To Squash or not to Squash?

[Twiggy]

I've been paddling my XXX for almost a year now, and I love it. However, on many of the waves I come across in the North East it has a tendancy to peal very easily. I have gotten very used to saving it so I don't get flushed off a wave but have heard that squashing will give me some more rocker. Anyone have experience doing this? Any good sites to look at? Are there any drawbacks, ie. hull speed?. Any info would be appreciated.
Twiggy

[nam]

I have a xxx but have not been in it for awhile. I have the same problm with the xxx. But it is such a fun boat. I saw some people shave the tips down. Be careful with that, i don't think the plastic can be welded.

[Guest]

I ran across this article at Kayakoutfitting.com that might be relevant for squashing methods--even though it is a different boat.

http://kayakoutfitting.com/tips/space_cadet/index.html

Seems to me that if you manage to increase rocker you'll definitely lose hull speed and "tracking ability". My Deli pearls pretty easily too, but I find that carving aggressively will keep me higher up on the wave face instead of down in the trough.

[Kevin]

hmmmm, i would save my pennies and get a newer playboat with more rocker.
If you bend it more to have more rocker you might need up to a point where your angle is going to act as a plow,

[Craig Smerda]

I'm with "guest"on this one... make that boat dance. If you are front surfing and not carving or moving back and forth on most waves the boat will pearl. Keep it moving in some fashion and you will most likely stay on. On small or steeper features it's almost mandatory.

As far as squishing... it's hard to reverse if you don't like the results. Give the boat a few more tries with a more aggressive technique.

Cheers!
Craig

[sbroam]

I've had some luck reversing squishes. I trim the wall to the profile I want and keep that piece of foam, heat the boat gently and sqish it on down - you can use glue to help it stay there or just let it "form up" by cooling slowly , keeping it under compression all the while. For me, the boats have kept their new shapes better by slow heating and slow cooling. A Whiplash I squashed (bow) would hold the new shape (without glue) for 8 months or more before needing a touch up. Later when you want the original form back, you can glue your saved piece of foam back to the wall and reinsert - generally you can just force it back in without any heat. If you glued the deck/hull to the wall, you'll need to work the glue loose, say with a two by four. I also have squashed a Slasher stern.

[PAC]

I don't think I ever met a plastic boat I didn't think you could step on and squash! But then some will work out better than others.
I squashed my X and loved! Step on my Zwo not once, not twice but three times - which was the charm! I’ve also done other boats and absolutely HATED the outcome!
As for my XXX - I stepped on mine as much as I think it could have and it is currently my favorite boat.
Ok its twitchier than teenage boy at a super model convention - but it is fun! It surfs (front and back like a dream) and plays (loose and slicey) much better than when it was factor IMO.
It took time to get use to paddling it (I had some hate going at first until I dialed into the differences) and I don't plan to run anything above III in it - but it is a hoot on II-III!
The key is to think about what you want out of the boat! What will the squashing do to the performance, make the change and then adjust your paddling accordingly.
Take time with the heat source so as not melt the plastic and don't try to make the shape into something it's not (bends and folds are no-nos).
Just plan on modifying the current shape in incremental places / sections that you think will improve the performance and bring out the characteristics you are looking for.
If your looking to go radical and want a Cascade to look like a Viper or a X to look like a Skip - go spend the money on the actual boat! It's cheaper than living with all the pain and suffering IMO. On top of that - you may never get the results you are looking for.
Also un-squashing is pretty easy with today’s plastic boats - it just takes time to get the boat back to the original shape, as long as you didn't go wild and bend / mis-shape the plastic when you first stepped on it.
For modifying your XXX- IMO - I'd look at reducing the overall volume as well as making both the bow and stern, decks and hull, more concaved. If that suggestion makes sense to you?
Have at but, be prepared to spend some time on the project!
PS: Let us know how it works out too!

[nam]

You have any pics of the sqished xxx or any onther boat. I have no idea what i want to do with the xxx but it gives me a starting point

nam

[PAC guest]

nam
PM me on my regular user name with your email address. PAC

[nam]

Hi PAC, I could not PM you,

My email is namngoc@hotmail.com


Thanks

nam