DR Reaction (my first pics)

I picked up two of these new/retro boats this week on my way out to Colorado. Tony had sent them out with Jason, from Stony Boater paddle wax, who was nice enough to meet me out on the highway near Pittsburgh on my way west. (thank you Jason)



Tony Z. had a few of these on the latest container of DragoRossi kayaks that he had imported. Currently, he has all the new boats for the U.S., so be sure to check his site DonkeyFlip.com



Since many people are paddling retro boats for fun, the discovery of this old mold at the DragoRossi/Eurotank factory was fortunate.



The mold is in excellent shape, so Corran decided to spin up a few boats. This yellow one is the first one out of the mold. Minor imperfections, but since I wanted the first one, I don't care about imperfect.



What IS perfect about this boat is the fact that it is a retro design, but in brand new, super strong fresh plastic. I had been eyeing an old Pirouette, but who knows how brittle the plastic is, and just how long the thin spot under the seat was going to last. New plastic give me confidence.



These days, most of the hype around long boats centers around the Green Race. It's a fantastic event, and the resultant boat (which bears the same name) is a nice design that rides high and dry.



But, the reality of the much larger paddling community is that most people don't run long boats down the Green. And, in fact, most people don't run the Green at all. There is still an appreciation for long boats, and the speed and fun that they bring to boating. Old-schoolers who still paddle their beat up long boats, and new-schoolers who are looking to do something exciting on their local runs (find a change of pace).



How many people are looking for long boats (that are not rec boats) for their trip down the Grand Canyon? Longer water lines make easy work of all that flat water, while true whitewater designs make the surfing fun, and the rapids easier to handle.



I can only imagine the number of people who have old, long boats in their yard, sun faded, getting increasingly brittle, who wonder what it would be like to get back into that boat. Take it on easy water at first to make sure that it will hold up. Or, if you have any doubts (like I did) then (to be sure) consider getting something in new plastic, like this Reaction.



Of course there will always be people who run long boats down the steep and crazy. Rocker and volume will help with that (among other design features). But, the point is to have a good time no matter what boat you are in. Making moves in a long boat is a completely different sensation than making moves in short boats. Not better. Just different (and exceptionally fun)

Boat Welding (plastic welding)

Boats break. All sorts of plastic eventually breaks. If you learn to weld with a heat gun, you can keep a boat going for a long time.


If you think the broken boat is a manufacturer's defect, then BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING, take photos of the damage, note the serial number, contact your local dealer and ask the dealer to help you make a warranty claim.


If you were a super lozer and pulled a huge aerial mcgoon that broke your boat on a rock, after you landed from 20 feet up (or if the boat is older) then you're on your own. Gather your tools. It's time to weld.


You'll need a heat gun with various nozzle accessories that will concentrate and shape the heat for better control over your welds. You will also need a flathead screwdriver, a burnisher (if you don't have one of those then an old spoon will work too), some rough sand paper, and the most important material: HDPE plastic cut into very thin strips (the thinner the better)


Drill the corners of the break so that it will not continue to run.


Sand inside the break. This will increase the chances of a good weld. It makes small burrs to melt into the welding material, and if the chemical bond doesn't form, then you'll have more surface area for a mechanical bond.



Be careful if you need to pry the crack open a little bit. The plastic will bend a little bit, but you don't want to push it so much that the crack wants to get bigger.



Heat the inside of the crack, only to the point where you see the white colored plastic (stressed) start to turn clear or back to the color of the rest of the boat.

Give the entire area a couple of passes with the heat gun so it is warm; still warm enough to touch, but too hot for a sensitive part of skin like the inside of your wrist. This prepares the boat's plastic to melt with the repair stick.



Preheat one of the thin pieces of HDPE until it gets glossy and mostly transparent. Only uncolored HDPE will get clear. Colored plastic will be ready when it gets glossy and very flexible, almost runny.


Keep working the repair material into the crack, alternately heating with a heat gun, and blending the two plastics together with a burnisher (or spoon). Don't try to mix too much. This is plastic, not liquid. Just a little manipulation to make the weld stick.



DO NOT let the boat get so hot that the plastic starts to run, or you'll get a concave dent in the boat. It must be hot enough so that it can accept the repair plastic. Too cold and the repair will just come apart. Too hot and the boat is ruined. Have patience. If you try to heat it too fast, you'll burn the boat. It will discolor and start to get brown. Patience.



When the structural repair is done, I like to use ultra thin pieces of plastic to cover an area beyond the damage. This acts like an extra patch for back up. Some people go with a frankenstein's monster stitch look, as if stretching a bunch of butterfly bandages across the crack. That will work too. I prefer the all-over patch because I can eventually add more plastic layers and reshape anything that was distorted.



Once everything has cooled off (give it at least an hour), I like to use a surform shaver to knock down all the odd high points, and make sure that the corners of the repair are sticking to the boat well. Hit the edges of the repair to see if they will peel up. If they do, then go back in with the heat gun and make them stick down.
Once everything is sticking together nicely, be sure to shave the corners of the patch down so they feather into the boat's plastic well. This will prevent any rocks from catching that edge and concentrating any extra force on the repaired area.



Hit the whole thing with a heat gun to quickly melt down any small burrs. You CAN NOT melt it enough to make it all smooth without melting the boat. So, just clean it up a bit and quit. It's a repair with a heat gun. It won't look perfect. If you need perfection, go to a professional plastic welder with your boat and get an estimate.



Welding is, in principle, simple. But, no matter what material, it is also an art. The only way to get good is to practice. Replace your boat every few years. Plastic gets brittle with time. But, don't throw your old boat away. It will be good welding practice.

custom HELMET making (part 1)

I needed something to approximate the foam thickness inside a helmet as well as become a barrier between my head and the cast tape. Cheap closed-cell blue camping mat works very well. (about $7 at Kmart) Whatever is left over can be used for tweaking outfitting in boats.




Cut 3" strips out of the foam.
Wrap one around your head like a low riding head band and cut it to size.



Next, place the fitted band on your head and do your best Karate Kid imitation. Be sure to ride it low. You'll cut away ear space and eye space later. The idea is to get the correct diameter of your brain bucket. You'll get the shape of your odd mellon later in the process.



The second 3" strip is to make a measurement of the top ofyour head. Measure it. Cut it. Attach it to the headband. Viola!




Take the whole thing off your head. You need to put some kind of protective barrier over your hair. A latex or silicone swim cap is perfect. Since I didn't have one of those, I just stretched a latex glove over my head. (Foghorn Leghorn anyone?)

Wrap the head band with 6 layers of cast tape, and put the thing back on your head. Be sure to squeeze all the excess water out of the tape so it doesn't drip in your eyes or on your clothes.
Let the tape harden before you remove it. You'll have a perfect shape copy of your head.




Repeat the process with the strip on the top and let it harden.



Gently inflate a balloon inside the the crazy looking contraption. This will give you a mock head inside the thing so you can cast other pieces of tape over top that will create good structure for the bondo.



Let everything dry overnight.
The next day you can use bondo to smooth out the bumps and create a custom design on your helmet design.

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.

new toys on the DragoRossi Container (old school boats in new school plastic)

here's the link to the announcement on Boatertalk
http://www.boatertalk.com/forum/BoaterTalk/1530174

and a photo of the old school boat called the "Reaction" that was spun up in brand new plastic



Instead of buying an old Pirouette, and worrying about how brittle or thin the plastic is, this Reaction is super fresh and should last a very long time.

I am very excited to go super fast in this rocket ship of a boat.

the Mad Boy is almost complete (prototype comparisons)

click the link below for a comprehensive comparison and discussion about design
http://www.2imagine.net/blogger2008/mb2.html

there is also a discussion on the dragorossi.net/drboard message board
with an interesting response by Corran about what he has learned by shaping surf boards
http://www.dragorossi.net/drboard/viewtopic.php?t=839

NPR story on Soft Power Health

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92705089

Dr. Jessie Stone's clinics over in Uganda

DragoRossi kayaks with IR reggie backbands

These are the boats that I have left in inventory. Each one has an IR "reggie" ratcheting backband installed on a performance seat. In the week since I took this picture, two of the boats are gone. The Pintail was sold today, and the Gangster sold before that. The FIsh, Stinger, Squashtail, and Mafia are still available if you want to contact me.

dragorossi@gmail.com

after these boats are gone, you have to either buy directly from the factory, or place an order with Tony Zanetti in Oregon. He is receiving a container of DragoRossi kayaks in about a month. You can still get a boat for $850 (performance) and $1100 (elite) through Tony. He can be reached at

dragorossinorthwest@yahoo.com