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

Gangster details

http://www.100waves.com/specs/gangster.html



lots of bow rocker and smooth transitioned stern rocker make a fast, reliable creek boat/river runner



included with the $799 performance price are two end grabloops, each with additional D ring attachement points.



large cockpit opening for easy entry/exit



rotomolded performance seat with throwrope well in the front

DragoRossi Gangster $799 at 100waves.com

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here you can see the optional backband, shock absorbing bulkhead footbrace, and the bow ring that can be installed to replace the pillar and pride more foot room as well as making entry/exit easier.



a drainplug is a nice option. Some people will go without it because they think it's a drier ride, but if you jam a bunch of silicone in there then you can have an easy way to get the water out of your boat, AND a dry ride. Honestly, I get more water in my boat just from getting in and out to scout than I do through any kind of leaks. I like having the drainplug.



two more great add-ons are the D ring attachment points. Two can be installed just behind the cockpit,



and one can be installed just in front of the cockpit.



If you added all three of these to the four standard attachment points, you'd have plenty of places to hook up to your boat.

Stinger details

here are photos of one of the Stingers with the performance outfitting that came off the container of boats recently received here in the U.S. (available for $799 through 100waves)


it's worth taking a moment to notice some of the thoughtful details in this performance seat.


a place in front for a water bottle or throw rope is always a nice feature. But also take a look at the two screw inserts at the front of the seat. You can install the DragoRossi thigh wing system in very little time. It's actually easier to install and maintain this performance version than in the elite version.

Another feature to note is the molded-in attachement points on the side of the seats. Look at the top, of the side of the seat and you'll see a round hole. This acts as an easy attachement point for several brands of back bands. No need for drilling or any fancy boat work. If you use the DragoRossi performance backband, all you need to do is thread the webbing through the holes, and attatch the ratchet straps to ratchets. There are set screws on the side of the seat that allow you to easily attach the ratchets.





Included in the $799 U.S. price are bow and stern grabloops. (the ones on the side can be bought separately)



this is just a nice photo that shows the suprising amount of leg room in the Stinger.




DragoRossi Stinger $799 at 100waves.com

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below you can see the nice smooth rocker of the Stinger that allows you to keep the bow on top of the water and make infinite minute adjustments to your lean. (it also bounces when you want it to,and stays flat when you want it to stay flat)



between these two pictures you should be able to get a good idea of how much foot room is in this boat.



notice that the planing surface on this hull extends all the way from front to back, and not just on a single flat spot in the middle. This allows the water to "see" the entire length of the boat.



one thing that is often not discussed enough are the fins. You only have to put the fins in when you want them there for the added control that they allow. Isn't it nice to have the option? There are several people who just carry their fins in the back of their boat with a little allen key stuck into the foam pillar. When they reach a great playspot,the fins get attached. Then, the fins can be removed to continue downstream, and they will be out of the way so you can boof and splat all the rocks you want.

Pintail XL details

this is a photo of the new Pintail XL with the base model Performance set up that starts at $799
it also comes with bow and stern grab loops
this is the first boat I unwrapped from the container. It weighs 31 lbs


here you will notice that it comes with the new roto molded performance seat, bow and stern foam pillars




here you will notice that the seat back comes up to start providing a little bit of support. some people will glue foam onto this spot to create a testarossa style race seat, while others will buy a back band to install.

here are closeups of the stock bow and stern grabloops that are included with the basic performance Pintail XL for $799

all of the photos above are of the standard basic peforma set up of the

DragoRossi Pintail XL $799 at 100waves.com

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below are some of the options that can be bought for the Pintail XL



a simple backband kit can be bought to add to your peforma system

you can also buy the freestyle/riverrunner foot sled for great adjustable foot comfort (or you can just add minicell foam to the bow)



here is the adjustable foot sled installed

here is the backband installed



you can also buy the side grabloops. they make great tie down and attachment points, as well as an easy way to grab the boat on the side of the river, and easy carrying handles.


and of course you can install a drainplug. Some people prefer a drainplug, while others prefer not to have one. The choice is yours.

Below are some images of the Pintail vs. the Pintail XL.
The Pintail XL is in orange. You will notice the higher knee/cockpit area, and a bit more foot room. The stern is a touch larger as well.




here is a quick and dirty cut and paste overlay comparing the two boats. I cut out the red (standard) Pintail, made it gray, and pasted it over the white sillouette of the Pintail XL. The small images don't quite do it justice. It's much different in person. But at least here you get an idea of where the increase in volume/room is on the Pintail XL.



"regular" Pintail in red on the left and Pintail XL on the right in orange. Here is the best shot I have, to date, of the size difference between these two boats.