Pyranha M:3 - The long awaited follow up to the Micro
"Micro", a name among Paddlers that has long been
synonymous with "creeking". Just as the Topolino will
always be regarded as that first short creeker. Now,
with the Micro showing its age, Pyranha has decided to
give it a facelift. Complete with a name change to fit
the new Pyranha line. This new boat is nothing less than
a complete makeover of the legendary creeker that has
earned its place as the favorite of many extreme
paddlers (Tao Berman, Nils Kagel, etc.) and a frequent
performer in many Hardcore videos.
The M:3 is the long awaited and much anticipated
follow up to the Micro. What is new you ask? How can one
improve a boat already rated "best creeker of all time"
by Kanu Magazine?
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To start with, the M:3 is currently
available in two sizes, namely the M:3 233 and the M:3
243.
The 243 that we tested is 3 cm longer then the
old 240, namely 248cm. With a width of 67cm, it is also
5cm wider than its predecessor. The 257 Liter volume has
remained practically unchanged.
 
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The new version has a noticeably stiffer cockpit,
reinforced with an additional metal frame in the bow to
prevent the boat from caving in around the thigh area,
and numerous other safety features. Some of which
include brightly colored grab loops, a Pelicase holder,
an additional Throw bag holder behind the seat, and the
new Syncro 4 cockpit fitting rounding out the interior.
The seat is extremely comfortable and absolute easy to
adjust thanks to the new fitting system. Just slide the
fitting pads in under the elastic straps and off you go!
The Ratchet system also functions great even if the
placement of the ratchets doesn't seem 100% optimal.
They jutt into the cockpit in such a way that they could
be painful if it ever came down to a panic exit. The
bulkhead can also be adjust exceptionally well and
Pyranha even includes a second bulkhead in the fitting
kit for more versatility. On the outside of the boat one
also notices immediately the massive clip-in points,
enabling a sure hold for carabiners and quite useful
should you ever need to lock it up.
On to the paddling
characteristics:
One of the great advantages (and disadvantages) of
the old Micro was its sensational tracking in connection
with a remarkable speed. Making it was possible to hold
the bravest of lines - which one of course scouted in
fine detail in advance - since spontaneous corrections
underway were certainly not one of the Micros strong
points. According to the manufacturer the new M3, due to
its new hull design, is now easier to turn. Without
compromising any of the tracking ability, and even
making it faster. First impressions of the long water
line, little scoop (rocker), and end-to-end edges which
are by the way much sharper than they were on the Micro,
may leave on a bit skeptical though. The boat is
definitely fast, but there is doubt as to whether the
claims of turning better actually hold any water or not.
In addition, the high sides look to be quite susceptible
to crosscurrent.
© Team Soulboater.com
A test of the M3 243 on the Soca in Sloat
upper-medium flow though, removed any doubts we may have
had. As expected the M3 held an exact line and paddled
like it was on rails. The good acceleration and
excellent top speed bring a smile to ones face. And even
the spontaneous course correction is easy. The turning
ability in comparison to the micro is in fact much
better.
With the relatively high seat position for a
Creeker, use of the hips and changing edges is also a
piece of cake, without making the boat too
tipsy.
Boofing on the other hand doesn't exactly happen
automatically, it demands the strong and clean use of
proper technique, at least that is what we were able to
determine on the Soca. If you happen to screw up the
boof though, you've at least got the consolation of
being impressed by the ability of the boat to quickly
and predictably resurface thanks to the new deck design.
The susceptibility to crosscurrent is also not a
problem. The M3 sits confident and stable in the water,
but is very aggressive thanks to its edges. Although a
flat landing from large heights will bring quick
attention, via your vertebrae, to the wider and flatter
bottom that this boat has.
Conclusion: Virtually
the same as before, only one notch better.
The new M3 is really a fast boat, that caters to an
aggressive paddling style. Its shallow scoop (rocker)
doesn't draw attention, plowing cleanly through the
water. Just as back then, Pyranha has a top creeker on
the roster with the Micro successor M3 that will feel
right at home on our steep creeks like the really
cranking water a la Oetz and Company...... Paddling
performance and fitting leave no wish unanswered. The M3
shines with all that one would expect from a creeker. A
boat that allows frees one to concentrate on the lines,
with enough safety in reserve, to really push the
limits. Pyranha has definitely upped the bar for the
competition.
We enjoyed our day on the Soca in
Slovenia and are looking forward to hopefully being able
to report on this boats "waterfall" characteristics
soon!
Harry and Toni, soulboater.com Austria
Special Thanks go out to Jason@soulboater.com for the translation!
Thank you dude!
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