Flow on the Upper G!

I had so much fun yesterday on the Upper Gauley following my friends Alex and John down from Fayetteville. Some friends of ours from Maine rounded out the group after the obligatory getting lost on the way in.

It was the second time paddling my new Flow and I was so psyched to do some more river running in this recently released medium I just picked up. As I was pulling into Mason’s Branch parking I overheard someone say what a nice looking boat it is. I agree! This cotton candy is so sweet.

This boat totally launches off waves and drops, shoulders and rocks. It carries a ton of speed, but with the full planing hull also spins on a dime. It holds lines through the chaos while staying very stable. It’s a great surfer and has so much river/creek play potential.

I have the seat set in the middle and it seems great there so far, but it will be fun to move it back and forward to see how this changes performance. It is so easy to move the seat back and forth in a Jackson Kayak! This boat whips around easy if you want it to. It feels very loose and sporty, and for me and that is great. I got a few really nice wave wheels in it, which I can’t wait to try again. I can stern squirt it well in a good powerful spot, which is awesome but the stern doesn’t get stomped on by holes or pourovers, causing backenders and bracing. When I landed vertical in it I was stable and it set itself down really quickly.

Rockspins are a blast in this boat! Attempting to splat is so fun. I appreciate the way the boat glides in and out of eddies so nicely. The edges don’t catch in powerful or funky water at all. I like how when I landed all the way over on edge out of a water, rock, or shoulder boof the secondary stability pushed the boat back flat staying upright. No bracing or fighting it.

I think this design is a game changer. I am not the young creek runner anymore. Now that I’m in my 50’s I’ve found that my headspace has changed a little, but I still wanna go for it. For now, having fun and challenging myself at times is what I want and need. Simply feeling strong and confident, and styling around in the Flow is awesome. Comfort is a huge bonus in this boat; there’s plenty of room. If there’s a shop close to you or if you see someone in a Flow, ask them what they think. Get in one this fall when you have a chance and you’ll find your Flow.