May 23, 2004

Well my son’s 2Fun got here from CKS on Tuesday and we were finally able to get out on the water today for the first time. Billy just turned 11 last month, is about 80 lbs, 4’10” with 26 inseam and size 6.5 feet. He’s been paddling since this winter when we got his roll down in the pool and has been paddling mostly Class 2/2+ type stuff this spring. His first boat was a Pyranha Inazone 212, which is still a great boat for small people. Here are his impressions of the 2Fun in an interview format with Dad. These are pretty much exact quotes as fast as I could write them down. (Dad’s side comments are in paranthesis.)

Q. How is the outfitting in the 2Fun?

A. Well, one thing to say…wonderfully comfortable. I could just sit there without doing anything and it was like sitting on a couch. My b*** didn’t fall asleep at all. The happy foot bag system I am impressed. I wasn’t sure about the thigh braces at first since they weren’t screwed in or anything, but they seemed to work real good. The backband was kind of weird because it got flipped over when I got in but it was easy to fix and felt fine.

Q. Did it take long to get you fitted in the boat.

A. No, since the hip pads and knee pads were all in, all we had to do was move the seat forward and pump up the footbag a lot. I’m too big for the fun1, but kind of small for the 2Fun. (The hardest thing Dad had to do was move the seat forward, which took all of about a minute and a half, 2 large thumbscrews and no tools. The outfitting is the definition of function and simplicity)

Q. How was it to roll?

A. It was super easy… and effortless. When I flipped over and rolled up in flat water, I felt like I was going to do a barrel roll and flip over again because it was so easy to get up. In the whitewater, it wasn’t as fast, but once my head was out I knew I could brace and I was fine. (Billy executed one combat roll, first attempt, no problem)

Q. How was the stability?

A. Before I got in the water, I couldn’t even rock it side-to-side like my old boat, but once I got in the water, I could rock side-to-side and back and forth really easy. It was really stable, especially on edge.

Q. Was it as fast as your old boat?

A. At first, paddling upstream, it seemed a little slow because I was getting used to it, but on the front wave, it felt like I was going 40 miles per hour. Once I got used to it, in like 30 minutes, I felt that trying to get in the hole was easier in the 2Fun… only 1 or 2 strokes instead of 3 or 4, then I would just glide in.

Q. How was it to surf?

A. Well, the sensation of surfing is normally wonderful but in the Jackson, the sensation is outrageously beautiful.

Q. Was the boat easy to control?

A. Was it ever!

Q. Did the boat meet all of your expectations?

A. It met more than all of my expectations (Billy has been overly excited since we ordered the boat in March, I’m glad he wasn’t let down.)

Q. How do you think Jackson Kayaks did with the design of this boat?

A. Like hitting a walk-off, grandslam homer in the bottom of the 13th inning or scoring a touchdown in the third overtime. I’d like to thank EJ and David Knight and bless their minds. (You can’t make this stuff up folks)

Billy N

Score on a scale of 1-10 : 10