Hi all!!
I am currently a slow river/lake kayaker, my friend and I want to kick it up to Low class WW in the beginning,We are going to take a WW course including the old pool rolling. My question is this… I have the opportunity to purchase a hardly used Prijon Alien with skirt for $$$177.00
My friend just bought a Dagger Pyranah and I fit easily in that cockpit. I am 5ft-8in and weigh Approx 195 waist is 36". I have been told by the seller that I will not beable to fit in the alien but when I look up the Spec’s the almost the same as the Dagger. Can Anyone give me some advice??
Thanks.
size should be ok
You should just sit in the thing to try it out. It’s listed as a playboat but it seems fairly long in terms of recent playboat lengths at almost 8 feet long. Here is the manufacturer’s description:
“The Alien is a 240cm planing hull kayak for rodeo, surfing and river play. The symmetrical hull form provides identical front- and back-surfing characteristics, with a similar benefit for vertical transitions. The boat will spin on any green wave that is big enough to surf on, and cartwheels exceptionally well in both big and small holes. The surfboard-style concentric rocker gives exceptional tracking whilst releasing easily for seamless spins. The low-drag deck design makes light work of punching big waves and holes, and slips easily under the pile for squirtboat-like blasting transitions. The fine ends make it possible for the expert paddler to cartwheel on flat water, yet the relatively high volume and it’s unusual distribution make the Alien manageable in really rough conditions. It is not a boat for the faint-hearted. Hardcore paddlers will love the extreme nature of this design, but it is a querky and difficult boat to paddle. It takes courage and commitment to master the new moves that this boat makes possible.”
Starting whitewater in a playboat may not be good for your confidence as you tend to do a lot more swimming if you do not have a strong river roll. Still, the price seems really good for what you’re getting.
Can It Be Worse…
than topping off this poll of ww boaters?
http://boatertalk.com/polls.php?forumid=BoaterTalk&pollid=14
sing
that’s awesome!
Although the Samurai didn’t seem to be all that bad of a boat last time I saw it. I wouldn’t figure it to make top 10 worst boats. As for the Alien, I guess you probably shouldn’t get it. 857 people can’t be wrong. Also as it’s described as a hard boat and only for people with more advanced whitewater skills, I would probably stay far away from it.
Of course Boatertalk people (with the exception of sing, Dr. Disco, and myself (EskimoRoll)), are much more… strongly opinionated about things so I would take this with a grain of salt. If you try the boat and like it, who cares what the polls say.
I may play an opinionated jerk on BT…
…but in real life, I’m an opinionated jerk.
I think they were a bit rough on the alien, but it is a full on play boat and as such is not
for a beginner.
You’d be better to start with a used river runner.
This is a good time of year for this, believe it or not. Many local clubs are having pool sessions and if you get into one you’ll learn to roll–if you don’t know already–and you’ll get
a chance to demo a lot of boats, AND you’ll learn
first about good deals from people who are
getting new boats.
Bonne chance
I Agree…
– Last Updated: Jan-06-05 5:13 AM EST –
The pics of the Alien looks like my Ultrafuge. I like my ultrafuge. It is a pretty fun boat (for my second) on class IIs and IIIs. Very slicey ends make doing squirts very easy. I got my butt kicked with it on a class IV, getting squirted and flipped alot on the strong current lines and wave trains.
But there could be other things going on with the Alien that is getting that kind of rating. Maybe the durability of materials, lousy outfitting, who knows...
sing
Sing and his Ultrafuge
I’ll never forget Sing’s first day on a whitewater river. (hope I got the right boat)
He came out from behind a large rock on an otherwise smooth section. His stern was grabbed by the strong eddyline and went DOWN!
Perfectly balanced, bow pointed at the sky, eyes like saucers, he floated by me shouting “WHAT IS THIS!?”
I have to ask you Sing, have you caught such a perfect stern squirt since?
As I am learning now in my Foreplay, those slicey boats will surely school ya.
Actually…
that was the Perception Shock, a little less slicey but 8 gallons less in volume. Also, the same boat which did that nice (Oh $hit!) “mystery move” at the last hole on the Piscat. 
You were there that time too. Wait, I detect a pattern…
sing