Tony M, from RI Canoe and Kayak Assoc (RICKA) posted a video of his Tsunami getting beatened (hopefully not destroyed) in a rock garden. (Tony used to post on PNet as “Tsunami X15” in keeping with his two favorite Tsunami X15 boats - a double and a single). He was out with the RICKA rock and surf play contingent and had backup as he limped back to the launch.
The video reaffirmed my decision to add back on a plastic longboat, Dagger Stratos 14.5, after I got my “dream” longboat, the Sterling Kayaks Progression. As much as I love the way the Progression handles in rough water, if I expect to play in rocks, I leave it at home in favor of the plastic Stratos. My Stratos has also been outfitted with an electronic bilge pump since I am playing alone 99% of the time.
There are reasons why WW kayaks are Roto-Molded. As I have up-graded from kayak to kayak I decided there will ALWAYS be at lest one good roto-molded kayak in my collection.
Ease of manufacturing and cost are two reasons. There are plenty of high-end, composite WW boats out there. EJ molds several for playboating. Every plastic boat also starts as a composite proto, and are consistently paddled by very competent paddlers in demanding conditions. The lighter weight and stiffer hulls are hard to beat. I definitely prefer them for much of my boating. If you go someplace where there are a lot of good paddlers - as in places where there is a US Team Center of Excellence - you will see more. Squirt boats are also exclusively composite.
From the less than helpful point of view that the video was shot it looks like, from the low angle paddle stroke, that the paddler was intimidated and just gave up. They never really took control of their boat, instead the boat took control of them.
What are the noises the paddler is making? It sounds / looks like an inexperienced paddler. I have been recorded making a bit more colorful language in similar situations.
All I can say is that I’ve paddle surfed with Tony along time ago with him in his shorter X15. He is/was experienced and can handle himself well in textured water. I don’t know about the context of this particular situation, except that he was paddling his 20’ long double Tsunami by hImself. For sure a harder boat to manuever in tight quarters. Not sure what else was happening. But we are both also 20 years older and neither of us were spring chickens when we first met. I know I can’t and don’t take on some of the challenging stuff I did back then.
