DragoRossi Mad Boy first look in U.S.

Here's a glimpse at the new river runner (probably be used as a creeker by many) from DragoRossi.
This boat will arrive in the U.S. some time this early spring.



The new outfitting includes an adjustable rotomolded seat with pad.
The new ratcheting backband is larger and set up for easier adjustment. Everything is attached to the seat so no matter where you move your seat the set up for the back band is how you like it.



Traditional thigh hooks and a new adjustable bulkhead foot brace system. Move the black plates (which are on top of the main white plate) to fill in the space and prevent any slipping past the bulkhead. It's a safety feature that many are incorporating into their standard setups these days.



a quick shot of the hull. Not the best photo. Flat light and unscratched new plastic don't make for the best contrast. But, you'll get the idea...



Where does the Mad Boy fall in the DragoRossi creek boat line?
Check out these photos for quick comparisions with the Critical Mass and the Mafia.



blue CRITICAL MASS (left), yellow MAD BOY (center), green MAFIA (right)





My First Impressions...

I paddled the boat for the first time on Friday after Thanksgiving at Bulls Bridge. First impression was the stability. Big flat spot on the bottom makes the boat sit flat and confident. The edges are rounded enough so it's still easy to put up on edge for ferrying and it transfers edge to edge in a familiar way.

The boat is fast. I actually had to back off a bit on the approach to this boof move that I normally do when the river is at 1'. Typically I am in either the Mafia, or my Fish so have to paddle a bit harder to make the cross current move. The Mad Boy is very fast for it's length; probably a hair faster than the Critical Mass. But, the nice thing is that it's not TOO much faster. The adjustment is easy. I'm sure it will be a good big water boat too.

A note on the new outfitting. It took me about 5 minutes to get the bulkhead, thigh hooks, hip pads, and seat where I wanted them. Probably would have taken a bit less time if I was not distracted by talking with a friend who I had not seen in several months. All in all the outfitting is very easy to deal with, very "industry standard" and familiar.

Reaction vs. Lazer

because of the contrast, there is a white line at the bow of the Lazer. The old black ender cap blended in with the roof a bit too much to see well.





I'm sure the Lazer is faster in the flats and super easy class III, but the added rocker of the Reaction lets it keep up some speed in the heavier water and makes turning a bit easier. The deck is just a bit higher too for your knees.

If anyone has an Excel that can be compared, I'd love to have pictures.

Reaction vs Transition
Reaction vs Critical Mass
Reaction vs Vortex
Reaction vs Dancers
Reaction vs Lazer
Reaction vs AQII

new plastic slalom boat

the straight-on shots are at the bottom as well as my impressions for the first day of paddling this boat



The SL350 weighs 14kg with all the outfitting. I'm sure if someone wanted to save weight they could take out the seat and shave at least 1.5kg off. But, weight saving is not really the point of a plastic slalom boat. Having a boat for teaching people how to paddle a slalom boat IS one of the reasons for having a plastic slalom boat. Also, it makes a great, durable cruiser for slalom boaters who don't want to beat up on their $1500 composite competition boats. So, the ready-to-go outfitting is nice.



It has an adjustable ratcheting backband and traditional style footpegs.



The SL350 is a completely modern slalom design, made with the design concepts with which current slalom athletes are accustomed.



It measures just barely over 350 cm,and is within the competiton dimention requirements.

here is a nice shot of it next to the Reaction so cruisers can get an idea of the size of the boat



I let James Capozi take the boat for it's inagural run down Bulls Bridge at just over 1/2' on the gauge. He is well over 6' tall with long legs and big feet. He fit very well in the boat. I don't know his weight, but he is super thin. Still, he looked like he was at the boat's max weight. It was James' first time ever in a slalom boat and he found it stable. While he complained about not being able to turn it (ha ha ha slalom boat newbie!!!) he was making it look good and nobody in the group could tell that he had not paddled in a 3.5m boat before.

Second run was my turn, and first time in the SL350. I weigh 170lbs and feel that the boat would be an acceptable size for me to compete in C/D racing, but I'd probably be better off with a larger bow if I were to race in the higher ranking race with more difficult whitewater. I was fine in cruising mode, but I just always preferred a larger bow. Some current competitors my size might argue otherwise.

The stern felt small. So, it's probably the boat that I envision, but if I was 150lbs. I'm anxious to have Ted or Devin try it out and get their impressions. Devin is lighter than me, but about the same height. Ted is much lighter than I am so will be a good indicator for some different paddlers.

I have paddled a couple of the new 3.5m boats briefly in the past. This plastic boat feels exactly like the contemporary boats and is a great improvement over the old Reflex and Fox.

Honestly, I need to get into my old slalom boat for a better comparison. I'm going on a bit of memory and have been paddling fat creek boats for the past couple of years.

Check the blog later because I will get some more people in the boat and get some more comparative runs in different slalom boats myself; probably ask to borrow one of the Vajda or Galasport models from this year.

Reaction vs. Dancers

the orange DragoRossi Reaction, red Perception Dancer, blue Perception Dancer XT





Reaction vs Transition
Reaction vs Critical Mass
Reaction vs Vortex
Reaction vs Dancers
Reaction vs Lazer
Reaction vs AQII

Old School fun in the Reaction

way back in ancient times (1990's) I remember doing enders and corner spins in my old long boat. I brought the Reaction down to Tville to recapture some of that fun for a moment before breaking out the hot dog freestyle boat. I ended up spending the entire session in the Reaction.








special thank you to John Wallace of KayakPsych and Eskimo for taking photos.

Reaction vs Transition
Reaction vs Critical Mass
Reaction vs Vortex

Rotomolding process video

a sped up video that gives a good overall view of the molding, cooling, and assembly process (as well as a bit of clowning around at the end)

here is the direct link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kQG1n2OMVI
but it should play in the embedded video below for you just fine




this was found at Corran's blog at 2Imagine.net
http://www.2imagine.net/news.html

Reaction vs. Vortex

very similar volume, almost exactly the same length, same cockpit size
The Vortex has less rocker than the DragoRossi Reaction.
The Vortex carries the stern volume in it's width
The Reaction carries the stern volume on top with a bit of a crown for shedding water after punching holes.









Reaction vs Transition
Reaction vs Critical Mass
Reaction vs Vortex
Reaction vs Dancers
Reaction vs Lazer
Reaction vs AQII

Reaction vs. Critical Mass

for the sake of scale, note that the DragoRossi Critical Mass (green boat) is just about 9' long


The Reaction is voluminous enough to be a creeker, and sleek enough for old school play. Think.... more nimble Pirouette.

Reaction vs Transition
Reaction vs Critical Mass
Reaction vs Vortex
Reaction vs Dancers
Reaction vs Lazer
Reaction vs AQII

Eli Has Fun

one of the DragoRossi demo center guys from Asheville has recently begun a trip that has nothing to do with boating.
So, why would this get posted on a whitewater site? Because, whitewater boaters are often among the most adventurous types of people, and I trust that those who would read this blog find a larger variety of traveling adventures exciting.

Check out Eli's blog at this address if you feel motivated to follow his adventures.
http://elihasfun.blogspot.com/

Where to buy DragoRossi now?

Take a close look at Donkey Flip
it's a boating portal for the northwest U.S.
AND, it's an easy place to order drago rossi kayaks in America
Just click on the e shop at the top of the Donkey Flip page or use the direct link from here

It's still worth taking a look at 100Waves.com for some information
or you can still buy factory-direct from DragoRossi
and of course it's worth keeping track of research, design, and development as the new boats evolve at 2Imagine.net

This is a low-key, local boater, non big corporate adventure, brought to you buy boaters in the U.S.A. who just want to keep bringing in the boats that they really want to paddle. If you find yourself wanting to join in on the fun, then click one of the links and say hello.

production Mad Boy announcement

by DragoRossi


updates will happen very soon on the designer's website
www.2imagine.net/news.html

Plastic Slalom Kayak

by DragoRossi


more info will be announced soon on the designers' website
www.2imagine.net/news.html

the stats so far
length: 355cm
paddler weight range: 140 - 200 lbs

Reaction vs. Transition

a side by side comparison, just for kicks!


the Reaction has more rocker, length, and volume. The Transition in this photo is my old one (now owned by a friend). It is a bit over 10' long. Having paddled both, I think the Reaction is easier to paddle and handles with more predictability. They roll about the same and the cockpits sizes are almost identical.
The feel like they are the same speed on flat water, but the Reaction feels faster in whitwater because of a drier ride (probably a result of more rocker and volume)



Reaction vs Transition
Reaction vs Critical Mass
Reaction vs Vortex
Reaction vs Dancers
Reaction vs Lazer
Reaction vs AQII

how many creek boat options can you find?

for a limited time sale
on the DragoRossi creek boats that Tony has.

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.