# Best kayak for the grand canyon?



## bajabum (Dec 19, 2005)

*kayak for the big ditch*

I went down the Grand a few years ago and switched off with a friend from raft to kayak, we had a diesel, it worked great. It was predictable and comfortable, yet able to surf as well.


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## CUBuffskier (Jul 7, 2005)

never done the grand by for days like westwater especially i really love my diesel 75


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## steven (Apr 2, 2004)

necky rip or jive.


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## SummitAP (Jun 23, 2007)

If looking at the Mamba or Diesel, consider a Jackson Hero


steven said:


> necky jive.


why?


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## steven (Apr 2, 2004)

long and fast and with a flat bottom, easy to roll in big water....


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

Something that is comfortable, most of the river is flat and if your feet hurt you'll be someone no one will want to be around.


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## UserName (Sep 7, 2007)

You can pick one of these baby's up in Green River, Glen Did...



Grand Canyon mystery revisited -- Photo 1 of 4


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## GoodTimes (Mar 9, 2006)

X boat......if you can find one.....


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## stinginrivers (Oct 18, 2003)

SummitAP,

The necky jive because it is surf inspired boat, most Necky boats are for that matter. One of the Necky designers is a world champion surf boater so therefore makes great surf boats.


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## Big Tuna (Apr 13, 2004)

*The Classic!!*

RPM Max. Way comfortable, plenty of leg room, and surfs well.


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## Horn (Aug 1, 2004)

*WS Godzilla*

Buddy been down the ditch couple of times in the WS Godzilla and swears by the boat. I have one in good shape that I barely use that you could use for the trip if you want. That way you could save your money and buy something you might want to use more often (unless you plan on using the boat for more than just the Grand. I might not be able to make it down the the Grand but for damn sure maybe something I own will. 
I live in the Fort, PM me if you want to use the boat.
Horn


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## yak1 (Jan 28, 2006)

*best Grand boat*

I've been down the dtich 14 times. Get yourself a RPM.


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## David Spiegel (Sep 26, 2007)

Paddle whatever is comfortable. You won't have any trouble keeping up with the rafts in a well outfitted play boat. Also, you don't need to have a long boat to play on the waves in there. 

Basically, any kind of boat you take will work, just take one that is comfortable. So long as you have a solid roll you don't need to worry about having an 'easy to roll boat.' Honestly, its the roll, not the boat that determines if you will come up or not. If you are concerned about rolling in the big water, practice your roll a bunch instead of worrying about a boat.


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## EZ (Feb 10, 2004)

You need a longer boat. I've been down a few times and the boat I would take would be the Riot Slice. Long for surfing and flat water, slicy ends for squirting the millions of swirlies. The Jive would do too. Hull speed is a huge deal down there, as every wave is catch on the fly and nothing has eddy service, except President Harding Wave.


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## riverrat (Jan 20, 2007)

Yeah, it's a tough decision. I'm going in Oct. and am planning on taking my 4twenty. I know it's small, but it's what I'm most experienced in and it's pretty comfy. It'll let me cartwheel and goof around in the flats too.


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## blutzski (Mar 31, 2004)

I was very happy in an RPM.


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## peterB (Nov 21, 2003)

hands down the most comfortable big wave surfer is the Remix. The Bad ass outfitting is the bomb. I am 180 5'10 size 10 feet. I can fit in any of them. The 69 is designed for me and great but I often paddle the 79 for creeking but the hull is old school planning and super fast. It will make the miles fly by and you will catch all the waves you want.

Peter

Liquidlogic Kayaks


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## steven (Apr 2, 2004)

old school hulls are displacement. does the remix have a flat [planing] or round [displacement] hull? been curious about that boat....


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## chad (Nov 5, 2003)

All depends on what you're comfortable in and what type of kayaker you are. I took a ZG54 last fall and was very happy with the boat choice. It is a bit longer and faster than the latest playboat designs, but the boat can still do just about all the dynamic surf moves on big waves. 

On the other hand you could take a Cadillac of a boat, be more comfortable, and not quite as surfy and playful as you could be.


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## Curtis_Elwood (Apr 18, 2005)

steven said:


> old school hulls are displacement. does the remix have a flat [planing] or round [displacement] hull? been curious about that boat....


It's a displacement hull with a very soft chine. It's as narrow as many old school displacement hull boats. 

Haven't done the Grand, but did some big water runs in the Remix this Spring. It surfs as well as an RPM, but isn't as likely to pearl because it's got more bow rocker. Very fast, and melts through weird currents like a hot knife through butter. It's definitely work looking at.


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## steven (Apr 2, 2004)

their website says it is 26" wide. that is really wide.


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## Curtis_Elwood (Apr 18, 2005)

steven said:


> their website says it is 26" wide. that is really wide.


Doesn't feel what wide at all. I spend a ton of time in my medium Burn which feels noticeably wider. Pyranha's specs it at 25 3/4" wide. I don't have the Remix 69 handy to measure but it sure doesn't feel wider than a Burn. Sure is comfy, though.


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## tbliss (Mar 19, 2005)

Comfort is key. Tracking is nice. Lots of flatwater.

I did it in an EZ and had plenty of good surfs. I was told beforehand "you'll be just fine in the EZ, but the flatwater will be even flatter". That point was well taken after 226 miles.

Have fun.


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## KUpolo (May 24, 2005)

I boated an EZ regularly before I went down the Grand. I got a Big EZ for the trip because of the comfort factor and had a blast. That said, I am now boating in a Jackson All Star and would take this boat down the Grand in a heartbeat. It's comfortable and fun. What else do you need?


You don't need a big long boat to have fun on the Grand. I was surfing a lot more than the guys on our trip in the long boats. I would be bored to tears in an RPM.


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## andrews (Jan 22, 2007)

*best boat*

I am in a similar boat - just got invited on an 18 day trip and want to play as much as possible. I have a Bilsstick RAD 180 - it plays well, but hurts a lot, and on big water tends to get stern squirted all over the place. I have a REmix available to me as well as a Dragorossi Pintail. Will the remix be an aggressive enough playboat without the planing hull? Anyone have experience with the Pintail? I want to surf as much as possible, throw wave wheels - have lots of fun out there. What do you think?


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