Team Pyranha Blog » Matt Samms

The Z-one

Matt Samms — Tue, 24 May 2011 02:01:20 +0000

I got to jump in the Z-one and take it to my favorite spot, Holtwood dries. The Z-one is a sister to the inazone and a step back to the days of longer playboats. I had a blast in my new river runner/ playboat, it is very fast and stable. The Z-one plays like you would expect from the Varun very loose and able to cartwheel with old school style. But this boat is not limited to only the old school it can flip turn and blunt like a champ. I give this boat a big thumbs up. Stop buy your local Pyranha dealer and check this thing out. I think you will like it. The Z-one just one more great boat from Pyranha.Here is a short clip

44th Red Moshannon down river race

Matt Samms — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:16:47 +0000

So this weekend was the 44th annual Red Mo down river race. A grass roots race with the most diverse group of paddlers to be found anywhere. Well or at least in Grassflats PA on this 28 degree day. So with the classes ranging from short canoes, to wildwater boats if you paddle you can find a class you will fit just about anything thing that floats. Tussy Mt outfitters has been the host to this event and a great promoter of down river racing. Tussy Mt outfitters should get credit for getting a bunch of river bums to the river, on the river in good time, and show you a good time at the end. If you have not been to this event yet check your calender for next spring.

See you on the water! O and I got 1st K1 long in the fastest plastic kayak on the market the Pyranha Speeder

Please call first, jackets required

Matt Samms — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 01:11:35 +0000

Well the east got hammered with rain, add to that the warming days and snow melt.And that has brought the Susquehanna river to “biblical levels” as Brad from Starrk Moon would say. The flows are around 500,000 plus CFS. That is more than twice the average flow over the lip of Niagara falls. So as any good boater would we got a group together to see what we could find. Jeremy Laucks, the Smith boys Toffer and Tim,Brian Cox and myself put on just below the Holtwood dam and made our way down to the islands below the Normanwood bridge, catching some massive waves and dodging huge holes along the way. As we scouted the area looking for the best waves. We saw that the group of onlookers from the bridge now included the PA state police. We gave them the head tap sign that we were ok and pealed out headed to the bear trap channel. As Jeremy is throwing a pan am the State police helicopter came over the island hovered shouting over the pa asking if we were in distress? After a few more head taps and rides and several passes of the chopper the word from the pa was now “Exit the river immediately ,exit the river immediately ” . Now not wanting to anger anyone we made our way to the take out and were met by eight of PA’s finest state police. They informed us a flare was seen and we were the ones presumed to be in need of saving. A short exchange of ID’s and we were left with a note asking that “Before you go next time give us the heads up PSP Lancaster station (717)299-7650.”
This is your public service announcement please call so you can save yourself the gut pains that come from paddling up to eight troopers and parking lot full of EMS units who don’t look really happy with you. Stay safe and have fun. Matt Samms

flood

tim-smith

Jeremy

Matt Samms

Holtwood whitewater park?

Matt Samms — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 19:55:52 +0000

Holtwood has long been a playboaters dream, any boaters who have gotten a taste of the Susquehana rivers whitewater below the holtwood dam knows that this is a gem. In 2006 PPL the owner of the Holtwood hydroelectric power plant applied for a permit to expand and make the 100+ year old plant more efficent and cost effective. The project includes enhancing the shad passage by giving them a low velocity passageway to the fish ladder. The Piney channel is the home of stormhole, one of Holtwoods preimum playspots. This channel has been under extencive exavation but stormhole has been left untouched as per the deal with the boaters and AW in hopes that it will be the same great hole it was. With the addition of the new unit one turbine the days of natural flows in the area will be cut down controlled by the powerplant and the new turbine. So to make up for the loss of recreation days PPL has signed an agreement adding two new features to make up for the loss of natural flow days. Alot has gone into getting to this point with a great group of local boater, and Kevin Colburn from American Whitewater working hard to make this happen, and acting as the watchdog for future boaters. As it stands we are planning on doing the next flow study this spring. If the project stays on track.

Holtwood action

Matt Samms — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 02:16:41 +0000

Well the rain has brought the Susquehanna river up and the Holtwood section has gotten some use. Holtwood is a great spot and everchanging the hydro dam can change the water level several feet in just a few minutes. This area serves up some great rides. check out