Continue reading »]]> Here’s a look at the Pyranha JED.  I know this sounds repetitive, but the JED is hands down the loosest, fastest boat I have ever paddled! My first reaction after paddling the JED was,…”man I cannot believe that playboats can continue to get so much better”. So sick!! The footage is from the Nile river in Uganda. Most of what you see is from the Nile special wave with a few shots from other rapids on the Nile. Click below for the video!!

Continue reading »]]> I paddled Mill Creek for the 1st time around the age of 8.  Mill Creek is about 2 miles over the hill from my parents house in Clarion PA. It’s pretty much a class 2 with a few class 3 rapids. The real nice thing about this run is you can get off the river and be in the hot tub in like 5 minutes!  I always enjoy paddling with the family and local friends from my hometown here.  I have a funny story about it.  This must have been one of my first times down the creek and I was with my Mother.  It was high water in there, rain, lightning, just a real shit storm.  Myself, at the time being a very young timid paddler was quite scared, actually I think I was crying.  I didn’t want to continue down the creek.  At this point my Mother got out of her boat, took off her sock, and with the sock tied my boat to her’s and pulled me down there creek.  I’m not sure if she would remember this, but I will never forget it.  I guess that’s what family is for!!!  Thanks Mom!

Continue reading »]]> Last weekend myself, Nicole Mansfield, Craig Kleckner and Todd Baker loaded up Orange Bitch ( Pyranha van) from my home in Clarion PA, and headed west to Dayton Ohio.  demshitz arrived Friday afternoon to setup for the event.  For a few hours on Friday and most of the day Saturday we entertained and informed the crowd on Pyranha kayaks, Whitewater Warehouse (local dealer), and what exactly a freestyle kayak was made to do.  I think demshitz actually opened a lot of eyes as to what is possible in a whitewater kayak.  I did do a lot of talking and explaining as to what our kickass sport is all about!  Dayton locals may be seeing more and more whitewater kayaks because  Five Rivers MetroParks is moving ahead with plans to develop a whitewater park near downtown Dayton.  As for the rest of Gear Fest we where entertained by bands playing all day, food and gear vendors and the slackline US National Championships.

Craig Kleckner, like Shamu at Sea World

The demshitz dunk tank

Myself trying to motivate Craig to get in the pool on a not so warm day. Notice the grey puffy….

Nicole bow stalling in blue

Craig and Todd,….. stoked to have Pyranha boats attached to the stage.

Craig slacklining

Continue reading »]]> A week ago I made it back home to Clarion, PA in search of some much needed rest.   I had been on the road for about five and a half months.  I must say it was another amazing summer in the Pyranha van!  Anyway, so I’m back home.  Mike, a friend that helps my dad out at the house starts talking to me about paddling the Upper Yough.  The Yough is a great well known class 4 river.  This is where I honed most of my creeking skills as a younger paddler.  Knowing Mike as a strong fired up dude, I looked over at the Pyranha van, and thought ….. yes this will be a great test for the new Shiva.  Knowing how user friendly the Shiva is I was confident that Mike would have a great day on the Upper Yough.  This was Mike’s first time in a creek boat and first time on something as difficult as the Upper Yough.  Mike did not even flip over!  Click here to watch Mike paddle the Upper Yough!

Mike browning after National Falls

Lining up Meat Cleaver

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Shiva on Gore Canyon, CO

Photo: Jed Selby

Tunnel- Gore Canyon, CO

Photo: Jed Selby

Gorge Rapid- Gorge Canyon,CO

Photo: Jed Selby

So I have had our Shiva prototype for about three weeks now.  I have been able to paddle it on every style of whitewater thus far.  Crystal Gorge CO, Gore Canyon, CO, Bailey Canyon CO, North Fork, Upper and Lower Blackwater, WV, Hornbecks,PA Shohola, PA, Leavitt Branch, PA, Sawkill, PA, Upper Yough, MD…….. I think that is most of the rivers.  This has given me the opportunity it try this boat in big water, big water creek, low volume creek, and steep creeks.  I have also let several friends try out the boat.  Some first time creek boaters.  They said it was easy to boof, easy to turn, fast, and really easy to roll.  My brother for example has tried to hand roll boats with little success.  He tried the Shiva one day on the lower Yough.  At the take out he did five hand rolls with little trouble.  Anyway, just what I have seen from the boat so far.  We will have it at the Gauley Fest.   Come give it a look for yourself.  Click Here for a video from the Pocono creeks in Pennsylvania.

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After a great Skookumchuck session, a few new Washington creeks, and about 8 days of rain we found ourselves drying out in Hood River OR.  Hood River is one of my favorite places in the US.  Basically for me this is because of two reason’s.  One being the Green Truss section of the White Salmon and two being the amazing Little White Salmon.  Click here for the Little White Video!