Spring time is here in Colorado, and with it comes the two things we’ve been waiting for all winter; the water, and the new Pyranha Scorch! The very fine people at Rocky Mountain Adventures just got their Scorch Large demo in and they were nice enough to let me take it for a spin down some of our local runs to see what all the hullabaloo was all about. Let me tell you folks, the hype is real! The design team at Pyranha really nailed it with this boat. After many consecutive years of progressive and revolutionary hull designs, I feel like the Scorch is a culmination and combination of the best features from each of their best designs. The first thing you’ll notice is the egregious bow rocker, which is very similar to the 9R2 but somehow, someway, more rocker. I didn’t think it was possible either, but they did it, and you should be glad they did. On the river, the huge rocker keeps you high and dry, and up and out of the water through and over anything, it will basically boof itself. This feature is a great confidence booster whether you are just learning the art of the boof, or you are a seasoned air traffic controller launching yourself into the biggest boils, piles, and monstrous holes you can find. To compliment the rocker they have really perfected the rear end by getting back to a square stern like the OG 9R but more sleek/less volume and improved stern rocker and taper which adds so much more control for you to really enjoy and look steezy! The stern rocker keeps the back of the boat out of the water when you need it to be, in the real busy stuff or going over the lip of a drop, but it’s there when you want it to smoothly skip you out of a feature. In between the rocker and stern you will find a flat planning hull very reminiscent of the Burn series for all you nostalgic creekers out there. This is after all a race boat creeker, and the flat hull combined with aggressive stern rocker will have the boat planning out of drops and the current pushing you downriver fast, fast, fast. Remember if you ain’t first, you’re last! With all the sporty features of this boat you would expect some squirrelliness but the combo of bow and stern rocker coupled with the flat hull creates a very stable experience. I felt like I was going downstream in a big ol’ rocking chair and nothing on that river was going to be able to flip me. Even after missing an important boof stroke and plugging into powerful recirc, the boat very pleasantly skips out in a controlled and forgiving manor. Surely you will be looking smooth like Fusilli, even if you’re a beater like me. The last piece of the puzzle to creating such an exceptional performance creek racer, is the very strong and pronounced edges on this boat. Once again borrowed but improved from the Ripper, these things will have you darting like a minnow in and out of eddies, up and down slalom gates, and last but most importantly carving harder than Kelly Slater on a North Shore barrel bud!! Holy cow does this boat rip and tear down the river so effortlessly, yet ferociously like a northern Pike. All you need to do is look where you want to go and you’ll be there. I simply cannot wait to try out the rest of the sizes as they come out of production. I paddled the Large which is 9’2” long and 27” wide with a volume of 90 gallons. The recommended paddler weight for the Large is 175-255lbs, which I am at the bottom of that range at 6’2” and 180lbs but I felt comfortable in it and it wasn’t too much boat for me personally. I feel like this IS the boat for larger paddlers who have continuously been denied sporty boats due to design differences on larger models. The Scorch Large is fast, nimble, maneuverable, and responsive. All things that seemingly get left out when a boat model gets produced in a large. I love this boat and I know you will too! But please don’t take my word for it, go down to Rocky Mountain Adventures and try it out for yourself!
-RMA Team Athlete Heath Bradley
