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Creekboat Review: Wave Sport Recon

Whitewater kayak on a river
Time spent in reconnaissance is never wasted." —George Washington | Photo by: Jo-Anne Caldwell 

The Recon is a hardcore creekboat designed to take paddlers on the steeps in comfort and safety. If you want a boat that charges down rocky mank this could be the boat for you.

Looking beyond Wave Sport’s stylish, comfortable and easily adjustable Core WhiteOut outfitting you’ll find a boat that performs in Class IV–V+ water. The Recon has loads of integrated safety features: A safety step-out wall, seven points of rescue for boat extractions and an auto-adjusting bulkhead foot brace designed to fill up empty bow space so feet can’t get stuck behind it.

Wave Sport Recon S/M/L Specs
Length: 7’9” / 8’3” / 8’8”
Width: 25.5” / 26.5” / 27”
Volume: 70 / 83 /93 US GAL
Weight: 47 / 50 / 52 LBS
Paddler: 80–150 / 140–200 / 180–275 LBS
MSRP: $1,099
www.wavesport.com

At 50 pounds, the Recon isn’t light on the shoulder, but when I’m slamming into rocks all day I appreciate a beefier build. The soft end handles make the boat easy to drag around and the handle on the step-out pillar helps keep the boat on your shoulder when carrying.

Though the Recon replaces Wave Sport’s former creeker, the Habitat, “It has a new shape and paddles significantly differently,” says David Maughan, a designer at Wave Sport. “In terms of performance and features, we started with a bit of a blank slate.”

With a pronounced and continuous rocker profile, the Recon keeps its bow and stern well above the water. This means it’s super maneuverable, easy to boof and skips over holes. It’s in boulder-choked rapids and on slides where the Recon really shines as it slides up, over and through with ease.

“It’s a smooth and forgiving boat,” adds Maughan. “And its volume distribution makes it easy to roll for recovery.”

With its short waterline, the Recon jumps to top speed with a just few quick strokes. The dome-like stern sheds water and ejects the boat almost instantly. This is great for technical creeks where there isn’t room to build up speed and the moves are stacked close together.

Tilt the Recon on edge and it becomes an amazingly stable platform that you could hang out on all day. Don’t expect to carve around the river or deep into eddies though. With its edges engaged in the water, the Recon spins in and out of the current with authority. It’s perfect for grabbing a break in micro eddies or on runs where you don’t have room to make long, carving turns.

While the Recon can easily be piloted down Class I–III+ runs, it’s way more boat than these rivers require. However, if you love to tackle the Class IV–V+ steep, continuous and rocky rivers of the world, consider the Recon as your tool of choice to get the job done.

This article originally appeared in Rapid’s Spring 2013 issue. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions here, or browse the archives here.


Time spent in reconnaissance is never wasted.” —George Washington | Photo by: Jo-Anne Caldwell 

Weekly Whitewater News, March 11, 2013

Photo: Flickr user docentjoyce.
Weekly Whitewater News, March 11, 2013

bildeAnother Whitewater Park In CO?

Work may begin on a Grant County, Colorado, whitewater park as early as next year according to the Ski-Hi News. Locals have applied for permits and started fundraising for the man-made wave planned for the Colorado River. Colorado already has parks in Steamboat Springs, Glenwood Springs, Durango, Salida and Golden, making it, as far as we can tell, the state with the most. Authorities are seeing money pour in from comps and festivals. It also can’t hurt increased awareness for the sport.

Read the full story at the Sky-Hi News.

(Photo: Sky-Hi News.)

 

gI 59401 Final mpt-icall4help-icon-1024 copyS.O.S. App

iCall4Help is a new app that turns your smartphone into rescue communication device similar to familiar Delorme InReach or SPOT satellite messenger devices. It uses the cellular network, so it isn’t as far reaching, but you can send preprogrammed voice, sms, email and Facebook messages, to just check in, or to call for help. You can also set alarms to check in a predetermined intervals and if you fail to respond, the app can automatically trigger a rescue.

iCall4Help costs $2.99 in the Apple App Store and credits for voice and text messages cost five cents a piece—no need for annual subscriptions.

Read more here.

 

 

31631-2Help The Fight To Allow Whitewater Boating in Yosemite

American Whitewater is working with Yosemite National Park to address the issue of boater access. Whitewater paddling is banned on almost of the rivers in the iconic park. With runs like the Tuolomne and Merced, that just seems like a terrible waste. The park is currently redrafting a management plan. Given the fact that the park manages other human-powered, low-impact activities like hiking and climbing, they are open to hearing from boaters. Comments from the public are due March 18. Click here to learn how you can have your say.

(Photo: American Whitewater)   (Main Photo: Flickr user docentjoyce licensed under Creative Commons.) Have a whitewater news story you’d like to share? Email it to [email protected].

Video: Blind Bird Singing Rain

Robert Perkins paddles from his house in southern Utah down the lower Colorado to discover why the water is disappearing. With insight and humor, he paddles 500 miles to Mexico. He finds the river no longer reaches the sea, but he discovers an unexpected miracle. Blind Bird Singing Rain is a poetic personal narrative about the river’s plight. Director and Producer: Robert Perkins

Blind Bird Singing Rain is now playing on the Reel Paddling Film Festival World Tour. Find out tour dates and check out other award-winning films at www.reelpaddlingfilmfestival.com.

Expert Tips On Where To Position Oars On A Raft

Single person manning oars on a raft in whitewater
Where you position the oars on your raft will affect your comfort and the balance of your boat. | Photo: Tom MeckFessel

You have your raft, you have your trip plan, you’ve carved out the prep time to set everything up. Now what? When it comes to mounting your raft rowing frame, most folks will tell you there are only two options.

Center mounts place the oarlocks at the halfway point along the raft’s waterline, putting the power on the pivot point. This is ideal for very heavy loads, and is the most common setup for multi-day rigs.

Stern mounts put the guide seat on the back tube, sitting high on the rocker with oars in lap. This is a typical commercial day trip setup, where the guide wants to keep the clients in view and away from the oars.

The fact is, the typical recreational rafter’s boat is not loaded with three weeks of food and gear, or with six to 10 passengers.

For a day trip or weekend, a centre mount will likely place passengers forward of the oars, making the raft bow heavy. With a stern mount, you can’t back ferry and the guide’s power is lost in flexing the raft’s rocker, rather than turning or moving the boat.

Figuring out a raft oar setup

The ideal position lies in between.

For a light gear load and a couple of passengers, placing the oarlocks two-thirds along the waterline with the guide seat in front of the stern rise makes for a balanced and predictable ride. The pivot stays near the centre of the raft, the guide can hold an angle pushing or pulling, is efficient pulling the flats and doesn’t mess with the stern rocker.

The trick is to experiment with different positions—don’t view the frame as fixed. You’ll find different setups for various load types. Move not only the frame, but also the oarlocks and seat to best position, and then mark those locations on the frame with a Sharpie. Several D-ring placements and long frame straps help keep options open.

Video: Balance

Balance shares the stories of three individuals who live their lives in very different ways. The characters are not professional athletes but rather working-class heroes—people who work to make time for the things they love. In this edition, follow Blair Trotman as he finds his path as a kayaking instructor after ending up in the military. Director and Producer: Kelsey Thompson

Balance is now playing on the Reel Paddling Film Festival World Tour. Find out tour dates and check out other award-winning films at www.reelpaddlingfilmfestival.com.

Video: Paddling across campus

Last  week, at Ontario’s MacMaster University, engineering students took up paddles to make their way across the flooded quad. The area is usually dry and is a frequently used pathway – last week’s snow melt and heavy rain caused the flooding.

Daily Photo: Mondays

Photo: curtis.mchale
Daily Photo: Mondays

Mondays can be rough. Don’t despair; you’ll pull through.

This photo was taken by Flickr user curtis.mchale and is licensed under Creative Commons.

Think your image could be a Rapid Media Whitewater Daily Photo? Submit it to [email protected].

Weekly Canoe News, March 4, 2013

Courtesy: Ontario Tourism
Weekly Canoe News, March 4, 2013

This week in canoeing news:  New paddling trails in Texas, Rapid Media at Canoecopia, Great Lakes hit their lowest levels ever and one man wins his right to paddle.

 

Great Lakes hit new low

lake_michigan_1.jpg.size.xxlarge.letterbox.jpgTwo of the Great Lakes have hit their lowest water levels ever recorded, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have said, capping more than a decade of below-normal rain and snowfall and higher temperatures that boost evaporation. Measurements taken last month show Lake Huron and Lake Michigan have reached their lowest ebb since record keeping began in 1918, and the lakes could set additional records over the next few months, the corps said. The lakes were 29 inches (74 centimetres) below their long-term average and had declined 17 inches (43 centimetres) since January 2012. Via Toronto Star

 

Paddler wins court case

535694_1.jpgA state Supreme Court judge has found that Adirondack Explorer magazine editor Phil Brown had the right to paddle on waterways that run through private property in northwest Hamilton County, and that the waters should be open to the public. Brown, a Saranac Lake resident, was in court because the Brandreth Park Association and Friends of Thayer Lake had sued him for trespassing after he paddled on waters surrounded by their lands. Via Adirondack Daily Enterprise

 

 

Kids these days

medium.jpgWhen little Evie discovered she accidently brought home two sticks with her from Yosemite National Park she wrote a letter of apology to the park rangers for breaking the park rules and enclosed the sticks, requesting that the park rangers please, “put them back in nature.” Via Gawker. 

 

 

 

 

 

10 new paddling trails in Texas 

city_TRS.jpgEarlier this month, as part of World Wetlands Day, Texas Parks and Wildlife launched 10 new paddling trails along Big Cypress Bayou and Caddo Lake. Five of the 10 new loop trails leave from Backwater Jack’s R.V.Park, which is nestled along the Spanish moss-draped Big Cypress Bayou shore near Jefferson. The other five trails feature put-in locations onCaddoLakein and around Uncertain. The shortest trail (Benton Lake Loop on the Big Cypress) covers 2.4 miles round trip and meanders upstream from Backwater Jack’s. The longest paddle trail (Hell’s Half-Acre) covers 8.8 miles round trip and leaves from CaddoLake State Park. Via Texas Parks and Wildlife.

 

Rapid Media takes over Canoecopia

007f7dcc1de776ae0fbd86ceae8656ad_L.jpgCome visit us at the Rapid Media booth at Canoecopia from March 8-11 in Madison, Wisconsin. Canoecopia is perfect antedote to March cabin fever and is the largest paddlesports consumer event in the world, over 250,000 square feet of kayaks, canoes, outdoor equipment and clothing. The Rapid Media team is driving down so if you have music recommedations please post them to the comments below—otherwise it’s Publisher Scott’s country and western faves! 

Magdalene Islands Kayak Trip

Photo: Bryan Smith
Magdalene Islands sea cave.

This kayak trip destination is excerpted from “The East Coast’s Best 5 Places to Paddle” in Adventure Kayak magazine. 

Magdalene Islands, Quebec

Perhaps the most unexplored sea kayaking destination in the Canadian Maritimes, the Magdalene Islands are smack dab in the middle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The cluster of nine islands sits between Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. After many miles on the road and tired of windshield time, we loaded
 our kayaks with five days’ of food and gear and walked onto the ferry. We disappeared into the French-speaking archipelago under human power. With long dunes separating most of the islands and many secluded beaches, this 
is Quebec’s sandbox. The shoreline is dominated by red sandstone carved by thousands of years of consistent wind. Hundred of caves, tunnels and arches are peppered along the coast and the quaint fishing villages make re-supplying easy.

Find more information about this area at Tourism Magdalene Islands, www.tourismeilesdelamadeleine.com.

Outfitters: Gros Cap Camping, www.parcdegroscap.ca

 

This article originally appeared in Adventure Kayak, Early Summer 2009. Download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.

Weekly Kayak News, February 28, 2013

Photo: Virginia Marshall
Weekly Kayak News, February 28, 2013

Outdoor Adventure Show a Success

Over the February 22–24 weekend, the Outdoor Adventure Show lured crowds of outdoor enthusiasts to Toronto’s International Place to shop for gear, learn new skills, plan upcoming trips and, of course, meet the crew and browse the latest issues at the busy Rapid Media booth.

Rapid booth

The Rapid team sold 142 subscriptions in just three days, plus scores of single copies. And, even better, we had a chance to chat with readers about your favorite places to paddle, stories you enjoyed and more!

 

Maine Water Trail Turns 25

Linking 375 miles of uninhabited islands and mainland sites from the New Hampshire border to Cobscook Bay and the Canadian border, America’s first recreational water trail turns 25 this year.

MaineIslandTrail-653x339h

The Maine Island Trail Association is celebrating a quarter century of community building, stewardship and education with summer-long festivities and events. From mid-March through Labor Day, visitors and members can join in events ranging from a film festival and paddle race to island cleanups and an on-island photo contest. For more information visit www.mita.org.

 

Adventures that Give Back

Spaces are still available on upcoming conservation and service outings hosted by the Sierra Club. In June, members can travel to St. John in the Virgin Islands to assist with coral reef conservation, and in July the club heads to Alaska’s Prince William Sound to clean up tsunami debris that’s washed ashore on the region’s pristine beaches.

SierraClub photoJanLockie

Visit the Sierra Club Outings page for more trips and details. And watch for Adventure Kayak’s picks of more great ways to make a deposit in the karma bank in the May issue. Via the Sierra Club.