DragoRossi Cayuco

[floodwaker]

Anyone have any experience paddling the Cayuco?  It looks sick!

Corran, I know you designed it.  Can you (or anyone) tell me if/where they are available in the States, and, if so, how much I should be able to pick one up for?

http://www.dragorossi.com/cayuco.html

Thanks
Rob

[CCSUP]

Interesting name. Since I live in Cayucos, California I happen to know Cayuco means "little kayak." So is this a difference in languages (Italian vs Spanish) or did dragorossi just think it is a cool name and it wouldn't matter if they named an SUP "kayak"?

[corran]

In Guatemala the Cayuco are the stand up canoes they use for fishing

we never made the cayuco and it evolved into what is now the Rapidfire

Corran

[floodwaker]

That's too bad.  I love the concept of the retractable fin!  I demo paddled the Rapidfire on Friday, (actually the Traverse, as there are no Imagine dealers near me.)  I liked the way it handled on the flat water with the fin, but I really don't like the idea of having to stop before every rock garden and unscrew the fin in the shallow rocky river that I paddle.  (James River in Richmond, VA)

I've been emailing with Adam at Imagine, and he said you guys have about 8 new board designs coming out for next season.  Are any of those going to have a retractable fin?  The retractable fin seems like a brilliant idea and, truthfully, a must have for the type of river paddling around these parts.

Rob

[corran]

Hey rob

Not sure where you got the retractable fin idea on the Cayuco... it wasn't going to ahve one - that I can remember lol

We are not working on a retractable fin... to do this means moving parts installed in a way thats asking for trouble - a side hit will break the mechanism... then tis a warranty claim.

I never paddle the rapidfire with a fin at all... since I use it only on whitewater I ahve no use the for the fin. The fin it comes with is also a rubber 6" fin thats great for taking hits - just flexes out the way if you really want to use it.

None of next years boards are for ww rivers - all lakes and ocean etc...

Corran

[floodwaker]

Sorry... I read "a drop down rubberized skeg adds tracking in flatter sections" and thought it was something like Liquid Logic is doing with a couple of their models:

http://www.liquidlogickayaks.com/versa.cfm
http://www.liquidlogickayaks.com/remix_xp10.cfm

I can see potential for breakage/warranty issues, but it would definitely make life easier for those of us who don't have access to swifter moving, action packed rivers. 

As it stands with the Rapidfire, no pun intended, I'd want the assistance of the fin.  Perhaps as I get more comfortable tracking with the raised center of gravity, I'd be more inclined to leave it behind.  Too bad the Cayuco got scrapped; it really looked like a desgn that could have shredded in both whitewater and small ocean surf here in Virginia.  If you decide to get rid of any of the prototypes, let me know.  lol... Thanks Corran.

Rob

[corran]

The rapidfire really is the better design for both rivers and surf over the old Cayuco, which was just the beginning of the idea.

Corran