Rip

I purchased a Necky Rip WW based on the recommendation of my WW Instructor Trainer and Tony Hernandez, a true river god.

The Rip really helped me a lot in my training to be an instructor because the narrow hull (24"), secure outfitting, and railed edges facilitated snappy eddy turns and peel outs. The Rip responds to aggressive lean with a slalom boat feel and rewards precise strokes.

The planing hull and moderate rocker make the Rip and excellent surfer.

But the best characteristic for a new paddler (or an instructor making demos) is ease of rolling. The narrower hull and secure outfitting inspire confidence and the Rip responds excellently to either the C-to-C or Sweep Roll technique, and even better to the combination Combo Roll now known as "the New Whitewater Roll".

Some called the 9' 2" , 61 gallon Rip a planning hull RPM, which is a good description. Both were in that 2000 nine foot, 60 gallon sweet spot. In the mid 2010's the 9 foot sweet spot came back but with much more volume ((Jackson Zen, Pyranha 9R & Ripper, and many others)

BTW the original Necky Rip was designed as a glass ocean surfer.

White water, river runner, and ocean surfing kayak. The latter is its best characteristic. I wanted to save, for posterity, the dimensions of this boat as Necky is closed and was not able to able to find the kayaks specs anywhere until I spoke to Tom at TopKayaker in Ossippee NH. He retrieved most of the information from a 1999 catalog (paper). The outer cockpit and circumference I measured. Also, Seals Skirts' Joe and Kelly, great folks, have a template of the cockpit outer dimensions from which they modified a skirt for me. Length - 9'2" (Mine is 9'3") Width = 23" Cockpit = 31"x 15 1/2" Inner, 33.5" x 17.25" outer, and circumference is 83.5" Volume = 61 Gallons

Although my wife and I are, essentially, new to kayaking (we did just a bit when we lived in the PACNORWEST) we found our new Rips to be excellent for waters without huge chop. This is a superb boat for those new to kayaking: a great boat for a good price. Easy to maneuver in and out of the water. If you are just starting, start here....don't think you need to get something more extravagant.
Get a Rip, you won't be "ripped"-off!!