Thoughts on my new Viper

[Mike W.]

I finally got my new Viper on some whitewater today. Everyone was very interested in the boat. I guess I'm adapting to some of the "funny" stuff it does in current, because it didn't seem to bother me as much today. I need to figure out how to handle the boat when it goes through waves instead of bobing up over them. That's a very odd feeling to me. The boat feels weird while it's under water. Once I figure that out I'll be ready to paddle this boat anywhere I paddled the Cascade.

I need to be more aware of shallow surf spots to keep the bow off the bottom. I found it doesn't pearl & dive down back-surfing like it does front-surfing. The solution? Jump on the wave & do a quick 180

One of the guys was paddling a conversion boat tried the Viper in a couple of spots & could only grin afterwards. He said that "maybe I want a boat like that" I jumped in his boat & stern-squirted it a couple of times just for fun.

KNeal, I found an incredible squirt spot today! The eddy-lines just upstream from, & under the RT36 (takeout) bridge on the Appomattox. This is the area below Target Rock. Some of the spots in that area make stern-squirts completely effortless. I just did a slight initiation stroke & the current grabbed the boat & sent it into an amazing vertical spin! This area is very deep & the eddies are easy to catch. The level was 5' which is MUCH better than the 3' level that we paddled it at the other year.

What do I need to do about the chunks of black (seam tape?) that I knocked off doing stern squirts & hitting rocks today?

I think I'm leaving the Cascade at home & taking the Viper to the beach. I think it'll be a blast on those off-shore breaks!

Mike W.

[Sir Adam]

First off, the repair-order some glass (even actual seam tape ) from John Sweet and some WEST Systems epoxy-if you're already beating those chines you may as well start beefing them up now . Sand the boat down to fibre (not hard on that one, as I don't think the Gel Coat's that thick), clean off with a acetone'd rag, let "dry" (takes, oh 10 minutes if you're super worried about it), mix the epoxy, soak the seam tape, apply to boat. If you want a nice finish then use plastic wrap (aka Saran Wrap) over it and tape the plastic wrap to the boat if need be.

Secondly, the recall that the Viper was designed by a surfer, and was designed to surf...take it home to the sea!!!

[KNeal]

As I remember the area under the Rt. 36 bridge, you have a super spot for stern squirts and for also getting bow enders, which you could then practice transition moves such as cartwheels! You definitely have the boat that can do it. When you have the hip pads installed, you should find that those moves will come more easily.

Have a blast at the beach. You should be able to catch wave earlier before they actually start breaking. You should actually do fine in the foam as long as you keep the nose of the boat out of the water.

Regarding the glass repair question, "Sir" Adam pretty much has the answer. The only other thing I would suggest to you is call me and come up to Richmond on a weekend to make the repairs you need (I pretty much have everything you need) and play on the James while the repair sets. Bring your Big EZ.

KNeal

[jKelly-Rand]

So Mike how was surfing those breakers? I just returned from my first attempt at ocean surfing, it was a blast. I only got two good rides, but trying was just as fun. When I got to far ahead of the wave the Viper would nose dive into the sand and I would sumersault end over end. I could roll back up though and head back out. I was watching the board surfers to see if I could learn something but they did not seem to be experienced, no carving just straight in runs. I wasn't carving either because catching the wave at the right moment requires some practice and the straight in run is pretty exhilirating. I will say that at the end of the runs I did make I was side surfing and able to start back out again while the board surfers had to hop of and walk their boards back out. I could get two runs in the time it takes them to get setup again. I definitely will have to try it again. I'm 1 hour from the beach and 2 hours from a river.

til next
Jim

[Mike W.]

Jim, Ocean surfing is a blast. While I was at OBX the surf was very small & there was only a beach break where I was. I was scared to take the Viper out in that. I did take the Big EZ out one day to play.

How did the Viper take those nose dives into the sand? I did that once in my Cascade. It really scared me. I learned real quick to slip around into a side-surf. Then I learned to peel out of the ride before getting to the beach, that makes getting back out a whole lot easier.

You're right about needing to practice catching the wave. The good thing is that the Viper is fast, that helps you catch them farther out. They come in in sets of 3. When you get to the bottom of the wave, carve & go back up. Then you can either fly off the lip & get airborne or just before you get to the top, carve & go back down. Repeat as long as the wave will let you. You can also spin into a back-surf & do shuv-its. That's the extent of my ability.

Beware of swimmers. Kids are fascinated by C-1's & don't realize that if you are coming in at high speed you could really hurt them.

Mike W.

[jKelly-Rand]

Beach breakers they were but the landings were soft, so no damage. The Viper is good at cutting through the surf on the way out, it was like punching hydrolics. I'll have to bring my wetsuit so I can spend an afternoon out there.

til next
Jim