I´m thinking about getting a new boat soon and need some advice. I´d like to have a reliable and comfortable river runner with some play potential. I´ve been using lots of different boats in the past, mainly because I was doing rodeo, creeking, big water... and had different boats for it. Sold most of them since I don´t have the time to do everything I want to - family, you know. I only kept my creeker, a Necky Blunt.

What I´m looking for is a modern variation of the good old Dagger Redline, which I had long ago. I did almost everything with it, creeking in the Piemont area, big water (well, sort of) on the river Oetz and a bit of playboating as well. And it was comfortable enough even for longer rides.

Reading articles I came across the Dagger Honcho, which has about the specs I´d like. Any comments on alternatives are welcome ! I´m 1,87m (6'2\") tall and weigh 88kg (194lbs, 14stone), show size 43 (UK 8,5 ; US 9) .

I already tried the Wave Sports EZG60, but that wasn´t comfortable. I used to have a Pyranha I3:223 (the big one), but although it was a nice boat I never found a good sitting position, always had cramps despite the fact that this was not a small boat. Bad hip/knee/ankle position I guess.

Strange that you found the EZG60 uncomfortable. I am 6 foot, maybe just over and about 85kg. I have loads of room and have quite a big foot block inside. The seat is all the way forward. Maybe your legs are much longer than mine. I have about a UK 8/9 shoe. What bugged you about the EZG60? I'm super stoked with mine.

The Dagger RX, (6.9, i think?) Try that. Or the big Jackson Fun series.

I also use a Necky Blunt. It's difficult for me to part with it... Good boat. Been thinking of changing. Maybe go until it breaks. Cheers

Well, most of the mentionend ones are too short and small for my liking (as a river runner). To feel comfortable I´d like to have some length and volume around me.

Re the EZG60 - my legs aren´t too long, but they´re definetely not spider legs.Call it fat, call it muscles, I need some room to fit them in. I used to have a Wavesport Forplay, excellent playboat, and I fit in nicely, for a playboat. Not for a riverrunner. In a playboat I accept to paddle half an hour and then get out and relax a wee bit. In a riverrunner I don´t accept this....

Well, I am very happy running most things in my EZG. The boat performed well on every rapid shown in this article except the one shown in the video. Which I decided to portage.

adrian.playak.com/index.php?option=com_c...p;id=24&Itemid=3

Good luck with the longer boat, it will be a compromise then for river running and then still a certain amount of 'playability'. I personally don't find the length too short for river running. Maybe a Super EZ would suit you more? Only you'll know. Just my

Cheers

I paddle a dagger honcho sometimes and feel that its a great river runner with play ability but the play is very limited. Good beginer boat though. See if you can find a Jackson 4fun

I would say the Eskimo Diablo. If you are not into playboating then you are not sacraficing anything in a diablo. Pretty sweet boat for river and creek. Nice and light too.

Im not sure the 4fun would be right for u if your looking for a comfortable all-round boat i would try the super fun im 6.4 and i can easily fit into it and not go numb at all. Plus jacksons outfitting suites those looking for comfort by the happy feet(inflatable foot cushion) and the happy seat(inflatable seat cushion) i love my super fun alot and i wouldnt trade it for anything.

Right now I would through my money into a Jackson Fun (try out the 4 and the 5...I'd bet the 4). I only paddled the old 5, but want to demo the new 5. The Fluid Flirt Large is also a good boat...I have one of these. Both boats river run well and play WAY better than the Honcho. They are also way more comfortable than the Dagger boat. The boat I paddle most for both river-running and play is the Bliss-Stick RAD 195.

Maybe look at the Liquid Logic Cross River, very good river runner good on a nice wave like the Reid, I used mine last may in flood in Austria, Swiss, and Deutschland Upper bavaria (lovely rivers!!) Its very balanced you can get teva gammas inside runs rivers superbly and personally think it handles better than the honcho range and the i3&4 give it a try

Thanks a lot for all these hints guys. The biggest problem with most of your suggestions is availability on the second hand market... I´ve rarely seen Liquid Logic or Jackson boats here, let alone used ones. And most of the boats are too short for my liking. Main focus is riverrunning, and since I have family I can´t paddle every weekend, unfortunately. When I´ll find more time again, I´ll have a playboat again ! My old Pyranha I3:223 felt just a wee bit too short and small for what I wanted, so I guess I need something like 230 cm long and 240+ litres volume to really feel comfortable.

Fluid Spice is longer. Bliss-Stick SCUD. Wave Sport Super EZ.

Don't be afraid of the shorter boats as many of them river-run better than the Honch because they are more balanced. The back end of that boat was very squirrelly, especially if you were maxing the boat out or lean back a bit.