Founded in February 1971 Pyranha was set up in the family garage, but within a month had found a 1,000 sq. ft workshop at 23, Poachers Lane, Latchford, Warrington.

The kayaks manufactured, followed the main market demand for slalom, marathon and all round kayaks, and the small company of 3 people began to grow with the production of G.R.P. Preslmeyer Phantom an Austrian River Racer Graham had been building with others from his Canoe Club, and the 4th Warrington Senior Scouts.

At Easter 1974, Pyranha introduced a new Slalom design the Vedel at Grand Tully Scotland in which Tony Young took it to 6th place, and it was then that the decision was made to get to the top of Slalom and White water manufacture of Kayaks.

Pyranha start to show its design, and advanced composite construction potential that lead to International success in Slalom.

The Vedel 65K achieved 7th (Nicky Wain)& 8th (Alan Edge), at the first World Championships that Pyranha craft had participated in, and was the first successful British design for several years.

Peggy Mitchell Skopye 75' Vedel SS

In the mid 70's paddlers both competed in slalom and often toured the biggest rivers available. As a result Mike Jones asked if a development could be produced of the Vedel 65K for his expedition to Everest

The Everest became Pyranha's first serious white-water design, and was the first to use externally re-enforced glass seams and have camera deck mountings. The story of this epic first conquest of Everest's river, the Dudh Kosi, and the hour TV documentary that followed is a major part of canoeing history. Mike's trip was the forerunner of many International Expeditions.

Everest Expedition to the Dudh Kosi used Fibreglass Everest. Team : Mike Jones, Dave Manby, Rob Hastings, John Liddell, John Gosling, Roger Huyton, Mick Hopkinson

Pyranha's philosophy became, and still is to build boats to "Play the River".

Pyranha's first commercial design was the Trident and then the Marathon Racing Sabre, with which Dave Lawrence (Royal C.C.) won the first of many National Championships that first summer.

Pyranha manufactured craft in basic GRP and then advanced composites from 1971 to 1985, using carbon fibres in 1971, Foam sandwich in 1972 and Kevlar with epoxy in 1974. The original bucket and brush techniques evolved where appropriate to vacuum bagging.

Pyranha were the first to use Sprint K1 hull shape for W.W. Racing with the Viper and Bullet 1. Too radical in their day, as most paddlers were slalomists and found them unstable, they are however the norm now.

Manufacturing moves to Osnath Works, Lythgoes Lane, Warrington.

Pyranha begin to use Kevlar with epoxy in composite construction.

At this point the development of white-water kayaks and slalom kayaks went their separate evolutionary routes, and Pyranha developed the strength and confidence to take bold development leaps forward.

Pyranha worked hard with its leading paddlers to develop better kayaks, and also learnt from sad accidents. Amongst the developments were progressively larger key hole cockpits and bigger high volume ends for white-water, with positive hydro dynamic shaping to enhance lift.