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Chris,
Great posts there brotha! You've had one helluva year so far! Keep up the good work out west! Can't wait for more stories of big boofs, big hikes and big adventures!!!
mOjo,
This might seem like a copy of what Chris had to say, but the Magnum 80 is amazing!!! I have not paddled the production boat yet, (I'm currently living in NZ, very far away from anything really, including summer) But I was involved with the prototype testing of the larger boat. The larger volume substantially increases the performance of the Magnum's design.
From the first time I paddled the Magnum, my favorite thing about it, is its ease of skimming over features, and its speed of skimming. When looking at the boat, the bow seems rather pointy, raising questions on its ability to stay up and on top of the water. No questions need to be asked. Once on the water, the loafty bow rocker of the Magnum has relentlessly amazed me on its up and over performance. (Beileve me, this is something that's very important to me...I'm from North Carolina, we like it on top!) The Magnum 80 takes this aspect of the 72 to the next level. THE BOW OF THIS BOAT DOES NOT WANT TO GO DOWN!!!!!!!!!
The other feature I quite enjoyed, and feel like many other paddlers, larger than me, would also enjoy is the 80's width. Its increased width improves stability for the larger folk out there. Increased stability in whitewater is a good thing...nuff said.
Like Chris said, this boat drives from its edges, and some folks need to adjust to that when they first jump in. My advice would be to anticipate a few moves ahead. The Magnum is quick, so thing happen a bit faster, which can hurt your line if you're not ready for it. When landing, be prepared for excelleration with a rudder already in place. This is the only boat I've paddled that excellerates OUT of rapids, a great asset to yur skills, if your ready for it.
Quick, stable and buoyant as! I can't say I've ever paddled a better kayak. Can't wait for mine to arrive down under here in NZ! I promise a more detailed report on the machine as soon as it gets here!
Good luck, and fly times!
Coop |
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Hello mOjo, hello CHris... New 
BoaterTalk 
