Gear Locker : Riot Boogie Surf Kayak

October-November 2006

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.
To download a pdf copy of the magazine click here: > DOWNLOAD

By Alex Matthews

Surf-specific boats include very sharp and aggressive hull edges or ‘rails’ for slicing into waves.

One of the greatest feelings in the world is riding a wave in a kayak, and playing in the surf is one of the best ways to hone rough water paddling skills. If you’ve never tried it, you should! Riot Kayak’s Boogie is a surf-specific kayak designed exclusively for riding waves and nothing else. Key features of a surf-specific boat include very sharp and aggressive hull edges or ‘rails’ for slicing into waves, reduced tail rocker for better speed, and fins just like a surfboard’s for more ‘bite’ and holding-power on a wave face.

The majority of surf-specific kayaks are composite models made by small specialist builders, and there are very few polyethylene surf boats to chose from. Mega in the UK manufacture two surf- specific kayaks in poly (and many more in composite), but in North America it can be very hard to find a Mega. As Riot’s headquarters are in Montreal, Canada, shipping and availability are less of an issue. While poly is heavier and tends to flex far more than composite boats, it’s less expensive and incredibly durable. Due to its near indestructibility, polyethylene is a great material for boaters who regularly surf rock-strewn coastlines, or anyone who simply wants a really tough boat that won’t need taking care of the way a composite kayak will.

Surf kayaks have fins just like a surfboard’s for more ‘bite’ and holding-power on a wave face.

Slipping into the Boogie, the fit is pleasantly snug. The highly contoured seat is comfy and elevated slightly off the bilge of the boat. The added height makes room for the fin boxes under your butt, and provides more leverage for edging the boat. The seat can also be moved fore or aft to trim the kayak. Foot room is at a premium in the Boogie, and with my long legs, I found my feet were a bit cramped. Secure knee pockets are well placed and it’s easy to grip the underside of the deck. The thigh hooks are very different from most, consisting of soft thigh straps that are tightened by a ratcheting buckle. I like this system as adjustments are easy and quick, but these buckles don’t stand up too well to prolonged exposure to saltwater, so be sure to rinse the boat with freshwater after use. The supportive back-band adjusts easily with more ratchets.

Amazingly, the Boogie ships without fins. This to me is like giving the coolest toy robot to a seven-year-old for Christmas, but without the batteries. I had Red X, FCS, and Future fins lying around, but none fit. Finally I rigged a set of True Ames fins, but they were far less than secure. In my opinion, a set of fins should be included with the Boogie, or at the very least Riot needs to switch to a more readily available fin system.

Once on the water, the Boogie is lots of fun. It feels stable and is easy to paddle through incoming surf, although the stern of the boat is quite short and low-volume, so somewhat prone to stern enders unless you lean aggressively forward when punching bigger waves. The boat is forgiving for a surf kayak and has decent speed and good carving ability. I did want more speed and drive in the tail, and being able to move the fins further back would have helped.

The Boogie is a somewhat older design, and these days it feels more like a generalist surf kayak rather than the cutting edge in play machines. And that’s cool—while hardcore playboaters will want something much shorter with more pop for aerial moves, and competitive kayak-surfers are willing to give up a lot more stability for super-aggressive edges, the Boogie is a user friendly kayak which is pretty reassuring and tons of fun. It’s a solid performer as a ‘do-everything’ surf kayak and a great introduction to the joys of a dedicated surf machine. In clean surf, I would pick the Boogie over any of the current crop of spud whitewater boats, and unlike other pricier composite surf kayaks, the Boogie is also almost impossible to break.

Length: 7’9”

Width: 24.75”

Weight: 35 lbs.

Suggested Retail Price: $1,149 Canadian

Riot Kayaks

3700 St. Patrick, Suite 109
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
H4E 1A2
Tel: (514) 931-0366
Fax: (514) 931-4421

www.riotkayaks.com