Pyranha Blog

15
Jun

A Perfect Union

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To say I was excited to be heading to Slovenia would be an understatement. I absolutely love the country, the friendliness of the people, and of course the Soča itself. If you haven’t paddled the Soča, then imagine the best river for developing skills on. Now double that. It’s amazing. Beautiful turquoise water, sharp eddylines, rounded rocks, and a variety of environments to explore.

*One of the many fun spots the Ozone could make the most of.*

After a couple of years of hiatus, it was time to be heading back again. I was working with a group of paddlers who were all looking to develop their paddling in an advanced environment. They were all competent in a Grade 2 (with a bit of 3) environment, and looking to tune-up to be able to explore some of the higher grade boating.

*Reassuringly balanced for a full slice*.

Now, my dilemma… what boat to take? I try hard to match my boat to my work, and with the mentality that has been distilled that we have to paddle ‘big’ boats for work (that has so well been challenged by the Ripper (other half slices are available, but inferior)) it would previously have been a Machno or 9R II. As I enjoyed working from my Ripper so much, during the past couple of years I’ve also started to work from my Ozone.

*It is very hard to not constantly smile when your boat is this playful!*

Initially, I got the Ozone to spice up my local runs when heading out between work stints. The more I have paddled it, the more I realise what an all-around capable boat it is. I’ve taken it down respectable continuous Grade 4, ran leadership provider orientations from it, and spent a lot of time recklessly vertical. I felt as though it was time to allow it to show how versatile it is.

*Every situation becomes an opportunity for seeing the river in a different light.*

It most certainly didn’t let me down. From entertaining myself on the eddylines to demonstrating the lines to the team on the pushier water, I knew I had made the right boat choice for the trip. Every time I got in my boat I had a huge smile on my face, as I wondered where I was going to end up recklessly vertical on that run. Thank you to the Ozone for being the perfect choice for the Soča!

*It can even leap other boats when their driver parks them in the wrong place…*

*I’m 6’1”, 33” inseam, and weigh 90kg. I fit in the L with my river shoes on easily, with the seat all the way forward.

Tags: Pyranha Ozone, Soca, Soča, Whitewater Kayaking in Slovenia

30
May

Kyrgyzstan – the place where I feel a sense of freedom.

Categories:

Tips & Guides

by Tomass Marnics

In August 2022, I will travel to Kyrgyzstan again… and I will go again and again after!

My first kayaking trip to this amazing, mountainous country was back in 2015, and since then I’ve been spending my summers in Central Asia exploring the mountains and rivers of Kyrgyzstan.

There are several reasons why exactly I fell in love with this part of the world:

Landscapes

Kyrgyzstan is a country located in Central Asia, bordering China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.

The Tien Shan mountain range was an integral part of the Great Silk Road, the main trade route between China and Europe in ancient times. Numerous caravans and wanderers overcame mountain passes and raging streams of roaring rivers flowing from the slopes of the Tien Shan and cutting deep canyons in these majestic mountains.

Every time I visit Kyrgyzstan, I’m blown away by the amazing culture, huge mountains with high snowy peaks, and great whitewater. No matter if it is high water summer or quiet fall season.

Somehow for me, Kyrgyzstan is a mysterious country with a great history, friendly and open people, and a huge potential for various areas of outdoor activities, travelling, and unforgettable adventures. Of the five mountains that exceed altitudes of 7000 meters in ex-USSR territories, three are found in Kyrgyzstan. Big mountains, deep canyons, snowy peaks, and wilderness will provide some of the most scenic landscapes you could ever imagine.

Simple Lifestyle

Kayaking in Kyrgyzstan is very simple – you need a trusty 4×4 van where you put your kayak and camping gear, some cash, and information about the rivers. In 7 years of my travels to Kyrgyzstan, I’ve collected the necessary knowledge and contacts which makes it very easy for me to travel in this part of the world.

Rivers

I love paddling big water. Rivers in Kyrgyzstan are big, pushy, and really fun to paddle. The good thing about this country is that pretty much all the classic rivers have road access. You paddle with an empty kayak and then eat and sleep wherever you like. As easy as it sounds. But for those who like an expedition, there is also a good number of multi-day runs.

It is warm, very big, free, very easy to travel, and has a great spirit along the amazing kayaking adventure.

Will I go there again? 100% YEEES!!! I’m going to spend another 2 fantastic months in Kyrgyzstan this summer!

See you on the river.
Tomass

Tags: Kyrgyzstan, Whitewater Kayaking in Kyrgyzstan

07
May

A Few Words on the Ripper 2

Categories:

Tests and Reviews

by Bren Orton

Holy sheet, what a kayak!

I was nervous during the design and prototyping phases of Ripper 2 because the original Ripper is my favourite go-to kayak, and, in all honesty, I was scared the second version might not be as good as the original. However, what has come out of the Pyranha factory this time is better than I could ever have hoped.

You can tell where this kayak’s heritage comes from, but it makes the original Ripper look as if it’s standing still.

Increased rocker and width at the knees keep me riding drier down the river and not getting knocked around as much by small lead-in features above big lines. It still, however, is just enough width for the kayak to skip well out of drops, and no more than what’s needed; it is still lightning quick on edge transfers.

The second half of this kayak is just genius and a bold design choice by Pyranha. The way the rocker in the tail starts underneath your seat means the kayak hinges from that point, which allows you to lift the bow so easily. As you’re doing that, the sliciest tail on the market offers no resistance and you’ll find yourself vertical before you know it. There was a learning curve to getting the old Ripper up to vertical, but that is gone now with the Ripper 2. Everyone I have let try it has been able to pop it up to vert easily; the learning curve now is what you do with it when you’re vertical.

The ease at which I can get this kayak vertical opens up whole new doors for me with downriver freestyle and jibbin’ moves.

Many people look at the tail and are worried about being too tail-happy on pushier rapids, but I honestly have been surprised to not feel that myself. I now have twenty-one days out on the water in the Ripper 2 and I have only back-looped twice, one was a surprise and the other was my fault entirely, and I think even a Scorch X would have back-looped in that situation.

I need to wait and find a good-sized wave to really test this idea but on small waves, it seems to kickflip much better than the original, and I think this kayak can get more air off the back of waves because the rocker in the tail is helping to stop it dragging as you’re pulling up to launch over a wave.

I weigh 75kg and I am in the Medium Ripper 2. I will be interested to try the large when it comes out but have a feeling I will stick with the medium.

So stoked on this new design, Pyranha crushed it again!!

Bren

Tags: Pyranha Ripper, Ripper 2 Review

29
Apr

Ukraine Fundraiser Update 2

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by Pyranha

Although the initial shock of the situation in Ukraine has subsided and the media’s interest has largely moved on, it is clear that much has transpired that money or humanitarian aid cannot fix; loved ones lost, atrocities suffered, and lives forever changed. The war in Ukraine has also, sadly, not yet come to an end.

We are proud to have been able to offer what little support we can, though, and thank each and every person who has supported us in our fundraising efforts thus far, but we’re not done yet!

There are still some ‘Flag of Ukraine’ Scorches available to order on our UK/EU Webstore, and via the dealers below; if you know of anyone in the market for a Scorch, please do let them know:

A large part of what has been raised so far was via the raffles held for 2 ‘Flag of Ukraine’ Scorches. Congratulations to the winners, Shaun Comins and William Dove, and thank you to everyone who entered! Here are Shaun and William’s reactions to finding out they’d won, and what they had to say about their motivation for getting involved:

“I think we’re all scrambling to find ways to support Ukraine right now and despite thinking there was no way I’d actually win, this contest felt like an easy choice. I’m thankful for the opportunity to make an impact and the amazing new kayak just in time for summer!”
Shaun Comins, US ‘Flag of Ukraine’ Scorch Raffle Winner

“I was really surprised to find out I’d won, and I am excited to try out my Scorch when I get the opportunity!
I am glad to have helped support DEC in their support of the people of Ukraine in this horrible war and I hope the money raised by Pyranha and others helps makes a difference.”
William Dove, UK/EU ‘Flag of Ukraine’ Scorch Raffle Winner

If you pre-ordered a ‘Drop Waterfalls, Not Bombs’ T-Shirt, these were shipped out from the 12^th of April in the UK/EU, and have just landed and begun to be despatched this week in North America. We really appreciate your support and patience with these!

Once all orders have been fulfilled, we will list any remaining t-shirts on our webstores and the sales of these will also go towards the fund.

Tags: Disasters Emergency Committee, Drop Waterfalls Not Bombs T-Shirt, Flag of Ukraine Scorch, Scorch Raffle Winner, Ukraine Relief Fund

06
Apr

Dropping Waterfalls and Some Big Fish in the BBC’s ‘Earth’s Great Rivers’ Documentary

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by Carmen Kuntz

Ever wonder what’s going on under your kayak? What does it sound like, look like, and who is living underneath the whitewater that we are playing in?!

Around this time last year, Rok Rozman was approached by the BBC. They were looking for someone to tell the story of the Sava River, as a part of a documentary series called Earth’s Great Rivers. They were working on an episode about the mighty Danube River and wanted to be sure to include the important tributaries – like the Sava in Slovenia.

Over the past 2 years – out of both necessity and desire – Balkan River Defence have been focusing our efforts on the Sava River. It starts in the mountains of Slovenia and flows across the whole country, into Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina before pouring into the Danube in Belgrade, Serbia. And it’s currently threatened by 10 new hydroelectric dams that would destroy the diversity and affect life, above and below water.

At Balkan River Defence, we took it as a challenge and got our hands, feet, and cameras wet filming the Sava from the perspective of a fish. Not just any fish; the massive, predatory Huchen, also called the Danube salmon during its spawning season.

Getting creative with angles and methods to film these beauties (without disturbing them during their romancing), proved to be a challenge indeed, but one that turned into some incredible insight into what’s going on under the surface of the Sava River.

Since we were celebrating tributaries, and since water levels were perfect, we decided a little huck-fest was warranted, so we rappelled Rok into Grmečica waterfall for a few seconds of free-falling. And then went back to filming kayaking on the main branch of the river.

What we thought would be just a short 3-minute segment turned into a 13-minute segment of the hour-long film. The BBC team was fired up on how we combine kayaking, biology, and a deep love and respect for the Sava, and how we are fighting to protect it.

If you want to see some big fish, some waterfall hucking and learn more about the Sava and the Danube, a river that runs through 10 countries in Europe, then check out the link here to see the whole film:

Viewing from the UK – https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0015qj3

Viewing from outside the UK – https://www.bbcearth.com/shows/earths-great-rivers-ii

*Spoiler alert: BRD is releasing our full-length film about Balkan Rivers Tour 5 and the Sava River on June 1^st2022. Come to Slovenia for the premier, or keep an eye out in your local mountain film festivals for the film, One for the River, The Sava Story. Trailer to be released soon.

Tags: Balkan River Defence, BBC, Danube, Earth's Great Rivers, Fish, Rok Rozman, Sava

31
Mar

Others have tried, but ultimately, only we could improve on the original Ripper…

Categories:

News

by Pyranha

We know once you’ve paddled a Ripper, you miss the tailees, smile-inducing surfs, and zippy performance whenever you’re on the river in something else; that’s why most Ripper paddlers have barely paddled anything else in the 5 years since its release (yes, it really has been that long! Time flies when you’re having fun.)

As others have followed suit with their own take on the modern half-slice format, we’ve been asked when we’d be releasing Ripper 2, and we’ve always said we’d only make a new Ripper when we thought of a way to improve on the design; well, here we are…

The design improvements we’ve introduced in Ripper 2 take the fun to the next level and open up even more opportunities for it; surf more waves, drop the tail with less effort and in more locations, and get even more recklessly vertical.

‘Professional Enthusiasts’ (i.e. Pyranha Staff Members), Elliot and Liam having a great time during final testing.

Ripper 2 has more bow rocker for a drier ride and drier surfs, a slightly wider hull to help you skip further out of more features, and a lower volume tail with softer sidewalls to make the tail easier to sink, whether you’re looking to get vertical or lift the bow up and over a feature.

But don’t worry, we’ve balanced out the lower volume tail with some clever edges, which channel the water flowing over the hull and turn it into a slight amount of lift, keeping the tail on the surface when you’re headed downriver.

Smaller and Larger paddlers will also be pleased to hear that the Small is shorter, and the Large is longer, so you can enjoy the same ergonomics of the Medium as well as the performance of a boat that’s better tailored for your size.

Speaking of sizing… as always, we’ve provided an advisory paddler weight range; with the Ripper, this range is a little broader to allow for larger paddlers who want a more playful experience, and smaller paddlers who are looking primarily for a river runner. We’ve attempted to illustrate that range in the graphic below, but we’d always suggest demoing before purchase:

To top it all off, we’ve added some fresh styling, with a touch of influence from the Scorch at the bow and some sweeping textured lines on the stern. Beautiful.

Whether you were a fan of the original or not, you haven’t truly experienced half slice until you’ve tried this.

Ripper 2 Medium is available in the UK now, the Large will be available in the UK and Europe in a few weeks, and the Small will be with dealers by summer.

N.B. This is in addition to the Rip-R Evo, which is laser-focused on Extreme Slalom and use in the whitewater centres where those competitions take place; this does mean that slalom paddlers and others who are seeking maximum performance may prefer Rip-R Evo, but Ripper 2 has been designed for maximum fun in all settings for the majority of whitewater paddlers.

Tags: Half Slice Kayak, Pyranha Ripper 2

25
Mar

UK’s Premier Kayak Manufacturer Now Available in Greater Vancouver

Categories:

News

by Pyranha

After pivoting their business in 2019, the UK’s premier kayak manufacturer, Pyranha and P&H Sea Kayaks are now available again in the Greater Vancouver area after securing partnerships with the area’s best paddlesports retailers, Coast Outdoors (North Vancouver, BC) and Western Canoeing & Kayaking (Abbotsford, BC).

Established in 1971 and 1968 respectively, Pyranha Kayaks and P&H Sea Kayaks unified in 2004 and together have grown to be the UK’s leading supplier of cutting edge whitewater kayaks and industry-leading sea kayaks. These innovative designs have taken adventurers to the remotest corners of the globe and received numerous industry awards and accolades. Pyranha/P&H pivoted its Canadian business in 2019 to focus solely on independently owned, speciality retailers and has been reestablishing its Canadian dealer network since then.

“We’re just thrilled to bring the two premier British Columbia paddlesports retailers into the Pyranha / P&H family. Western Canoeing and Coast Outdoors represent the very best paddlesports selection and service and align perfectly with the values of Pyranha’s family-owned business. Bringing the industry’s best kayaks to the best retailers positions us perfectly for a new beginning in the British Columbia paddlesports community.” says Chris Hipgrave, Pyranha’s North American Sales Director. “Western Canoeing will focus on the Pyranha whitewater kayak brand while Coast Outdoors will be focused on the P&H Sea Kayaks brand. Both of these outstanding retailers promise to expand our opportunities to the huge paddlesports community in British Columbia and well beyond.”

Coast Outdoors is North Vancouver’s foremost paddlesports speciality store. Their knowledgeable and enthusiastic retail staff are dedicated paddlers who know their stuff so can give you great advice if you need some direction, arrange demos, or help you out with any parts you might need.

Coast Outdoors

352 Lynn Avenue

V7J 2C5

North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

(604) 987-2202

info@coastoutdoors.ca

Western Canoe Kayak prides itself on having the largest and most diverse selection of canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddle-boards, and accessories, with easy access through their online store. Their staff don’t just talk about paddling, they live for it! Whether you’re just getting into paddling or have been paddling your whole life, their staff have the expertise to answer any questions you may have. Good service and sharing of knowledge are their most important products, and they’re free!

Western Canoeing & Kayaking

1717 Salton Rd

Abbotsford, BC

(604) 853-9320

sales@westerncanoekayak.com

Tags: Coast Outdoors, Kayaks for sale in Abbotsford, Kayaks for sale in BC, Kayaks for sale in North Vancouver, Kayaks for sale in Vancouver, Pyranha Kayaks in Vancouver, Western Canoeing & Kayaking

21
Mar

10 Years Later; I Wouldn’t Change a Thing

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by Liam Hardman

When I was 10 years old, the Pyranha Jed came out. I wanted this kayak so bad, and I begged my parents to get this boat for me! When Christmas rolled around in 2012, I look under the tree and there was a Pyranha Jed with my name on it. Ten years later, I am still paddling the Pyranha Jed. As I have grown up, I have never seen or paddled a boat like the Jed before. As other brands have come out with new boats, nothing impressed me the way the Jed does. So why keep paddling a boat that is over a decade old? It is like buying your dream car, would you go out and buy a different one because it is newer? Absolutely not, I am going to stick with it. Nothing beats the quality of this boat. For me, it makes every trick I want to do easy. I have learned every freestyle trick I know in this boat. I have a bond with it, and in my opinion, it is the best freestyle kayak on the market.

When I was 10, my dad and I were kayaking on the Mulberry River in Alabama. At the end, there is a small wave called Hawaii 5’O. At 10 years old, I was scared to surf this wave. My dad offered to buy me chicken nuggets from Mcdonald’s if I surfed the wave. Fun Fact, I will do anything for chicken nuggets. Ten-year-old me paddled hard and got onto the wave. The Jed had great stability and immediately gave ten-year-old me the confidence I needed to surf. From there on, I knew this was the boat for me! Ten years later, I find myself surfing huge waves like Nile Special or Minibus and still having the same confidence. I would not want to paddle any other boat!

The Pyranha Jed is slightly longer than its competitors. This makes it extremely fast and reactive on a wave. As well, with this longer boat, it builds up my momentum on a wave to throw fast and snappy tricks. From being 10 years old surfing a small wave to being 20 years old surfing huge waves, this Jed gives me the confidence I need to do what I love. I find with the speed; I can take off quickly and throw huge tricks! It reacts perfectly to everything I do. As well as, on small waves where I need to use technique, it drives effortlessly and makes each trick easy as pie!

Once it comes to playboating in a hole, I love this boat! I have thrown the biggest loops of my life in this boat! There is a perfect amount of volume at the knees that allows me to get the most amount of pop I can! As well as cartwheels are the easiest trick to do. Whether I am doing flatwater cartwheels or throwing cartwheels in a competition, linking end to end is simple and easy! With the low volume stern and bow, linking tricks are effortless. If I could recommend any freestyle kayak, beginner, or pro, I will tell you to paddle a Jed! It has been my favorite playboat and I wouldn’t want to paddle anything else!

See ya on the water,
Cat

Tags: freestyle kayaking, Pyranha, whitewater

16
Mar

Ukraine Fundraiser Update

Categories:

by Pyranha

We posted just last week letting you know about the fundraiser we had put together to support The Disaster Emergency Committee‘s relief efforts in Ukraine; the response we received has been monumental, raising our goal from £75,000 to £100,000! Another shining example of the sheer, selfless beauty of this community it is our absolute pleasure to be a part of.

Help us hit that goal:

Buy a T-Shirt

The ‘Drop Waterfalls, Not Bombs’ t-shirts sold out almost instantly, so we have added more which are available on our webstores* now:

UK/EU webstore

North American webstore

*some EU dealers have also ordered stock of the t-shirts to make it easier for EU residents to lend their support, so please check in with your local dealer if you are EU-based.

Buy a Kayak

Many of you have been asking where you can get hold of one of the ‘Flag of Ukraine’ Scorches, and if you’re in the UK, you can now purchase one of these through our UK/EU webstore. For US and EU/ROW residents, please check out the list of dealers who have them inbound below:

Ireland

River Deep Mountain High

Bantry Bay Canoes

I-Canoe

Germany

Der Kanu-Treff

Denk Outdoor

Sport Schroer

Norway

Padlespesialisten

Slovenia

Funpark Menina

Netherlands

Kanocentrum Arjan Bloem

Italy

Ozone Kayak

New Zealand

Further Faster & Long Cloud Kayaks

USA

If you can’t do any of the above…

Some people outside of the regions covered by the above have also asked us how they can get involved and lend their support, and beyond sharing posts about our fundraiser, you can also donate whatever you are able directly to the DEC: https://donation.dec.org.uk/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal

P&H Sea Kayaks Fundraiser

We’ve also launched a similar fundraiser under our P&H brand, and you can find more information on that on the P&H Blog.

Tags: Disasters Emergency Committee, Drop Waterfalls Not Bombs T-Shirt, Flag of Ukraine Scorch, Ukraine Relief Fund

09
Mar

Ukraine Relief Fundraiser

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by Pyranha

We have ceased all shipments to Russia as of the week before last and have heard from both of our Ukrainian dealers that they are preparing to defend their homeland in any way they can. When peace returns, we’ll do everything we can to help them rebuild their businesses, but sadly that time is likely a long way off.

These are our dealers in Ukraine:

These are wonderful people.

We are lucky to live in a stable and peaceful democracy, whilst many live with the harsh reality of the many dreadful wars around the world. This war in Europe, in an area where some of our staff come from, where our customers are being bombed, brings that reality far too close to home. We have no doubt, like us, you are watching the human tragedy in Ukraine unfold nightly, and perhaps feeling powerless to help.

However, we are morally compelled to help Ukraine, and perhaps with your help, we can do so significantly…

Staff across Pyranha have committed to donating their time, and several of our suppliers have agreed to donate materials so that we can make 20 custom Scorches, split proportionally across the size range, in the colours of the Ukrainian flag.

100% of the proceeds from these ‘Flag of Ukraine’ kayaks will go to The Disasters Emergency Committee, a major Relief Fund for Ukraine.

Our dealer network has responded with overwhelming support for this initiative, and so we are also preparing to make an additional 20 kayaks at cost, with any profit from these also going to the DEC.

Furthermore, to enable those who are not in the market for a boat at this time to also support the cause, we have designed a ‘Drop Waterfalls, Not Bombs’ t-shirt which is available through our webstores, and we will also be raffling 2 ‘Flag of Ukraine’ Scorches (1 in the UK/EU and 1 in North America).

How to get involved:

UK Residents

Purchase a raffle ticket, a ‘Drop Waterfalls, Not Bombs’ t-shirt, or a ‘Flag of Ukraine’ kayak (delivered via a participating dealer) through our UK/EU webstore.

Residents of North America

A limited number of ‘Flag of Ukraine’ Scorches are on their way (more news on this when they arrive!), and you can purchase a raffle ticket or a ‘Drop Waterfalls, Not Bombs’ t-shirt through our North American webstore.

EU/ROW Residents

Purchase a raffle ticket or a ‘Drop Waterfalls, Not Bombs’ t-shirt through our UK/EU webstore, or a ‘Flag of Ukraine’ kayak through one of the participating dealers below: