DragoRossi "Reaction"

Tony Z. got some side by side photos of the Drago Rossi REACTION and the Dagger GREEN BOAT.

http://www.donkeyflip.com/dfportal/News/tabid/54/EntryID/7/Default.aspx

Lozer Cup final results are in!!!

here's a link to the tenth (and last) race in the 2008 LozerCup series
http://www.lozercup.com/lozer-cup-results/dryway-2008/september-21-2008.html

The overall results are in this image below



or, if you prefer, they can also be viewed here
http://www.lozercup.com/lozer-cup-results/dryway-2008

Below is an image of the overall results from 2007 (for those of you who are curious for comparison)

or, if you prefer, they can also be viewed here
http://www.lozercup.com/lozer-cup-results/dryway-2007


Awards will be handed out during the celebration in October during the last Dryway Release. Be sure to check the Deerfield Release Schedule for the dates.

Mad Boy is finally in production

a link to some cool photos (video screen captures) are on Corran's blog
http://2imagine.net/blogger2008/mb3.html

and the official press release is copied below

"One of the reasons it took so long to bring this to market was that we were trying to accomplish two things at once," said designer Corran Addison. "We wanted a river runner that would not paddle like a corky creek boat - something fun and zippy - but we also knew that most people use their river runners as creek boats, and so it had to handle hard class 5 as well as the best full-on creekers. This is much harder to do than it sounds."


All who have tested the Mad Boy say that it does just this. It's fun on class 3-4 runs, but can go head to head with the best of the creekers on the hardest of runs.


"One thing you'll notice instantly is the complete change of outfitting for 2009," Dragorossi marketing director Diego Zanga said. "We have a new lower seat, with a very comfortable seat pad and backband, with adjustable/removable hip pads. The Mad Boy also has a standard style adjustable thigh brace, and a new footbrace thats locked in on aluminum tracks and is adjustable in both width and height, while weighing less than our previous one."


While many swear by the Dragorossi outfitting of the past, it has also been a common complaint of many who like the designs, but are not willing to switch the way they sit and brace into a kayak. These changes are sure to be a welcome one by the larger part of the market for a design like this.

some nice photos

DragoRossi drain plug alternative

In a pinch, I found out that the Pyranha drain plugs fit quite nicely into the drago rossi drain plug system.

http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=2003%2E1

No need for a kayak

because it's still summer (at least for another week)
see video at bottom of the post



the "Flume" at Bulls Bridge on the Housatonic can give kayakers problems. It is the single largest drop (that is run by most people on a regular basis) in the main part of the section. This is a low level so lots of exposed rocks.



But, since the locals are such lozers, we decided to just forget the boats for a while, flash the lozer sign and drop, head-first into the flume.











The only way to avoid being back flipped and dumped off the tube was to lean forward when hitting the hole (kind of how you run it in a kayak). But, since we were not in kayaks, we pretty much mysteried under the hole with every successful run.













A word of caution:
These guys are all good kayakers and expert watermen (just look at them, you can tell they are!!!)
I would not recommend that anyone else try tubing this section of river.





link to video in case the embed is not working
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0soP8gAGwQ

Center Brook (second descent)

This sweet little creek runs into Sandy Brook up along the Massachusetts/Connecticut border. Ted Devoe ran this a couple of years ago with Christian Cook. The water was a little bit higher. It is believed to have been the first descent.

Continuous boogie water and many mid sized drops like this one are typical.
Here is Ted (DragoRossi Gangster), silhouetted by the mid-afternoon September sun, ready to boof into yet another pitch.
Notice the gradient in the background.



Here's a good shot of Dan Greenbaum (Pyranha Micro 230) melting down into a hole. Not everything on this run can be boofed. It requires a good combination of skills to find your way down. "It takes a very steady hand......"




Dan setting up the slide, which leads into your choice of a boof or a slot.



This is the last good boof on the run, about 100 feet above the confluence with Sandy Stream.



Center Brook collects a lot of wood, and only runs after much rain. Fortunately, it runs into Sandy Brook (III/IV), which takes less rain to get going. Hubbard Brook (IV/V)is on the other side of the ridge and also requires less rain. So, if you get skunked at Center Brook, you can always hit up one of these other two gems.