Introduction: Pyranha has had a history of putting out great aggressive planning hull designs in their creek boats in the last decade. The H2 and H3 and the Burn family that sprung from that lineage dominated their designs. I was skeptical when they brought out the Karnali as a semi planning hull creek boat/river runner as it seemed like something they had lost touch with designing. I was wrong. I have been very impressed and love this boat for everything from low volume creeking to big water. They market it as more of a river runner with creeking capabilities, but it can run class V with the best of the boats out there. The boat is fast, accelerates in one to two stokes, holds a line better then any boat I have ever paddled and is very easy to roll. I thought that it might punch through holes rather then go over them due to the narrower profile but it planes over holes and drops amazingly well just like the Burn and Everest but while retaining more speed. When going deep under water is what is necessary, the Karnali resurfaces without any fluttering and is really predictable. The narrower but aggressively peaked front deck profile sheds water quickly while the wider stern maintains stability make for great control. The outfitting is comfortable, tough and easy to deal with which is refreshing. It also comes in two sizes to fit a wider range of paddlers.
Long Rapid on Pandoras Box.
Pros:
Tracking and the ease with which the boat stays on line.
Predictable and controlled resurfacing off big drops.
The softer edges are more predicable and can be set further without becoming unstable.
Ease of rolling with the lower back deck profile and lower seat position.
The speed that the Karnali can gain and retain in just a few powerful strokes.
Paddles the same if not almost better loaded if in expedition mode.
Third drop on Pandora's Box
Cons:
The semi-planning hull and softer edges make the Karnali a little less responsive and aggressive then the more true planning hulls on the Burn and Everest.
Because it is narrower the boat sits lower in the water and stays on line better but does not turn quite as easily.
This boat can be over boated. A move that might take three or four stokes in another boat may only take one or two. That is not really bad but may take a day or two in the boat to get used to.
Swollen Member.
The Verdict:
While paddling the Karnali over the last couple months in the greater Durango region on everything from the low volume verticality of the second gorge of Lime Creek to Vallecito at high and low water levels to high water Pandoras, I have been impressed with the boat in every situation I have had it in. It is a great comfortable and predictable boat for river running and class lV runs such as the Upper Animas as well. The combination of speed, comfort and a design that allows for high performance and precision with being unpredictable makes the Karnali the ideal boat for almost all situations. It is not a boat that sacrifices when compared to other boats that are designed for a specific category, but can hold its own in any category you put it in, whether it be river running, low volume creeking or big water class V. It paddles a load very well and has state of the art outfitting safety features with its roto-moulded bow pillar and well located safety attachment points. Whether just starting to boat class lV, doing expeditions or pushing what is called class V the Karnali can take you the whole way.
Whitewater rafting (private boating) often has a few stigmas attached to it. It’s really expensive, requires lots of additional gear (oar frames, oars and blades, dry boxes, stoves, coolers, dry bags,etc), is tough to match all of the parts together in order to make a complete package, and is difficult to transport (i.e- must have a trailer). This may be true for an 18 footer that you can tee up to big hits in the Grand Canyon, but definitely does not apply to the Tributary 9.5 SB. Think of this raft as a 4 wheel drive Porsche 911 for the river (minus the price tag). It’s light, nimble, begs to be paddled hard, can handle rapids as meaty as you handle, and costs the same as 2 Liquid Logic Remix XP10’s.
If you are looking for an exciting way to enjoy Class I-IV (or maybe even V with the right team) rapids, but do not want to stuff yourself into a kayak, the 9.5 SB is about as close to kayaking down a river as you can get. Being less than 10 feet long, you can take all the kayak lines, catch 1-2 boat eddies, make last minute decisions to skirt holes, and best of all dig in and square up to some large river features.
Specs:
Length: 9′ 7″
Width: 5′4″
Weight: 69 lbs.
Frame Width: 54″
Max Frame Length: 50″
Tube Diameter: 18″
Thwart Diameter: 11.75″
Center Compartment: 27″
Kick\Rocker (Bow\Stern): 9.25″
Number of Air Chambers: 4
Valve Type: Summit 2
Weight/Denier of Tube Fabric: 31/1670
Weight/Denier of Floor Fabric: 31/1670
Number of D-Rings: 10
Number of Handles: 2
Load capacity: 800 lbs
Warranty: Limited 5 Year Retail, 1 Year Commerical
Includes repair kit
pros:
The 7 piece construction in the bow and stern (progressive rise), in addition to almost 10″ of kick rocker in the ends helps to make 9.5 very maneuverable.Technical runs with lots of eddy catching and rock dodging are super fun with the Tributary. It actually tracks pretty well too, especially when there is a good load in the boat.
Lots of rocker in the bow and stern.
The price is right. Getting a raft, that is ready to roll for under $2K is a pretty good value. It’s roughly the same price as buying 2 new whitewater kayaks (except the raft holds up to 4 people).
Ultra portability for a raft. The Tributary weighs only 67 lbs (about the same as a tandem rec boat), and folds into a ball that is small enough to fit in the back of any car. Since it is small, it also pumps up quickly and easily. One person will have no problem getting the 9.5 ready for action.
From the car to the boat ramp in 15 min or less.
The max. weight capacity is 800 lbs. If your going to run some bigger water, or plan on taking the hero lines on your backyard run, you can load up an extra person (or 2) for ballast. 2 people up front, and one in the stern will allow the Tributary to track really well and power through large water features.
Teeing up to Zoom Flume
The 4 chamber design makes the 9.5 safer. If a thwart, the floor, or a tube blows, there are 3 others left to get you to shore. The PVC tubes unzip, and let you access the bladder easily. Products like Tear Aid will patch the hole in the bladder quite easily. If it is a huge puncture, you can replace the entire bladder.
All of the necessities for a good day on the river.
Cons:
This raft has a certain niche, and does some things very well. It is meant for day trips, and occasional over nighters (1-2 nights). This boat is not meant for The Grand Canyon or any other multi day wilderness runs. It could probably be done, but there are much better options for expeditionary rafting.
Rafting big water (Arkansas at high water, Grand Canyon, Cataract, Westwater in the spring) in the 9.5 would be challenging. It’s not as fast or heavy as larger rafts, and may get swallowed up in big waves, holes and eddylines. Anything is possible with the right crew, it’s just not what the boat was designed to do.
Space is limited. A large plastic cooler with 2-3 people is pushing it. It will work, but a Durasoft will fit much better.
Great way to Spend July 4th.
The Verdict:
The Tributary 9.5 SB is the perfect introductory raft that can take you all the way through the learning curve. Learn to guide it on class II, and then challenge yourself with a steep class IV run when you feel up to the task. What separates this raft from the pack is it’s portability and usability. It is compact enough to fit in the trunk of a car, yet burly enough to tackle all but the most difficult whitewater. If you’ve been half tempted to get into rafting, or want a pure and simple way to bomb down the river, we highly recommend the AIRE Tributary 9.5 SB.
Matthew Klema Reviews The Pyranha Karnali
