How Bellyaking is Different Than Riverboarding

A lot of people ask us “How?”. HOW is the Bellyak different from a riverboard? We before we begin, however, let me just say this. Riverboards are great fun. Kayaks are great fun. Rafts are great fun. In fact, I personally like all forms of river transportation. But now for today’s lesson:

Bellyak Dimensions

First off, the Bellyak is essentially “front wheel drive.” The Bellyak is approx 7.5-8.5 feet long, and is propelled by the riders hands (with webbed gloves). A river board has the rider propelling the board with their feet. In the southeast, the majority of our rivers are shallow and rocky. The Bellyak floats the rider on top of the water, as the whole body is on the boat. This allows a wider range of lower volume runs to be tackled.

Versatility

The biggest difference is the versatility of the craft…you can ride it seated, prone or kneeling, depending on your mood and intention. This allows for a variety of moves to be performed that aren’t possible on a riverboard. The hull of the Bellyak is designed to offer speed and glide to the rider, allowing the user to ‘fly’ into and out of eddies, and have unmatched maneuverability in the water.

Are we trying to replace riverboarding or kayaking? No!! We are offering another way to ride, born out of the local rivers of Asheville NC. You can change your river or you can change your ride! We offer the latter.