Luke came by the paddle with the pros event on Friday and wanted to share these words on the new Pyranha Molan.
Boat: 2010 Pyranha Molan Medium
Height- 5’9”
Weight- 30.8 lbs.
Width- 25”
Volume- 56.5 Gallons
Playboating, I’ve got a descent loop, cartwheels, and airscrew/pan-am if the conditions are right. I’m 18 years old, 6’1” on a normal day, and 160 lbs. with size 10.5 feet. My typical boat is an ’08 Jackson allstar, but I’ve gotten the chance to paddle lots of other boats including the 2010 Allstar, Wavesport Project 52, etc. Playboating, I’ve got a descent loop, cartwheels, and airscrew/pan-am if the conditions are right. Hopefully this gives you a good idea of where this review is coming from.
First Impression: This boat is FAST! Both on waves and moving through the water, which made ferrying into the Glenwood Wave at 7500 cfs very easy. It felt a bit less stable than the 2010 Allstar, but not enough to wipe the smile off my face and certainly something that was overcome within five minutes on the water. Once on the wave, the slim profile of the boat really shines and the quickness edge to edge gives it a playful feel unlike any I’d really experienced before. The boat felt very balanced on the wave and I never experienced the edges feeling tippy or any sort of catching or hanging up. Carving was something I’d more or less forgotten about since paddling the rounded edges of the Allstar, but this boat carves really hard, without loosing control. Blunts were very easy to initiate with a clean and loose bow release (opposite of the Allstar’s stern release) and spins were pleasant and easily initiated as well. There was plenty of foot room, which has been a big factor in my choosing of boats lately. I found that the connect 30 outfitting left nothing to be desired, unlike the typical pull-cords found in Jackson’s and sometimes bad back band in the Wavesport.
Overall Impression- After a few years of sub-par designs, Pyranha has released a winner. This is a boat with real rails and a different design than most other playboats. It’s short, yet this doesn’t compromise its quickness at all and the smaller width gives it the playfulness never really found in other kayaks this size.
Bottom line- Look to the Molan if you want a kayak built for the playboater looking to boost their game with high flying loops, big bounces and a quick initiating hull with control, or the all-around kayaker in search of a do-it all large volume boat. I’m excited to see a boat that will really compete with the Allstar at any playspot you throw at it. See you on the water!
-Luke Lubchenco
