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mcruni2000
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  Quote mcruni2000 Replybullet Topic: Prijon/Eskimo boats
    Posted: 17 Jun 2010 at 6:37am
Hey everyone,

Has anyone ever broken a Prijon or Eskimo? Has anyone paddled the Prijon Pure yet? I broke my Jefe the other day, and am looking at the Pure as a replacement. I've heard that the plastic is bomber, and would love to have a boat that lasts more than two seasons. Any input anyone has would be greatly appreciated. Even opinions on ANY Prijon or Esimo boat would be great.

Thanks,
Ryan C
It looks like it goes, but I'm not the guy who's gonna prove it!
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kbelenky
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  Quote kbelenky Replybullet Posted: 17 Jun 2010 at 7:47am
I broke my first Creeker 225. It was 3 years old and Prijon honored the 5 year warranty by shipping me a new one ASAP. I'm now 3-4 years into my second Creeker 225 and it's showing no signs of fatigue.
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kbelenky
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  Quote kbelenky Replybullet Posted: 17 Jun 2010 at 7:48am
Oh... and Boris still regularly creeks in his Eskimo Salto which he bought used in 2003.
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oliver
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  Quote oliver Replybullet Posted: 17 Jun 2010 at 1:10pm
My university in germany used their flotilla of kayaks extensively for kayak schooling in any level. They were adamant about using the Prijon/Eskimo kayaks. According to them they lasted way longer then Dagger/and co.
The manufacturing process of Prijon/Eskimo is significantly different from all other manufactures. The drawback is that it is much more expensive to change boat shapes. Hence they usually have less turn-around in models and less models to offer in parallel. (i.e. not like Jackson/Dagger with its trillion different playboat shapes).
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  Quote SOPBOATER Replybullet Posted: 17 Jun 2010 at 8:23pm
I have seen all boats break.  I myself have hammered about every manufactures boats to failure.  However, I have definitely noticed trends of longer wear with certain companies.  Prijon boats in my experience have been bomb proof and the most durable.  I have seen them break yet with about four or five years of hard creeking use, at which point they weld well.  Eskimo boats in my experience have not been quite as durable as the Prijon yet a close second. They both have excellent warranty and honor them.  Cost is greater.  As far as the Pure I know Next Adventure has them as well as a demo.  If one converts the specs you are looking at a similar proportioned boat to the big nomad.  Also there will be a bigger version on the horizon that I am very anxious to try, yet with the dollar in such deplorable shape a pure is out of my range of expense.  Also, where is Boris, I have not seen him in about 8 years.
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Courtney
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  Quote Courtney Replybullet Posted: 18 Jun 2010 at 5:40am
I used to own an Eskimo Zwo.  It was a great playboat and I never had any trouble with the hull at all. 
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JayB
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  Quote JayB Replybullet Posted: 18 Jun 2010 at 10:14am
Good discussion here:

http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/f15/new-prijon-creeker-pure-28348.html

Even has a video overview of the blow-moulding process that they use. Not an expert, but I can see why extrusion+blow moulding would potentially generate boats with a more uniform thickness/quality than the pellet-based roto-moulding process that it seems like most other boat manufacturers make. Add superior plastic to the mix and the reason why they outlast pretty much any other boat out there becomes clear.

Won't be in the market for a new boat for a while, but if the Pure boats well I can see why it would be worth the extra money for a boat that will last at least 2-3 times as long.
-Jay
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Travisimo
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  Quote Travisimo Replybullet Posted: 18 Jun 2010 at 3:56pm

That video is SO awesome!!!

Anybody know how they do the two colors like on the Salto?  Cool process.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkXiBFceq4I&feature=player_embedded





H2O please
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SplashDaddy
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  Quote SplashDaddy Replybullet Posted: 18 Jun 2010 at 6:41pm
I've got a Prijon Embudo that I bought used several years ago. It is from the first run of Embudo's with the old outfitting and no nose cap. These boats were much lighter than the later ones with the nose caps. Mine looked like death warmed over when I bought it, but I've probably put at least 200 runs on it, many on low water, rocky eastern creeks and it still looks the same as when I bought it, like Hell, but it ain't broke.

They say all boats break and I believe that. My Embudo & some other Prijons have a peculiar inner cockpit/thighbrace thing going on. This is an attempt to beef up the cockpit rim, which was prone to cracking in some of their earlier models. Something about the type of plastic or the molding process not being able to deal with complex shapes/bends, such as a cockpit rim.

That said, Prijon plastic is pretty tough stuff and feels very slick, as it slides over rocks. It is sometimes a real bitch to get into without sliding into the river. Linear boats, by comparison, feel like they stick to the rocks.


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jP
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  Quote jP Replybullet Posted: 21 Jun 2010 at 11:41am
well, I don't have to tell ya how I feel about these German made boats. Yeah I wish they had more designs and sizes, but for me durability is one of the primary criteria, making some of the boats offered these days deal breakers. Fortunately, being a 135 lb runt, the Salto fits me perfect.

The Diablo should be recognized as a sort of "missing link" in whitewater boat design, but I'm sure you'll get to here me spout off about that again at great length, some other time. As far as it's durability:
The one that the Sky claimed and took from me was 12 years old when I lost it. James will tell you that it had been damaged- acctually after the first season I had it. But this was due to a swim on Turbo Highwater Class V (Upper Yough at around 4'-- qualifies as Turbo Highwater Class V in my book). Anyway it verticly pinned among some boulders that would have killed me had I not swam my ass to the bank in time. (Leftside of Triple Drop, above Nat'l Falls). Mr. Reagon (Prion/Eskimo rep at the time) felt bad for me but informed me that it wouldn't be covered by the warranty. Opperator error ("You want to take the conservative line folloe Rodger- you want to take the Hero Line follow me!-- guess I shouldn't have taken the hero line.)

So after heat welding the crack on the stern, the boat lasted 11 more years. Towards the end leaked a little, but then it became a moot point after the Sky also decided I should not have chosen... the hero line...
🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋
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mcruni2000
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  Quote mcruni2000 Replybullet Posted: 21 Jun 2010 at 5:37pm
Thanks for all the discussion everyone. I pulled the trigger on the Pure today, and am looking forward to testing it out on FITW (maybe), the Cooper, and the Cle Elum this weekend. I'll be out there Friday night through Sunday if anyone is around. I think the rest of the Portland crew will be rallying up there with me.

Ryan C.
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It looks like it goes, but I'm not the guy who's gonna prove it!
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