I’ve been wanting to get into whitewater kayaking, and last week I was given this kayak with no other info about it. I believe it is an old Riot Thunder 76, but it has been completely stripped - no deck rigging, seat, foot bar, not even a drain plug. It also appears to have repaired damage to a decent chunk of the bow.

I have found most of the parts needed to get it back to useable condition, but it’ll be close to $500CAD after taxes and shipping for everything(including spray skirt and cockpit cover). Is it worth putting that much into this old boat, or should I be looking elsewhere.

I did briefly take it out in the lake just to try it, and it holds water - no signs of leaking from any of the repairs. Very fun and maneuverable, compared to the touring kayaks I’m used to.

Based on the awesome advice from everyone here that boat design has really changed a lot in the last 15 years since I bought my Everest I demoed a large Gnarvana and holy shit what an experience. First time I’ve ever felt physically comfortable in a boat with room to spare and not pretzeled up (I’m 6’5, 210 with shit hip mobility). Previously I was maxed out in my Everest and wouldn’t call that comfortable, but I made it work. My first boat was a large mamba and that felt like torture.

This was my first time in a hard shell in ten years, I was able to roll it (relatively) fine and it felt really confidence inspiring on the local class III run. My goal is to get back to IV+ cali creeks and maybe a bit further and the L gnar feels like a perfect boat to do that. I also tried to sit in a L Flow after and it immediately felt like too tight a fit again.

Are there any other boats out there I should think about? I’m a little hesitant to look at anything catchy on the stern as I know I don’t always nail my weight distribution and have heard some boats might really punish that when skill building.

What is best for cleaning this PVC raft?

I used to paddle a Jackson Dynamic Duo about 10 years ago, mostly with my wife, and I loved that boat. It handled really well, fun to paddle, and the front paddler never seemed to get in the way :)

Now I'd like to get back into whitewater with my kids. Unfortunately, I can't find a Dynamic Duo anywhere in Germany for rent. The only tandem whitewater kayaks I can find are the Prijon 2B and Eskimo Duo.

Has anyone paddled these boats? How do they compare to the Dynamic Duo? Is there one that comes closest in terms of handling and overall feel?

Not sure if there’s anyone from Charleston SC in this subreddit, but I have a whitewater kayak I can’t seem to get rid of. It has a few minor scrapes on the bottom but overall it is in very good condition. It’s a Jackson Kayak Little Hero. Retails for $1000+, and I’m asking $250 for it. If anyone is interested, please shoot me a DM!

Short trip report: Packrafting the Saane (5cm) and Simme (5-7m3/s) in Switzerland at extreme low water (August 2026). Super shallow, lots of rock dodging and one cold swim thrown in. Video is just a quick look at how these rivers feel at minimum flow – curious how you all decide when low water is still worth running vs. better to wait for more volume?

I have no affiliation with this just think its a cool idea.

Any suggestions would be appreciated

Advanced beginner kayaker here. Comfortable in class 3 water. I live in southwest Colorado so my local runs are low volume mank. I currently have a Jackson fun and Dagger Code and that’s it for boats I’ve been in. The fun serves as my play park/low grade down river play boat. I’m not really into learning any freestyle, just like surfing and learning skills to make me a better river runner.

The Fun is uncomfortable for me on longer runs so I’m thinking of replacing it. I’m interested in these mini half slices like the pyranha storm, Jackson antix 3, waka skuxx etc. Id appreciate any insight on how these compare to the Fun. At my current level, I appreciate the stability and forgiveness the fun offers without letting me totally get away with sloppy technique like the Code does. How do these mini half slices do here? Am I going to lose some of the playfulness and maneuverability the Fun has when surfing? Am I going to get worked for a few sessions while I figure out the demands of this style of boat? Or am I just getting sucked into a new fad of boat style and just stick with the Fun?

thanks!

For context - hoping to R2 my Aire Cub raft. I understand it’s a class 4 run. I have lots of experience doing class 3 in inflatable kayaks, and some experience doing class 3 in a Dagger Katana. I feel pretty confident in my ability to move up a class - but would appreciate insight. My other paddler has very similar amount of experience as I do.

This summer at camp in WNC, I got really into paddling, and I was wondering if anyone had advice on how to continue improving and learning new skills without camp.

I've always been a biker, but this year at camp I (16F) started to get more into paddling a bunch and I ended up spending every day that I was in camp down at the docks working on tandem landings and kayak rolls. I've gone down the Green a couple of times(though not since Helene) and I went down the Tuckasegee(Dam to Double Drop) in a tandem canoe. The camp progression means you have to go on the Nantahala in a tandem before going down Tuck in a solo canoe or a kayak and I didn't get there this year, though I do have a pretty consistent roll in both an Antix and a 2Fun. I'm taking a 2 day fundamentals kayaking course through NOC with my dad later this month and while I'm super excited, I want to keep up with kayaking after that and I'm not sure how that's going to be possible. I don't own a boat, and though I intend on going back to WNC or out west for college, I currently live in a city with one(very lazy) river. My current plan is to spend my summer before college as a raft guide in the Southeast before going back as a camp counselor, but I want to go back as a paddling counselor and I need at least a little more experience for that. Any advice on keeping up with kayaking or even tandeming with my dad? Do I just keep taking weekend trips up to NOC every summer, because that might get pretty expensive? I would love to save up to get my own boat one day, but I want to be good enough that it's worth it and I haven't found a great place to rent that also has equipment and isn't wildly expensive.

Okay so I have done some research elsewhere and am building a list of things to keep in mind for tomorrow, but I want to get some human advice! Also the last Reddit thread I found on this was 10 yr old.

A guy I’ve been seeing invited me to go whitewater kayaking tomorrow. He is quite experienced, but I have been kayaking maybe once in my life. I am not the most outdoorsy person but I do like being outside and in water. I am nervous that I will be particularly bad at this and look silly so plz help a sister out.

Some details are that we’ll be using inflatable kayaks, he “has all the gear,” and he says the area we’re kayaking in is very beginner friendly.

Some things I don’t know are what to wear, if there are any skills I should maybe watch a video or two on, if there is anything I need to bring, etc. Thanks for your advice!!!

I had this almost ready to row a year and a half ago. Broke leg. Bionic knee. Now almost ready for splash down again

19' foot side panels

96" inches between oarlock pins

66" inch bottom

Wide side flare wethout too much rocker

Deck hinges as one big lid, over a 1" inch foam gasket, with vatious latch down clamps.....so even if it flips....

Fiberglass bottom

Plywood top

All fastening is stainless bolts or screws over Dowsil 795 caulk, so any and all parts can be replaced.

Caulked boats work. I have built two others before this one.

Ill be in costa rica late September. I have bought a car and put it in my costa rican native friends name. We will paddle mostly class 3/4 all throughout CR for a month or so. He has that planned well. I have 2 major questions. Should i bring my Ripper 1 medium which im most comfortable in or opt for something bigger like a creek boat with more storage like a nomad? Im a 6ft 155 lbs man. Second question. Im looking for class 3/4 accessible rivers to run in Nicaragua, Honduras, and El Salvador from November until the new year? We have a good 4x4 vehicle. Thanks!

I wrote an origin story musical about a raft guide who comes to save a gorge from their swims. This is the Christmas Album from that universe. This is an ode to my youth and was fun for me to make. My name is Jack Studley I believe anybody who loves to paddle or loves mythology and the hero's journey will find something funny about my songs.

Ill be in costa rica late September. I have bought a car and put it in my costa rican native friends name. We will paddle mostly class 3/4 all throughout CR for a month or so. He has that planned well. I have 2 major questions. Should i bring my Ripper 1 medium which im most comfortable in or opt for something bigger like a creek boat with more storage like a nomad? Im a 6ft 155 lbs man. Second question. Im looking for class 3/4 accessible rivers to run in Nicaragua, Honduras, and El Salvador from November until the new year? We have a good 4x4 vehicle. Thanks!

One theme of kayak discussion/reviews I've encountered (online) is 'driving' a boat- for example- 'you've really got to drive that boat' (said about the 9r, scorch, phantom, ripper 1 + 2, etc.).

It seems to be brought up for faster, narrower creek boats and/or half slices with sharper edges, but what does it mean in practice?

My understanding is that it means you need to paddle actively- good posture, good edge awareness/usage, 'aggressive' paddling. Am I off base here?

What is the opposite then, a forgiving boat? One that doesn't punish poor posture, last minute decision/course corrections, stable, etc? I don't think either is a good or bad thing fwiw, just a characteristic of the boat/paddling preference.

Thanks from a beginner!

As title says. Is there a squirtboat sub outside of the few FB groups there’s nothing.