marketplace review

Prijon's Rockit

Steep Creekin' Euro Style

Prijon's Rockit
Rockit Specs
Weight: 40 lbs.
Length: 9'2"
Width: 26"
Volume: 68 gal.
Price: $859
Turn on: Steep, tight, low-volume creeks.
Turn offs: Rodeos and hanging out with the short, low-volume crowd.
Other: The Rockit has a "VI" dock to add strength and provide predictable resurfacing characteristics, and a "hip transition" rocker to help boofing without seriously decreasing hull speed. The hull is a fairly flat planing hull, which adds to the unexpectedly high speed from such a short boat.
Info: (303) 444-2336
Prijon came out with two new boats last year: the Fly, a rodeo/playboat; and the Rockit, a creek/hairboat. Landis Arnold at Boulder, Colo.'s Prijon/WildWasser Sport USA touted Prijon's new creek boat for over a year, so I was excited to finally get my hands on a brand-new Rockit. When I first picked up the boat I was immediately struck by its size--it appeared to be a good foot shorter than any of the other boats stacked around it. I was a little nervous that I would not be able to squeeze my six-foot, 190-lb. frame into the cockpit, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that I actually fit quite well. With a little help and an Allen wrench conveniently stowed in the back strap, I was able to adjust the hip pads and thigh hooks in about three minutes. The hip pads use a new system: two bolts, once loosened, allow one bolt to adjust the hip pads in and out. This proves to be a convenient feature if the boat is used by more than one person or if you find yourself needing a little more room when you break the boat out for the first run of the season. Sitting on the floor, the Rockit looks like Prijon bred a Hurricane to a T-Canyon, and then sold it before it had time to grow up. Having paddled both the Hurricane and the T-Canyon, I was interested to see what characteristics of each would come out in the Rockit.

My first run came that afternoon on a local creek overflowing its banks with the melt from a record snow pack. I started out by catching a few eddies just to get the feel of the boat and was immediately glad we decided not to put in higher-up on the Class V section. Having not paddled a boat this short before, I could tell there would be a bit of a learning curve before I was ready to explore the outer limits of the boat's performance envelope. I, tentatively at first, then more boldly, started dropping into holes. I found the Rockit to be stable and predictable once I got a feel for where the boat liked to be. In some holes I was able to easily spin and surf. In others I felt like I was glued to the bottom of the river. The volume the Rockit carries in the front prevents the boat from pearling on steep waves while front surfing but also made it difficult for me to initiate moves requiring either the bow or stern to go beneath the surface. This is academic, however, because Prijon never intended the Rockit to be a rodeo boat. I think most boaters will find the Rockit plays adequately to keep them entertained on their way down their favorite steep-creek run.

The Rockit will tame gnarl and may very well take you places you find yourself wishing you hadn't gotten to. For the expert paddler with a quiver of boats, I think that when you head off to do a steep, low-volume run you will consistently grab your Rockit. For the aspiring creeker the Rockit is a great learning platform; but be careful it does not lure you in over your head--there is more to creek boating than just having the perfect tool.

--Steve Conlin