There has been a lot of hype recently about the three newest boats released by Jackson Kayak, with a huge emphasis on fun and ease of paddling. The two throw-back designs: the Antix and the MixMaster, are designed to make the river a playground and make river play more accessible for every paddler. The 9-foot…

In Connecticut where I live, the river temperature has already dropped to around 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and the air temperatures are hovering just above freezing. As a paddler, you can get a little depressed when the sun is going down so early, and the legitimate brain freezes you get when you flip over keep you…

It’s been about two years since the release of the latest Rockstar, and I’m just as in love with it as I was when I first paddled it. My first experience in a 2016 Rockstar was in Ausable Chasm in upstate New York in 2015. As I practiced on flatwater in between rapids, I remember being…

I’ve been learning how to kayak for 7 years now, and will continue to learn my whole life. I don’t think I will ever be content with my skills as they are, and I’ll always be finding new ones to work on. My paddling career thus far has been a long, arduous learning process, full…

You may, at one point or another, have seen a person paddling a playboat (a short stubby boat) with a big inflatable airbag underneath their sprayskirt. I’m sorry to say, they were not just happy to see you; they were using a Happy Thruster! If you haven’t seen a Happy Thruster and a Happy Seat…

Learning to love flatwater practice Although I got into whitewater kayaking because I love whitewater, sometimes the whitewater isn’t always available. I’ve learned to love flatwater practice almost as much as running rapids. In fact, flatwater has been the place where I’ve really developed my freestyle skills, my fine skills in paddle technique, as well as…

A few weekends ago marked the annual Deerfield Riverfest as a fundraiser for American Whitewater. The fest is the biggest event of the year for the area and draws kayakers from all over the northeast to the Deerfield River in Charlemont, Mass. During the weekend, there are releases on the Fife Brook section which is…