# Grand Canyon at 20,000 in a playboat?



## kayakingphotog (May 25, 2007)

One thing you need to keep in mind is how comfortable are u in a cramped playboat on flat water? The grand overall is 90% flat water and 10% sheer chaos. What kind of playboat are you referring to?


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## Ryanrugger (Jun 7, 2005)

I'm comfortable in my Superstar. I just don't want to get throttled through every major rapid. 20,000 is way bigger than anything I have paddled so I'm not sure what to expect.


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## rhm (May 16, 2006)

i paddled an axiom last fall, and was wishing the entire time that i had paddled a smaller boat. it would be really fun to throw big wave wheels off the tops of the big waves. if you are comfortable in your boat then you should be fine. you can get out and ride on a raft through the flat water if you want. the river is really big and pretty much straight forward. just follow the big wave trains and stay out of the big holes. some waves and holes would be a lot of fun in a smaller play boat.


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## Jpleonhard (May 9, 2007)

Just run the meat and make sure someone is getting a video of it. You'll never get tired of the footage, and neither will I!


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## yakkeranna (Jul 8, 2009)

The eddylines are by far the biggest hazard on the Grand in a playboat.


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## islandertek (Apr 4, 2008)

I second getting vid of it!! Would be SICK!!


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## islandertek (Apr 4, 2008)

Anyone have any good carnage vids of the grand?? Now I'm hyped up after watching the carnage thread!!


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## Porkchop (Sep 19, 2007)

play boat fo sure but, highly recomend a dry suit! I didn't have one and even w/ my all star and new dry top was colder and wetter than I wanted to be all be it was nov/dec. I was supper jealous of everybody else who one when it came time to hike. they wore hiking gear underneath and left their suit w/ the boats hiked a couple hours got back put the suit on and hoped in the water. i'd hike in my neoprene or would have to dig my drybag out change, hike, change, pack, there is already enough of that on a grand trip.

ps we had 4 or 5 killer surf sessions and there was plenty of good on the fly as well.


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## Ryanrugger (Jun 7, 2005)

Nice! I got a GMER used on the buzz about 2 months ago! All black. I have to admit it's BOSS!


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## yak1 (Jan 28, 2006)

I did it in a squirt boat at those levels once..... you got some great down time and it gets real dark when you go that deep


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## deepsouthpaddler (Apr 14, 2004)

Playboat. Low gradient big water has the same form even as flows get higher. If you were a tenative class III boater, maybe a bigger boat would help, but for most boaters, a playboat is fine, and a hell of a lot of fun. There will be some great surf in there. The whitewater of the grand is hyped up to mythical proportions (is class 10!)... but the reality is that its mostly large volume class III. For a kayaker with a good brace a good roll the grand is not that hard.

Truth is that playboats are easier to get through big wave holes than bigger boats once you learn the technique (hit the huge breaking wave holes with a 10-11 or 1-2 o'clock angle, downstream edge, active paddle blade planted in the downstream foam pile to pull you through, while head butting the wave). Standard T up to the wave and punch results in back enders almost every time.

When in doubt... take the meat line!

Flatwater is not a big deal in a comfy boat like the superstar. The scenery will keep you entertained.

Also, getting throttled in a playboat in the large rapids is really part of the fun on big water. Its low consequence high fun factor, so don't worry too much.


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## Ryanrugger (Jun 7, 2005)

Thanks Deep south. I am ready for some Epic surfing sessions and monsterous wave wheels! GET SUM SON!


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## squeakyboater (Apr 14, 2008)

*About the play boat*

A playboat is the way to go for sure. It really helps if you are real drunk when you boating though....







Just joking... or not. One thing about the play boat is that you will get caught in tons of boils and be spending a lot of time looking at the sky. just don't stress about this and remember less is more. A lot of people fight the boils, but that doesn't get you anywhere. You will still be spinning around like a top.


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## leif (Jul 11, 2009)

Deepsouth is definitely right. The grand is basically class 3 with great hikes. However, be prepared, because there is not that much playboating. Expect a really great wave at mile 24.5, but not a whole lot else. It's still a blast, though.


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## rjacober (Feb 25, 2011)

I've playboated most of it. The meat isn't really a problem, good mystry moves in the eddy's!! I was wishing that I had a longer boat to take advantage of the super sick surf ops! The waves are just a little too fast and not steap enough to hold the shorter play boats very well. Plus, some of the fun holes are the same... just swallowed me in my play boat and spit me out the green water. Should be fun though...


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## brandob9 (Jun 13, 2010)

Today is my first day back at work from my Feb 9th launch. Our kayakers weren't wishing for a playboat at all. Too much (~250 mi) flatwater featuring moving holes and whirlpools. One guy brought a Remix and he was in great shape. I'd suggest a Remix, Diesel, Ammo or Huka.


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## GoodTimes (Mar 9, 2006)

Opinions....they obviously vary.

I took my playboat and got extremely frustrated that I couldn't catch some of the most beautiful waves......I just couldn't generate the speed. Even if I had....a lot of them weren't steep enough to stay on very long in a shorter boat.....

Lets put it this way, You'll see WAY more zen like waves that lend themselves beautifully to fast, carving surfs than you'll see short, steep wave holes that generate phenomenal playboating.

my .02


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## jonny water (Oct 28, 2003)

Take an old-school long playboat like the Glide. You will be comfortable and can surf the huge glass waves.


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## maureen (Jul 22, 2008)

A shot of Jack for every hour you spend relaxing on my boat.


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## kayakingphotog (May 25, 2007)

Ditto Maureen's comment. By the time you get beyond Lava make sure you have at least 1 or 2 bottles of your favorite tequila sequestered away to bribe the "tube tarts" for a relaxing float.


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## ckspaddler (Sep 25, 2008)

*Gutting Crystal*

This is not a video of a play boat in the GC, but a great video. biG WaVe DaVe K. Punching the meat of Crystal in his Remix XP10.
YouTube - Running the meat in a Liquid Logic Remix XP10-Colorado Kayak Supply


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## Ryanrugger (Jun 7, 2005)

Maureen, that is fair price for you to carry my carcass as well as my wares! Beer me raft maiden! Now! Beer now!


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## whip (Oct 23, 2003)

*Dude*

Dude it's just a big Class II


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## leif (Jul 11, 2009)

No no, there's some class 3 in there every now and then.


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