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Review Detail

 
Magnum 72
Boats & Boards
(Updated: December 09, 2004)
Overall rating 
 
4.3
Design 
 
4.0
Perfomance 
 
5.0
Quality 
 
4.0
Value / Money 
 
4.0

Magnum also an ice cream!

This is the start of my second summer paddling so time to get a creekboat and push it along some more... Access 10 on the Tongariro is a grade 3 run and is 16 cmecs due to hydro scheme taking water out above. this makes the river a boulder dodge, normal flows about 40 cmecs. Plenty of short rapids with walls below. We usually take playboats down here but I wanted to get used to the new Magnum. The boat is really light for a creeker, changes direction quickly, when you want to get a move on it takes off. stays upright and carves well probably to do with the rails from the front of the cockpit back, enough volume to go in any hole on the run and feel fine blasting straight through, round enough to bounce off or scrape around rocks easily. The hull is really good, well done Riot. The fit out though is good in some areas and not so in others. The main drawback for me is the hip pads, is there a shortage of pocket material to stuff foam into and a lack of velcro in Canada? I got a bit stuck on one rapid and fell over between some rocks, by the time I had scaped down to the pool below I had to grab the bottom of the boat and pull my butt back into the seat before I could roll up, just my cagdeck holding me in the boat. I am now in the process of replacing the hip pads with some glued in carved foam ones, having taken out the Riot double layer system. I couldnt get enough foam in the pockets provided and feel snug, the outer velcroed on cushioning is a bit slidey. Plus the back band I have lifted it up and drilled some more holes so it sits more in the small of my back, still feels a bit low though, plus the ratchet will slip over the teeth on the snowboard type binding strip just as you are getting it cranked into position, better to set it before you get in the boat. The roll around thigh braces are ok for control and would be good if you had to bail in a hurry, footplate fine but if you had longer legs than me the aluminium strips to secure could be a bit short and possibly encroach on your foot space, I have bent mine out from the footplate to give more foot room and now they are on their last hole. Once I have sorted the hip pads I am really looking forward to taking on some bigger water and feel this boat wont let me down, all in all am well pleased with my purchase.

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About Me
Location: Tongariro river access 10, NZ
Age: 37
Weight: 82 kgs
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