Whats up with the transformers

[silverdiesel]

I noticed a guy getting some heat trying to sell a T1 on the gear swap page. And, in general, I have noticed that transformers go for pretty cheap on the used boat market. Most new designes would get at least 600 after a year of use, but it seems transformers are selling for under 500. That.. and EJ no longer works for Wavesport.. I know the Transformer was his baby.

So, whats the deal? Is there something I am missing? I paddled in a T4 and I liked it.. but I did end up buying something else. I don't know, just curious if a lot people are satisfied with their transformers. I know I have seen a lot of transformers doing amazing things in the hands of the pros. (see:IR big gun show)

[Don]

The poll says 50/50. That's about the norm. Some people liked the boat and others did not. It seems to be the same on all boats in the industry.

The Transformer was not like and did not paddle like the Wavesport boats. It had good things to offer the elite kayak paddlers, but not so much to the average Joe kayaker. The Trans like other more tricked out boats, were not as easy to paddle and were harder to roll then the previous play kayaks.

What they will do is skip off the water, pop into the air, and spin with a sneeze. But, rolling and hull speed were quite different from the EZ and Big.

You'll find that the people who will really promote the T-series are the ones who learned to paddle them, people who spent the time to learn the kayak tricks, and the people who threw down cash on them.

I liked the boats. I liked the little tippy things. They worked well, and they're fun to cut up and make the boat do other fun stuff. They didn't break when you hit a rock with them, they protected your feet when you hit the bottom of the river, and they helped a spud boat to cartwheel. What more could a boater want...

[silverdiesel]

makes total sence Don, thanks for the enlightenment. That T4 did have some serious bounce to it... if only I knew how to harness it.

[double-a-ron]

Let me start out by saying that i kind of suck so my opinion shouldn't count for much. Two months into my paddling experience i lost my first boat. The only boat being demoed in the area that I could fit in was the T4. I can now throw half a**ed cartwheels and loops. It is super stable in trashy play holes and bombproofed my roll. The only problem was that i felt like i was swimming in it (not swimming in kayaking terms, it was just huge) and at the same time my feet were cramping and a sleep after 30 min. or so. I guess that just means I needed to smoke more herb first.

Later,
Aaron

[cosurfgod]

Sounds like you solved the problem.

[spencer]

My $0.02 on the T-series: I think Don is on the right track when he said that the folks that like the boats are the same folks that spent some time in them. I had a T3 and an Airhead last summer, and the T ended up with far more wet-days than the LL. The audience for a T is smaller than the audience for something like a Space Cadet or an EZ. Those boats feel really good the first time you paddle them; the T does not. However, in the long run (think turtle – not rabbit) the Ts are really diverse. They’re fun on a wave (like most of the LL and Riot boats), but pretty nice in a hole too (like anything else with more than six-inch ends). The boats are heavy, but you can always trash that foot-brace system & toss some foam in its place to save some weight. The tips are heavy too. If you’re on the high-end of the weight spectrum, then think about adding the short tip to the bow. Other than that, IMHO, their weight does not “outweigh” their performance – chuck’em. I also found that adding a support under your skirt (overthruster, IR) will give it some front-end pop for loops & other bow-initiated moves. In all, the T-series is a solid line of boats; you just need to invest some time to learn it. If you don’t want to do that, then buy something else. However, if you see your size for some stupid price, buy it & learn it. You’ll find that it is a really amazing boat – with or without tips, overthruster, or even the factory bulkhead system. Hope this helps… :P

thumbs up for the t series. it's super loose on everything(a players dream). i paddle w/out tips, bumpers only. the best C-1 boat i have paddled, so far. it's stable but easy to make it do anything i want. it's not the boat that makes a good paddler, it's time on the water