5'10" 170lbs size 10.5 feet
I:3 222
This is an amazing boat! I have had this boat for a year and have had it on the water about 75 times. I live in WV and run mostly big water runs such as Lower New River and Lower Gauley but have even had it on creeky runs such as Middle Cranberry.
Rolling: This boat rolls easier than my M:3 creekboat. It seems to prefer coming up on the back deck. The low volume stern dips and you can basically roll this boat by a strong hip snap alone. Hand rolls are effortless as long as you lay on the deck. It also loves quick back deck rolls.
Play and River Running: The I:3 gives me alot of confidence and piece of mind. It is a fast boat as others have said which allow you to get on things that the slow spud boats can't get onto as well as hit you lines on demand. It loves to carve on the wave with enough with a loose enough feel to be effortless but controlled. Stern squirts are really fun and easy. Cartwheels, wavewheels, and splats are smooth. All day long front surfs, sidesurfs, backsurfs, spins. Everything I have put a little time into I have been able to do. This boat does not feel like it is 7 feet in length nor does it perform that way.
It is very stable even in huge water. If you keep your weight forward it will punch over even the tallest waves. The boats feel which is really easy to get use to gives you the ability to enjoy the run and not have to fight the boat all day, but instead enjoy the day playing and running the big stuff with ease. Quick moves to avoid holes or hit lines are possible due to its speed and balance. The I:3 is not ment to be a dedicated creeker, but it will hit the lines and boof small drops nicely. Its upturned nose likes to bounce off rocks and its stability helps keep you upright instead of painting the rocks with you nose.
Comfort and Outfitting: The boat has plenty of room but getting it arranged for you takes some time but once it is right it is great. The hooker thigh grips are too aggressive for my taste so I drilled new adjustment holes about a half inch out from the least aggressive setting. This will get you into a nice an less cramped seating position. Next the foam footblock is best cut so that your feet set at more natural angles instead of cramped up. Upgrading the hipsnaps is crutial. Use the provided thread-through plastic mounting plate. Purchase Salamander Pro Hip Snaps $25 (CKS,www.kayakoutfitting.com, etc). Place velcro on the mounting plate, secure the hip snap to the plate with the velcro and by putting the nylon webbing around the mounting plate, and finally thread the backpad webbing back through the mounting plate. See how tight a fit it is and then either add more foam inside the hip snap or make the hip snap foam insert smaller. The hip snaps will truly connect you to this boat. The last improvement I made was to glue quarter inch thin foam up into the knee bumps, but if you aways have on a wet suit with knee pads then that is not completely necessary.
Overall: I love this boat and it is worth every penny. Once the outfitting is perfect you truly feel connected to this boat. It will play all day, punch the big waves, or handle the tight drops with ease. Many manufacturers now bringing out more "all around boats." They may run drops and surf a little, but if you want a more overall balanced river running playboat the I:3 is for you. The I:3 allows you to experience the same amount of features as owning 3 boats. Pyranha is bringing a I:4 this year so I:3's will get cheaper and hopefully the 4 will improve on the outfitting, but they better not touch that sweet hull too much. Any questions just drop me an email.
I:3 222
This is an amazing boat! I have had this boat for a year and have had it on the water about 75 times. I live in WV and run mostly big water runs such as Lower New River and Lower Gauley but have even had it on creeky runs such as Middle Cranberry.
Rolling: This boat rolls easier than my M:3 creekboat. It seems to prefer coming up on the back deck. The low volume stern dips and you can basically roll this boat by a strong hip snap alone. Hand rolls are effortless as long as you lay on the deck. It also loves quick back deck rolls.
Play and River Running: The I:3 gives me alot of confidence and piece of mind. It is a fast boat as others have said which allow you to get on things that the slow spud boats can't get onto as well as hit you lines on demand. It loves to carve on the wave with enough with a loose enough feel to be effortless but controlled. Stern squirts are really fun and easy. Cartwheels, wavewheels, and splats are smooth. All day long front surfs, sidesurfs, backsurfs, spins. Everything I have put a little time into I have been able to do. This boat does not feel like it is 7 feet in length nor does it perform that way.
It is very stable even in huge water. If you keep your weight forward it will punch over even the tallest waves. The boats feel which is really easy to get use to gives you the ability to enjoy the run and not have to fight the boat all day, but instead enjoy the day playing and running the big stuff with ease. Quick moves to avoid holes or hit lines are possible due to its speed and balance. The I:3 is not ment to be a dedicated creeker, but it will hit the lines and boof small drops nicely. Its upturned nose likes to bounce off rocks and its stability helps keep you upright instead of painting the rocks with you nose.
Comfort and Outfitting: The boat has plenty of room but getting it arranged for you takes some time but once it is right it is great. The hooker thigh grips are too aggressive for my taste so I drilled new adjustment holes about a half inch out from the least aggressive setting. This will get you into a nice an less cramped seating position. Next the foam footblock is best cut so that your feet set at more natural angles instead of cramped up. Upgrading the hipsnaps is crutial. Use the provided thread-through plastic mounting plate. Purchase Salamander Pro Hip Snaps $25 (CKS,www.kayakoutfitting.com, etc). Place velcro on the mounting plate, secure the hip snap to the plate with the velcro and by putting the nylon webbing around the mounting plate, and finally thread the backpad webbing back through the mounting plate. See how tight a fit it is and then either add more foam inside the hip snap or make the hip snap foam insert smaller. The hip snaps will truly connect you to this boat. The last improvement I made was to glue quarter inch thin foam up into the knee bumps, but if you aways have on a wet suit with knee pads then that is not completely necessary.
Overall: I love this boat and it is worth every penny. Once the outfitting is perfect you truly feel connected to this boat. It will play all day, punch the big waves, or handle the tight drops with ease. Many manufacturers now bringing out more "all around boats." They may run drops and surf a little, but if you want a more overall balanced river running playboat the I:3 is for you. The I:3 allows you to experience the same amount of features as owning 3 boats. Pyranha is bringing a I:4 this year so I:3's will get cheaper and hopefully the 4 will improve on the outfitting, but they better not touch that sweet hull too much. Any questions just drop me an email.
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