Company line: Between river running and high-performance play, the ZG is the best of both worlds all combined in a beautifully designed aesthetic package.
First feel: All padders agreed the new Zero Gravity (Zee Gee) feels like a pre-Transformer Wave Sport boat— fast, predictable balanced and smooth. Wave Sport incorporated low rocker to increase speed and carving. Even though the bow rides suspiciously close to the surface it didn’t raise a complaint from even our most newbie test pilot. The clean convex deck sheds any pearling before the bow is pinned and your momentum stalled—ferry on, Wayne; surf on, Garth. The ZG still feels and moves around the river like a real boat, it jumps up on plane quickly on a ferry and glides deep into eddies. Still learning to flatwater stall and cartwheel? The ZG is your boat. Or pick up an Ace, just don’t try to spin it.
Pro-spective: Without question the Zero Gravity is one of the fastest boats in the 2004 lineup and accelerated on edge like a champ. Not only can you launch huge aerial moves, you have the hull speed to maintain the surf when you land them—one of the biggest gripes with the T series. The boat is clean with soft lines and a loose hull, “like a blank skateboard deck with no gimmicks.” Flat spins easily work themselves into smooth and stable vertical ends. Loops? Sure, but don’t look for the pop you’d expect from more bulbous cockpits.
Pro: A favourite of freestyle pros and intermediate river paddlers.
Con: Narrow knee position, and no drain plug. Six inches extra boat to swing through rotational aerial moves.
Specs
length 6’4”/6’6”
width 24.5”/25”
volume 48gal/54gal
weight 31lbs/32lbs
paddler weight range 100-180lbs/140-220lbs
price $1399cdn/$999us
This article first appeared in the Summer 2004 issue of Rapid magazine. For more great boat reviews, subscribe to Rapid’s print and digital editions here.
Sent me the magazine thank you.