What are the top things you look for in a creek/river boat

[RapidMediaTVGuy]

I'm working on a feature for an upcoming issue of Rapid Magazine on Flat Bottomed river runners/creekers and wanted to know the tops things you look at when trying to choose this type of boat (think Burn, Mamba, Diesel, style).

Any input would be great.

Thanks,

Dan Caldwell
Rapid Media TV Guy

[morsey]

Three issues that I've seen addressed in recent boats:
A groove to disperse water from the cockpit area that is actually lower than the cockpit area!
A bolt for the step out pillar away from the area where the spray deck engages.
More balanced volume along the boat, allowing the front to resurface well, but not at the expense of a tail happy stern.


One aspect I particularly look for is speed, but in two aspects.
One, the ability to accelerate with one solid paddle stroke (ie. just before a boof where there is little depth and you have to commit to a boof off the lip in order to keep the nose up and get good separation.
Two, when on big volume water and you need to cross the flow whilst descending (i.e. not ferry gliding but driving full speed forwards and being able to lay the power down without the boat wiggling or spinning out).

Another aspect is the stability on the edges. Standard creeking move carve left to right, lift the right hand edge drive off the left paddle, mid air transfer, lift the left edge, land on the right edge and drive off with the right paddle into eddy, away from grabby hole! To me that is bread and butter stuff that the boat has to do well.