Even though it is still very much winter in upstate New York I had to paddle my new boat. It was around 30 degrees and hole brothers on the Black River was running at a sort of in between level. But I just had to paddle my new boat.
I am 5'8 165 lbs.
First of all the 7-0 is the fastest playboat I have paddled in a long time. On a green wave the thing just takes off like a rocket. It's been three years since I have felt like that on a green wave. The boat constantly wants to accelerate down into the trough and not blow off the back like many other boats. I have been waiting for a boat like this for a long time.
Cartwheeling in a small pocket wave hole the 7-0 seemed to want go vertical and stay vertical in a very smooth continuous motion. Cartwheeling endlessly has never been a strength for me, but as long as I kept the 7-0 going I felt like I could cartwhel for days. The 7-0 did not want to flop over past vertical like a lot of other shorter playboats do. Splitwheels were great ( tricky wuus will be great too once the water warms up a bit).
As far as blunts go, on the small shoulders I was working with, I felt liek I had to use my edges more than in the past. On a small, not so dynamic spot like hole brothers, there wasn't a whole lot of butt bouncing going on. Which I think is a good thing. As long as I focused on using my edges instead of a bounce I could really get some good blunts. Back blunts felt pretty smooth too.
It was a little too cold to try looping, but I think they will go. The 7-0 looks long, because we're so used to seeing boats that are shorter than our paddles. Once I sat in the boat in the water my fears about it being too long went away. Not only does the boat feel liek it is a good length, it super comfortable. I felt like, if the weather was warmer I could sit in there all day.
We took some video of the boat in action, and I'll try and have it up by the end of next week. IF you're in the market for a new boat definately check this one out.
Matt Young
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