Apex Ringer

The future of “1/2 slice” paddling.   A whitewater river runner that was designed to win the Extreme Slalom international events, such as the World Championships and Olympics.   Don’t let it’s thoroughbred nature intimidate you if you are just learning.   Lightweight carbon fiber construction makes loading, unloading, carrying, and definitely paddling all easier than pushing around twice as much weight in a plastic boat.    If you want to learn to use edges, and learn to squirt, or just like to go fast, this is your boat. High Bow Rocker- super fast hull- nimble, quick turning, easy to squirt, and amazing surfing boat! Made from advanced composite materials- including high impact epoxy, carbon fiber, kevlar, and more.

Specs

Medium: 9′ long, 25″ wide, 13.5″ tall, 23 Pounds- Paddler Weight Range-  140-220

Performance of the Ringer:

Performance related to the construction:  

Clearly the #1 reason for making an advanced composites kayak is to reduce the total weight by nearly 1/2 for a freestyle kayak.   The following is what you’ll experience:

1. Picking up, carrying, loading, and unloading become WAY easier and more enjoyable.  You’ll be spoiled quickly, however. 
2. Every stroke has way more effect on moving the boat.   Turning, accelerating, and doing river running moves, squirts, etc. takes way less effort, and happens with way more snappiness with the same effort. 
3. You’ll be faster.

The number 2 reason for composite freestyle boats is the stiffness.   A stiff hull transfers the waters energy into the boat without it flexing and dampening the effect like a plastic boat.   Peelouts, ferries, surfing, landing drops, etc. are all higher performing in a composite boat. 

Performance related to the design of the Ringer:

The Ringer has several uses.   First, it is an Extreme Slalom (Boatercross) Racing Kayak design.   While the carbon fiber version isn’t allowed in ICF Races, it can be raced in many local and regional events in downriver, boater cross, and creek races.    The speed of this 9’ boat is off the charts in whitewater.    Here are a few reasons for that:

Speed:

#1- the Rocker profile creates maximum acceleration when 45ing, to boofing drops of all sizes.  This includes slides.    

#2- No kayak paddles “drier” over waves and holes with the ample bow rocker, wide bow, planing hull bow (widest flattest bow hull available).    

#3- The slicey squirting stern creates a low drag “pivot turn” or “Squirt Turn” experience and it doesn’t slide out on outside edge turns.

#4- The boat carves can carries its speed on the inside edge for turns/upstreams like no other.

#5- The lightweight accelerates and turns much faster than the plastic boats that are 2 times the weight. 

Surfing:

The Ringer has the fastest and loosest hull of any 1/2 slice on a wave.    Combine that with the lightweight of this boat and you’ll have a boat that you can round house and spin on waves that other many other 1/2 slices won’t even surf.     No compromise on the performance of the hull for looseness.   100% high performance planing hull from end to end.      So, front surf, spin around and back surf, spin back to front, grind it sideways, and do freestyle on big waves. 

Squirting:

The low volume stern can be squirted vertically in flatwater, or on eddy lines.    It is low enough volume to stern stall and be stable.   The ample surface area in the stern assures a very stable stern squirt that makes it easier to stay vertical and pirouette. 

Down River- Creeking:

In many ways the Ringer is easier than a creek boat for downriver.   Easier to turn, boof, ferry, etc..  the only challenge is the squirtable stern.    If you are good at squirting and are used to putting the stern to use in maneuvering, and not “catching your edge” a lot, you’ll find downriver to be confidence inspiring, even on the harder stuff.   If you are just learning your edges, you’ll love the Ringer on your home runs, or water that isn’t over your skill level.    This boat is amazing at keeping the bow up on shallow drops and not petoning.  However, the stern rocker is less then most creek boats so runs with a lot of “Stern tap” potential will find you stern tapping more than your creek boat.

Durability, Repairs, what do expect:

#1- Carbon Fiber kayaks tend to outlast plastic boats- that is a good starting point.   This is because they can be repaired more easily, and don’t “wear out” like a plastic boat and get super soft from wear and use, or brittle from the sun.

#2- Rocks and impact effect composite boats differently, and breaks are often in different places than plastic boats due to lack of flex in the structure.

#3- it is “EASY” to fix composite boats, and not expensive to fix, but you need materials.    Having a repair kit on you or at home before you need it, takes much of the stress off of owning a composite boat.  Look for my shopping list as a blog on this website.

Simple Fact- the heavier you are the more force you’ll impact things with.    More likely to break a boat.    An 80 pound kid will struggle to break a boat, while a 280 pound person will find it much easier.   With that said, we put more material in the larger boats, but not 5 times the material.  

River Running and Creekboats:   Where composite boats break and why:

Hull Breaks from hard hits on rocks with your butt- River running/boofing onto a rock.

A hard sharp rock hit when going down river can cut into and crack a hull if hit the hit is hard enough and you weigh enough.    This happens with a plastic boat, too, but since the composite boat is stiff, it is more likely to break.   We reinforced the entire hull under the seat and surrounding areas.   Boat can be fixed from the inside or outside or both if you hurt it.   Most freestyle kayaks will last many years without breaking there due to river running.

Hull breaks from big wave surfing-   

BIG Waves equal BIG impacts with your full body weight landing from high above the water into FAST hard water.       Overflexing the hull to the point of it delaminating.    This depends on the lay-up.  PVC foam delaminates or crack in this situation and “soric” or other filler layers that soak up resin have other issues.    Using Vertical walls in the bow and stern help, and so does a heavy enough lay-up.     These forces are not ever experienced by a kayak in any other venue other than boofing a very big waterfall, over and over again.    So, if you are doing a lot of BIG wave surfing, you may want an extra full layer of material over the foam, vertical walls, and some local reinforcements that are not necessary for 99% of the paddlers.