Lets face it. No matter how innovative a new kayak, it’s still a kayak. Whether it does this, or does that, it’s still designed to paddle like a kayak, and perform like a kayak. But every now and then we want something completely different. We want to go into a familiar environment, but have a blast with totally new sensations.
Enter the world’s first river-specific surfboard.
Corran has spent the last few years river surfing all over the world. He’s been teaching kayakers to surf, and they, unlike a beginner surfer in the ocean, already understand the dynamics of river waves. What they don’t know is how to surf a river standing up.
The Swallowtail is short and highly rockered in the bow, so it’s easy to catch the steep, narrow faces of river waves. It is 24” wide and 3” thick, so it offers the same buoyancy as a 7’6” egg — an ideal learning board for a beginner surfer who wants to get into short boarding. Buoyancy makes it easy to swim across eddy lines, and easy to climb on to a stable platform.
Once up, the board moves effortlessly, and turns easily. The extra volume adds forgiveness, while the wide tail helps to push the board onto the face of the wave. This is important when you consider that you have no paddle, and that once you’re standing, you have no method of propulsion other than the board’s own willingness to drive across the water.
In no time at all, you’ll be going for slashes, cutbacks and even aerials!
But wait … the Swallowtail is also a knee board or a boogie board! And this allows people to progress as paddlers. Those who already kayak and are familiar with the environment can develop new skills, and so can people previously unfamiliar with rivers and how they work.
Using the Swallowtail with foot fins permits easy propulsion. Easy moving about the river, and an easy swim onto the waves. Because you’re on a board, rather than in a kayak, the novice’s fear of becoming trapped is eliminated. This is ideal for the total newcomer to rivers, or for your significant other who is happy to spend the odd weekend with you at your favorite play spot but doesn’t particularly want to get right into the water.
Using the Swallowtail as a boogie board requires no skill at all, and provides instant fun. And as your skills develop, you can start to use it as a kneeboard, still using fins for ease of swimming. Kneeboards are really fun and dynamic. Then, if you like, you can strap yourself on with the optional lap belt, and you’re ready for Airscrews and Pan Ams … on a board!
Expert surfer or kayaker, or rank beginner, the Swallowtail adds a new dimension to the phrase extreme fun!
The Swallowtail is available in June 2004.
PRICE
€ 590
(including shipping cost to your door for all UE contries)
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