# Tips for paddling a displacement hull?



## river_danno (Mar 29, 2011)

Just got a Stomper. love it, but i'm noticing it paddles differently than my old riverrunner. 

Anyone have suggestions or tips related to the difference in paddling styles for a displacement hull? for example, i find it much harder to hold a line, and/or i occasionally find my self spinning out at inopportune times.


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## streetdoctor (May 11, 2012)

river_danno said:


> Just got a Stomper. love it, but i'm noticing it paddles differently than my old riverrunner.
> 
> Anyone have suggestions or tips related to the difference in paddling styles for a displacement hull? for example, i find it much harder to hold a line, and/or i occasionally find my self spinning out at inopportune times.


move the seat up a little bit. You have to really drive it.


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## jmack (Jun 3, 2004)

The Stomper is more of a semi-planning hull…but that's beside the point. 

Move the seat all the way up. Take all forward strokes. Boof the crap out of everything.


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## rockinRio (Jul 3, 2006)

Though I haven't paddled the Stomper i have the Jefe. I "THINK" LL boats are made for east coast boating where you have to make a lot of quick turns, out here you need to stay a line longer.

I had trouble keeping the Jefe straight as well, it was ALWAYS spinning on me. Moving the seat and paddling forward are great things to try, if that doesn't solve it you might want to try a different boat.

BTW - I paddle a Dagger Nomad 8.5. It holds a line great, but I have a hard time making quick tight turns, like into a small eddy.


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## Ty Tanner (Mar 27, 2009)

*Stomper*

I agree. I've moved my seat on my 80 as far forward as it will go.


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

I personally never got used to a displacement hull. I'm not running waterfalls so I got rid of my Jefe and got a Burn. Love it.


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## MikeThulin1972 (Mar 23, 2012)

This is straight from LL mouth .. Stomper is pretty much a planning g hull boat ..atleast that's what woody and Shane told me when I borrowed there personal boats 


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## spack171 (Mar 6, 2011)

I have my Stomper 80 seat in the center and it works well for me. You have to drive it, can't be a lazy paddler. It took me a while to get used to it. I came from a Remix 69, which I still paddle. For big holes and tight creek, I love my Stomper. 

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## streetdoctor (May 11, 2012)

spack171 said:


> I have my Stomper 80 seat in the center and it works well for me. You have to drive it, can't be a lazy paddler. It took me a while to get used to it. I came from a Remix 69, which I still paddle. For big holes and tight creek, I love my Stomper.
> 
> Sent from my QMV7A using Mountain Buzz mobile app


Yep. It has a (small) semi-planing hull but it paddles a lot like a displacement hull because the chine is so high to keep the edge from hanging up. You really have to lean the thing over to get it to engage. It also doesn't track well because it's so rockered. I've went back and forth between keeping mine in addition to a karma but the boats are so different it's hard to go back and forth for me.


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## paulk (Apr 24, 2006)

Caveat, I love my jefe and this is a lot of personal taste. 

The thing about displacement hulls is that when you sit in it initially you are going to feel unstable and super twitchy. I hated the feeling at first until I started paddling towards the boat's strength instead forcing it into it's weaknesses. Don't paddle it like a planning hull. Try (in addition to what others have said, driving it) flowing more with the river. You'll find that you are just as stable in your secondary as you are your primary so, it the situation calls for it, don't be afraid to get your lean on. I love displacements in colorado because it feels like I am sliding over the mank and ready to boof the shit out of odd angles rocks. In time you'll learn how to boat reacts differently (in ways that I personally like better), and once you do, you'll be able to catch eddies/ferry just as well as a planning while getting the added benefits of a displacement.

Also, the jefe has it, and I am assuming the stomper has it. But the autoboof feeling of those boats is pretty awesome.


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

Yeah, Stomper is semi-planing, but I get the question. I would advise more Duffek strokes or similar hybrid draw strokes to keep your boat going where you want it to. Stay on top of the angle, paddle more aggressively. Esp playboats allow you to point the boat where you want to go in all of 1 stroke. Corrections take more time and effort in most creekboats.

I also tend to move my seat forward, esp if you have a fair bit of gear behind the seat it's useful. I don't think that's the root of your problem though. You're going to need to adjust your paddling technique.


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