The Pyranha Ozone was announced at the 2019 Paddlesports Retailer Show in Oklahoma City. This whitewater kayak was designed to fill the void between the Pyranha Ripper and the Pyranha Loki. I’m not sure how much of a void there was but Pyranha felt there was enough of a void to design a new boat. When the boat was first announced at the Paddlesports Retailer show Chris Hipgrave gave a brief walkthrough of the new Pyranha Ozone.
In his walkthrough Chris Hipgrave was careful not to disclose too much about the new Pyranha Ozone all he mentioned is that there would be three sizes and that the Ozone is somewhere in between a Pyranha Ripper and a Jed/ Loki. Pyranha Kayaks is known for designing and producing insanely specific and performance driven boats that fill a very distinct niche. The Pyranha Ozone is a perfect example of this. In this review I will go over some of the features and specs of the Pyranha Ozone as well as share my personal experience and thoughts on this new whitewater kayak from Pyranha.
Pyranha Ozone Whitewater Kayak Overview
Like mentioned earlier the Pyranha Ozone was designed to fill the gap between the Pyranha Ripper and Pyranha’s two playboats; the Jed and the Loki. Pyranha has defined the Ozone as a river running playboat. This boat is designed to surf, squirt, wheel, spin, and make running rivers more playful. Although the Ozone is capable of some awesome play boating, it also has features of a river running kayak to ensure that you can still bomb some serious gnar.
Many of the features of the Pyranha Ozone have been borrowed from iconic Pyranha designs of yesteryear. Elements from boats such as the Pyranha InaZone and Pyranha Z.One have been revived in the design of the new Pyranha Ozone whitewater kayak. Pyranha released an article in December 2019 that details the Pyranha Ozone’s striking similarities to two of their most iconic whitewater kayaks.
Here are some of the most notable specs and features of the Pyranha Ozone!
What Kind of Hull Does The Pyranha Ozone Whitewater Kayak Have? Does it Have Edges?
Most modern whitewater kayaks utilize the speed and maneuverability that is associated with a planing hull. The Pyranha Ozone is no different. The Planing hull and edges of the Pyranha Ozone allows it to carve like a dream on glassy waves. At first glance the Pyranha Ozone does resemble a surf kayak. To be completely honest this boat looks like a surfer’s dream. If you enjoy carving up waves as you make your way down the river, the Pyranha Ozone is the boat for you.
What Material Is The Pyranha Ozone Made Out of? Can I Get The Pyranha Ozone in Plastic?
The prototype for the Pyranha Ozone whitewater kayak was constructed out of kevlar and carbon fiber. This construction method allowed for the designers to tinker with the design without purchasing an expensive mold for plastic rotomolding production. Although the original Pyranha Ozone was made out of carbon, the production model of the Pyranha Ozone is plastic. You can get this boat in any color that Pyranha offers and can even customize your very own Pyranha Ozone kayak. You can choose the colors of each third of the boat along with the color of the grab handles.
While most people will certainly go for a plastic Pyranha Ozone, some are still interested in the carbon version. Many paddlers have asked “Can you buy a carbon fiber Pyranha Ozone whitewater kayak?” The answer to this question is yes. However, the carbon version of the Pyranha Ozone is much more expensive…
Playboating in The Pyranha Ozone Whitewater Kayak! How Does the Pyranha Ozone Surf?
The Pyranha Ozone was designed to run rivers while squirting every eddy line and surfing every wave along the way. Most of the volume in the Ozone is focused around the cockpit of the boat. This keeps the ends with lower volume which allows the Ozone to get vertical pretty easily. The volume in the bow makes it pretty difficult to cartwheel but it is not impossible. If you are on the higher end of the weight range for the Pyranha Ozone you may be able to get a few ends around in a deep hole. It won’t be nearly as playful as the Loki, but it is more playful than the Pyranha Ripper.
The Pyranha Ozone is a dream to surf on a wave. If you have the opportunity I highly recommend taking the Pyranha Ozone out to a glassy wave and carving the day away; you won’t regret it.
River Running in The Pyranha Ozone Whitewater Kayak
The extra volume in the bow and midsection of the Pyranha Ozone allows paddlers to confidently run more difficult whitewater without being held back. The Ozone won’t be as solid downriver as the Ripper, but is certainly able to hold its own. The Ozone is much more solid downriver than the Loki. If you typically paddle a river running kayak the Pyranha Ozone will feel a little more playful on the water and make every rapid a little more interesting!
Pyranha Ozone Whitewater Kayak Volume
Like mentioned above, the volume in the Pyranha Ozone whitewater kayak is focused around the cockpit of the boat. This allows the ends to remain playful. With slicy ends the Pyranha Ozone will be able to splat, cartwheel, and squirt with ease. While there is little volume in the ends there is a decent amount packed near the cockpit. This provides more stability when paddling downriver.
The volume of the Pyranha Ozone whitewater kayak is 57 gallons.
Pyranha Ozone Whitewater Kayak Length
The Pyranha Ozone whitewater kayak is more similar in length to the Pyranha Loki than it is to the Pyranha Ripper. This length will allow for the Ozone to be fast on waves yet still make cartwheels a possibility in larger holes.
The length of the Pyranha Ozone whitewater kayak is 7 feet 5 inches.
What Sizes Does The Pyranha Ozone Whitewater Kayak Come in? Is there More Than One Size?
The Pyranha Ozone whitewater kayak is available in three different sizes. The sizes that this kayak will come in are Small, Medium, and Large. The size will be indicated by a letter molded into the stern of the kayak. There is a Pyranha Ozone for pretty much anyone. Some people will be able to fit into two different sizes of the Pyranha Ozone. These paddlers could size down for a more playful ride, or size up for a boat that is more solid downriver! Some have asked the question “does Pyranha make a small or large Ozone whitewater kayak?” Initially there will only be a medium size Pyranha Ozone but they will release a small and large size in the future!
Pyranha Kayak Whitewater Kayak Colors
The Pyranha Ozone is a river running playboat from Pyranha Kayaks. Being from Pyranha, buyers have plenty of color options for the Pyranha Ozone whitewater kayak. They can even customize their own! Here are some of the color combinations that the Pyranha Ozone whitewater kayak will be available in:
- Jaffa Cake Pyranha Ozone (Blue and Orange)
- Blue Crush Pyranha Ozone (Turquoise and Blue)
- Orange Soda Pyranha Ozone (Red and Orange)
- Custom Pyranha Ozone
Where Can I Demo The Pyranha Ozone Whitewater Kayak?
Many paddlers are excited slide a Pyranha Ozone whitewater kayak into a river. A lot of people across the United States have been asking when the Ozone will be available to demo and where. Luckily you can expect to see the Pyranha Ozone whitewater kayak at most Pyranha kayak dealers! Be sure to contact your Pyranha Dealer to find out if they have a Pyranha Ozone whitewater kayak available to demo.
My Experience With The Pyranha Ozone Whitewater Kayak
Unfortunately I have yet to have the opportunity to paddle the Pyranha Ozone whitewater kayak. Pyranha is still working on tweaking the prototype and has yet to begin producing plastic boats. As soon as the Pyranha Ozone is released to retailers I will get in a demo and share my thoughts on the boat! Stay tuned.