The Thruster started off as a large Fish - something bigger paddlers could play in, and also river run. It got longer, then shorter. Then, in further testing, we had countless paddlers asking for it to be more like a large Squashtail. So it became that. With further testing it evolved again (you can imagine at this point the number of prototypes and testing we did) into something completely unique. Some Fish, some Stinger, some Squashtail, and something else entirely.
As a river running playboat, the Thruster is fun. It sits high on the water, caries its speed through ferries and over holes, and generally (for a playboat) is fun to paddle on rivers.
But we all know its true calling is on waves and in holes. Hole riders swear this is its strength (and it won the German National Freestyle championships a week after being released). Explosive loops, Tricky-whats-a-call-it’s and every twisted, twirling looping thing in-between means that you feel like the energizer bunny.
Wave surfers disagree. They claim it as theirs. Offering a balanced compromise of speed, carve and bounce, the Thruster will fly around waves almost as well as the Squashtail, with all the speed and drive and pizzaz of a carving machine, and then explode into the air, bouncing effortlessly. Sure its fast, and this means that sometimes you overshoot your take-off. So what? Carve a trench back to the top, smack the lip, and try again!
