The Recon is Wave Sports current creek boat and is an
absolute beast of a boat! Even at a glance you can tell that this boat means
serious business, and it more than meets this image. With chunky displacement
hull and plenty of rocker and well placed volume this boat requires some taming
on smaller water, but in the big stuff the Recon is right at home.
Outfitting
One of the best features of this boat is that it comes with
Wave Sports Core Whiteout outfitting. Not only is this outfitting possibly the
most comfy on the market, but it is also well stocked with cool and practical
features.
The seat provides a good solid fit while the thigh braces
really secure your legs into position. It also comes with a ratchet in the
middle which raises the front of the seat up to allow for adjustment depending
on paddling style and comfort.
Underneath this raised sections are two storage areas with
elastic cord, good for storing small water bottles and snacks, although not
necessarily expensive or important items. In front of the seat the strapping
across the middle of the deck brace has been designed to be able to cater for
both a water bottle and throw line easily, without hindering the access to the
latter. Alternatively, one larger throw bag can be strapped down.
Meanwhile behind the seat there are four gear
loops for attaching dry bags and other items too. In all, this outfitting
accommodates for a wide range of storage setups.
The final feature of this impressive outfitting is the
footplate. The plate itself is a solid piece, and can be adjusted to expend or
contract depending on its positioning within the hull. Foam blocks are also
provided for further tweaking.
Meanwhile on the outside, the Recon comes with seven points
of rescue. These handles are well positioned across the boat very accessible on
the water. The grab handles at the bow and stern come with soft grips which
make carrying and dragging the boat a little more comfortable.
Performance
One thing that is noticeable about this boat is that it is
significantly heavier than many other boats. This however is not noticeable on
the water.
This boat really feels at home on big water. The continuous
rocker means that it is really stable moving across the water and is very
forgiving. There are also some carefully placed rails at the back of the boat
that make carving across the water easier. These features also help getting the
Recon into tight eddies. The rocker also means that it is super easy to roll!
The design also incorporates a large amount of volume in the
bow and a displacement hull. This allows the boat to punch through holes with
ease without losing much speed. While there may not be as much volume allocated
to the stern of the boat, some clever designing means that the boat sheds water
very quickly allowing for the boat the rise up very quickly when boofing.
Because of this design, the Recon will take some stopping on
the water. Chunky holes and stoppers can be punched through with easy while it
can also carry plenty of speed to get though mess water and eddy lines. All of
this is achieved without compromising the manoeuvrability of the boat. It will
require some assertive paddling to get the most out of it though, but this does
not take like to get the hang of.
Initially I did find this boat a bit hard to control on
lower grade water. Anything below grade 3+ will require you to boss this boat
around a bit more than you would expect to but again this is easy to get used
to. It will also make anything smaller than grade 3+ feel very small and easy
as the boat on its own seems more than capable with dealing with that grade of
water.
Conclusion
In all, the Recon is a great creek boat complete with a wide
range of features that will quickly disperse all the moans and groans of
lugging it up to the get in. It excels in grade 4-5 water which it was designed
to do, though this does come at the cost of making everything else seem a
little tame. If you don’t have any plans on paddling in big water then this may
not be the right boat for you, but if you do, then the Recon will not
disappoint.
Check out the Recon here for more info on sizing and prices
http://www.kentcanoes.co.uk/item-wavesport_recon_70.html
