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The idea behind this boat was to combine the best of two worlds in the surf; short squirt boats and true planning hull surf designs. It has a bottom and rail configuration like a surfboard or wave ski with very flat bottom and surfboard-style rocker. The deck is more typical of a squirt, very low volume ends and just enough extra room in the knee area for at least minimal comfort. It will fit paddlers to at least 200# with 32" inseam and 11 shoe. The result is a boat that surfs like a wave ski and does the most of the whitewater inspired wave moves of a squirt boat.
Inspired by the Hellbender and other short flat bottom squirt boats, this boat will cartwheel on a wave with almost the same agility. Control is easy and predictable. Flat-water cartwheels are easy, but not quite as smooth as a squirt boat. Lake any surf kayak, planning speeds and flat spins, in and out of the whitewater, are the norm. The rails tend to engage the wave on turns and reduce the tendency of many planing hulls to spin out while carving turns. The low volume allows "punching" back through the wall on a closeout.
The Smash is 7’11" long, 24" wide. At 200#, the boat paddles with the bow just at the waterline, similar to a squirt boat cut for a similar size paddler. The height in the knee area is about 2" more than a typical squirt boat, making it a little more comfortable, despite the cramped foot area. The rocker is rather low in the bow for ease of cartwheel moves, and relatively flat in the aft sections for wave performance. A tendency to pearl at takeoff, like most low volume boats, is easily remedied. Paddlers comfortable in squirt boats will find this boat easy and forgiving in the surf. Similar to squirt boats in the surf, it may be a little disconcerting for paddlers used to large surface boats. Like any other surf design, it is not intended for river use.
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