art, a raft guide discovers revelations lie just downstream.
POUR OVER
20 KAYAK TECHNIQUE: Where smooth rock and shallow water meet, river runners can learn what auto racers have been honing for years—the art of sliding.
21 OPEN CANOE TECHNIQUE: Slalom speed demon and sci-fi buff, Beth Kennedy, says strengthen your offside, padawan.
22 BOAT INSIDER: Come and listen to a story about a playboat named Jed (eye, that is). The Wenonah Recon makes it easy for solo boaters to explore new runs.
23 CLASS THREE: Three park ‘n’ huck waterfalls for the class III paddler.
23 RESCUE 411: Recover a runaway the right way.
25 GEAR BAG: Stay dry on your next expedition with these rugged drytops.
FLUSHED 46 The antidote to soft.
CLASS THREE p.23»
www.rapidmag.com 5
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