Forget Swiftys in class 2. How about a Tarpon in the New River Gorge? 
Reposted from http://boatertalk.com/messageframe.php?frames=yes&forumid=BoaterTalk&mid=638305
Well
This sunday paddling started as a why not try it day. Lets start the day before.
Hey Nori do you want a sit on top?
NO!!!
Hey Nori I will give it you you cheap.
NO!!! I just bought a Mirage(only 100 bucks)
Hey Nori I will sell this for 100 bucks
Yes!! I just bought it for the cheap priceā¦
Anyway Sunday moring comes along and Gualey is only Releaseing 350 CSF.
Time for the lower new with the new Sit on top. What I have bought is Wilderness system Tarpon 100. Made for Fishingā¦ Made for class 0 Boating. Flat water.
Why not take down class 4 big water river. I have been down this river 100 times. I think I can do this. If anyone asks what the F are you doing I will just respose as āI just bought this boat yesterday and I am going to take it down the Gorgeā I was hoping to trick some Ohio boaters that I was going to kill myself.
Upper Railroad. Cleaned it. but at the wave under the Bridge I hit my buddy and swam.(that does not count as a swim)
Strided the swimmers rapid and fell off the boat(still does not count)
Surfed Ender No swim
Aced Kenney, Double Z and Gray hound.
Surfed the Grayhound Fliped and swam 8 times(Still does not count as a swim)
Then at the bottom of millers folly I hit the Poreover hole and Swam!!! There is the swiming Asainā¦
So I paddle a big water with sit on top made for fishing. Why not. Next trip will be Lower yough. I hope I can trick some keel hauler into convince me not to go down the Lower yough with a sit on top.
The swimming Asain
I Donāt Knowā¦
The dude was out of his SOT how many times? And, most of them, are not āswims?ā I donāt get it. Youāre out the boat, youāre swimming. How does that not count?
If I were out of the boat that much, I would step way, way back from whatever he was paddling, or I just give it up all together. Thatās just me.
sing
Hereās the way I interpreted it
You canāt roll a stock-from-factory Tarpon, so I think he figured that swims while surfing or screwing around (āstridingā=running a rapid while standing) donāt count. Thus, according to that logic, the only ārealā flip/swim was at Millers Folly. Personally, I would have counted his flip at RR as a swim, too.
Hereās How I Interpret Itā¦
Having done one swim down a class IV, any reason going down a run like that, without a boat, no matter how you want to call it or not, just plain sux!
sing
L
Did you have Thigh straps?
It wasnāt meā¦
I would assume he didnāt have straps, or he wouldnāt have swum every time he flipped during a surf. Iāve seen people roll Torrents, so I assume a Tarpon would be rollable, too, with decent technique.
Go For It
Iāve been running rapids in my 14ā sit-on-top for several years now.
If I dump my boat in rapids I grab the thighstraps and climb back in. This replaces doing a roll for me.
Thereās a new class IV+ on the Salmon, here in Idaho. It can rip you out of a kayak. At least with a SOT you can get back in and not count on someone rescueing your boat. Iāve been reading that about half the rafters who run this are flipping. I think Iāll drive down river and take some photos. Donāt know if I want to try it or not yet. Have to look first.
During high water season I hit a huge wall of water that washed me off my kayak. I was still able to hold on to the thighstraps and climb back on.