Boats Boats Boats, Rockstar M, Superstar, Project x 56 and the 2011 Super Hero

Wow! The last post I made on here was about my shiny new rockstar. I love that boat and it works so well for me but due to excessive growing and crippled toes I'm forced to move on. Much to my disapointment. So I've spent the last month or so stalled with my freestyle, paddling many different boats (mainly my Dads Superstar) trying to make them work for me.

Eventually I came to the conclusion that I can't paddle a large boat, I just struggle and struggle and struggle. So I had to find a boat that would work for me. This left me with two options, go composite (to help me throw a large boat around) or find a big medium boat. I can't aford or justify a composite boat so it was time to find a big medium boat - the Project X.

I'm gutted to leave Jackson boats as they've always worked especially well for me but unfortunatly it had to be done. Here is my SHORT review of the Project X:

Firstly, it seems to me to be one of those boats that needs a lot of personal customisation to make it work. Me for example, I've had to raise the seat LOTS, velcro the hip pads on more securly, foam up the back cockpit rim, back pillar and tape up a random over hang. Create a completly new foot brace type thing and add pipe insulation into the front.

As for the way it paddles, very different to my Rockstar. VERY different. First of all, it's alot more slicy and has significantly less pop. Cartwheels are smoother and easier but making sure you get arial on the godzillas can be tricky. I'm finding floops much more difficult at the moment, however the boat McNasties really well due to its slicy front end.

To conclude, it's a nice boat and I like it. But it'll never live up to my Rockstar.

Rockstar Review

Before I go on to talk about this boat I should explain my situation. I'm an average paddler who enjoys freestyle and is just beginning to compete, this isn't a review from a top notch paddler. Also, my previous freestyle boat was the 2010 allstar and this review is based on sessions at HPP and on the flat.

So, first impressions. Damn the colour is bright! I opted for the rasta colours which is a big change from the light red while and blue of my old allstar. Check out the pics bellow for a comparison.

Photos by Simon Thorne

So onto the full review. Outfitting the boat was relatively easy as with most Jackson Kayak boats. It is the SL version so comes with a foam seat and foam footblock rather than the happy feet and sweet cheeks. Personally I prefer the more basic SL outfitting but I think it is personal preference. Like all Jacksons, the Rockstar has the sure-lock backband system that is held in place by string. 

The backband system is the first point that I would like to go into detail about. With previous Jackson Kayak boats I have found the backband comfortable but sometimes a bit of work to get right. For example, in my 2010 allstar the string occasionally slipped from the cleats when newish and the backband slipped back under my bum while looping. This could easily be fixed with a little bit of DIY but for those of us who are bad with our hands it's hardly ideal. The rockstar though has been improved. Though there seemed to be no changes to the string, it is yet to slip and more importantly the back band is attacked to the boat in a new and much improved way. This new attachment method has raised the backband and prevents it from sliding under you when you lean right back. One problem with higher backbands is that they can prevent movement and occasionally cause back pain or injury. However, the Rockstar back band does not prevent movement and does not cause any back pain. The new system is a huge improvement on what was already a decent bit of outfitting.

There isn't a lot to say about the foot block but its basically a foam block with layers that can be removed. I can't comment on it as I don't use any foot block or footbag.

The hip pads in the SL outfitting are slightly different to those in the Elite boats. They are said to have more 'hook' and are made out of a different material. They seem to work okay but I have found a few flaws. The first flaw is that I struggle to get enough foam into the sleeves on the pads. The next flaw is that the strap to tighten the pads and keep them in place is very hard to use and doesn't seem to do a very good job. To solve this I have used strips of Velcro to keep them in place. They now work perfectly.

Space on the inside is always a bit of an issue for me and the main problem I had with the 2010 allstar. I loved my allstar and had no problems with the way it performed. The main reason that I swapped for the rockstar is the space. There seems to be much more space in the front and thus doesn't knacker my ankles like my allstar did - BIG BROWNIE POINTS FROM ME. However, like all playboats, my toes still hurt after a while of paddling.

Performance... Looking at the more boxy shape, increased volume and shorter length I was expecting this boat to be difficult to flat water carthweel (my worst move). In my opinion I think that the Rockstar is easier to carthweel than the 2010 allstar! The bow seems to go through with less effort and the stern feels much more balanced. However, I have spoken to other people who feel differently and think that the 2010 allstar is better for cartwheel moves. Maybe it depends on paddler weight?

Down river and general paddling. After reading some reviews on the Rockstar I was expecting a white knuckle ride and a beating on every eddy line until I got used to the boat. With the harsher rails, shorter length and raised seat everything was pointing towards a very unfriendly boat. Is this the case? Not really, it is more difficult and more aggressive than the 2010 model but it's in no means uncontrollable. 

In a hole the boat feels very different to the old style. It becomes imediatly apparent that this boat needs to be paddled and not just sat in. The slightest bit of flow coming through the hole and it wants to spin. The boat is incredibly loose and spins like a dream, however it does lack the super stable side surfing platform that the 2010 shape had. Loops and Space Godzillas? Huge, every time. The extra volume and shorter lenght is very noticeable. Though you have to think a bit more about keeping your moves straight and plugging well, this boat really does send you high. 

Photo by Simon Thorne

Cartwheels in the hole are just like on the flat; easy, balances and controlled. Mc Nastys are my latest move. Though I only ever got 2 in the old shape I can feel the difference. With the Rockstar it's important that you drive the boat down and hold onto the blade for as long as possible during the spin. 

Unfortunately I have little experience on waves and haven't been able to get the Rockstar on a wave yet, however I have heard that it lives up to the Jackson hype. Is faster, goes bigger and grinds down the wave in a nice smooth fashion. 

Unexpected discoveries... Flat water loops seem more difficult in this boat. My theory for this is that a) the boat is slightly less stable in a bow stall. And b) the extra volume in the stern makes it harder to end the move on the flat. Also, the rasta colour shows the scratches up really badly. 

Conclusion - The Rockstar is a fantastic boat. Moves go bigger, better, faster ect. It's more user friendly than I expected and has more room for us bigger paddlers. However, if you're just learning to loop or just starting to paddle a playboat I think that the 2010 allstar will look after you a bit more and aid your progression better. Once you've got you're loops nailed and you're ready to fly - the Rockstar is your ticket.

Chris Thorne

First Post and Freestyle Development Camp

Every man and his dog has a blog these days and I said I would never have one...but here I am.

During the past week, I realised how important memories are. Nothing can happen twice, something similar may happen but time can not be reversed. Every man and his dog has a blog these days and I said I would never have one...but here I am. Blogs to me seem to be a resource for people trying to get noticed, get attention or share their life. And that's why I said I would never write a blog, who cares what I've been up to? People have their own lives to live. However, who says writing a blog is entirely for other people? What about yourself? This blog is being written with the purpose of preserving memories, the good times, and the things I never want to forget. 

Over the last week I've had one of the best times of my life on a Love it Live it Freestyle Development Camp at HPP Nottingham. Sam Ward (who I have had coaching with before) is out in Uganda so the running of the camp was subbed out to James (Pringle) Bebbington, the current world champion. And what a week it became. 

As you can imagine, when I arrived at 9:50am I was feeling exited but unsure of what to expect. It seemed weird to be meeting a top athlete that I had been watching on YouTube for so long. Also eagerly awaiting Pringles arrival was Harry, Harvey, Ian (who spoke little English) and Luke. After brief introductions we all continued to wonder what the new world champ would be like. 




And then like any other normal person, Pringle appeared around the corner. Casually introducing himself to us all and sitting down on the creaky wooden bench. For the next half hour or so we all spoke about our experience, skill levels, what we wanted to get out of the week and other possibilities for the camp. 

After changing into kit we all had a couple of rides on inlet gate, a chance to show off our skills and assess where we all were. The skill level of all the paddlers was pretty high and as a group we were sticking a variety of moves. Having just got my new Jackson Kayak Rockstar I was still working out how big it would go, the answer? HUGE.

Space Godzilla in the final day competition

Looping big during one of my first few sessions in the boat.

After a little while on inlet we played our way down the course, having a couple of rides in each feature. Personally I really like Jaws hole about a third of the way down the course. It's bouncy and had a nice corner for setting up on and all moves seem to go though it can be a little shallow.
 
After a while down at Tardis it was time to go back to the top for lunch. We all had our food and ripped Prignle down for his diet of raw fruit and veg before looking through the video footage of the mornings session. Immediately Pringle helped me to understand where my Mc Nastys and other moves were going wrong and pointed out my good moves and techniques.

After we had all seen our footage and worked out what we needed to do to improve we had another session on the course, trying to work on what we had learnt. I had some success but was still working hard on my Mc Nastys and could see why they were worth so many points.

Over the next few days we followed the same sort of format. Paddling with video feedback with the occasional session paddling with Pringle. Paddling with the world champion was a thrilling experience, not only did it give me some perfect examples of what I should be doing but it took my breath away as he threw move after move with flawless technique and style. I was especially impressed with his Lunar Orbit - Cartwheel - Tricky Whu combo in the 2nd hole.

Thursday morning I had a break through moment as I watched some footage Pringle had of another guy doing Mc Nastys and everything became clear in my mind. From then on I managed to get the odd decent Mc Nasty and throughout the rest of the week they became more and more consistent. By Friday night they were going well but still not consistent, however I was very pleased that I managed to get 5 or 6 good ones in a day. A massive improvement from the start of the week!

Saturday morning was the last session of the week and involved watching the footage from the night before and then two competitions. My shoulders were playing up a lot on Saturday and was struggling to paddle even on the flat. After warming up as best I could I sat above inlet waiting for my practise run. Just to make things worse, my nose clip broke. Typical. After dropping in and doing one shoddy loop I realised how much I hate paddling without a nose clip. Luckily for me, a guy I met (I was giving his friend pointers for his loop) a few weeks back offered to lend me his for the duration of the competition. (Thanks a lot!!!). I had one more painful practise run that went okay before the competition.

The competition was going to be:
-2 rides in inlet
-1 ride in tardis
The best ride from inlet would be added to the points from the Tardis to give the total score for the serious competition.

This would then be followed by a less serious, fun competition.

My first ride in inlet went well, and I was pleased with it considering my shoulders were hurting. I scored Air Loop, Space Godzilla right, Space Godzilla left and Cartwheel right. I also tried a Splitwheel right but the 2nd end wasn't vertical enough to score. In the last 3 seconds I tried a Mc Nasty but was too knackered to make a decent job of it. My second ride in inlet was okay but not as good as the first, not scoring the left Godzilla.

Down in Tardis my shoulders were beginning to really hurt so I decided not to have a practise run. My competition run was okay but could have gone a lot better. Setting up on the feature was fast and smooth but I only scored a Spin, Air Loop and Ender (for my failed Space Godzillas).

After my ride it was time for the fun competition which was decided as King of the Wave. I really wanted to take part but thought it was more important to rest my shoulders to didn't participate. Ian destroyed the competition with a mix of amazing river skills and being able to put his deck back on after the others popped it but before they swamped his boat.

Back up at the top for prize giving it was announced that I won the serious event and Ian came in a close 2nd place. I was shocked to have won as Ian was paddling very well and seemed disappointed but gracious not to have won.

My prize for winning? A Mc Donalds chocolate muffin, do prizes get any better?!?! It was a great way to end a fantastic week. I'd like to thank Love it Live it, Pringle and my parents for making it all possible. Hopefully there will be a video to follow.

Chris