C-Forum

I've had an older Stolquist and now have a Helly Hansen. If you can pick up a Helly Hansen, I would recommend it but am not sure if they are still in production. The suit is really good and the customer support is excellent. I agree with the previous posts - goretex is defintitely worth the $$$. The...

I've tried "not glueing" and can't recommend it. You have less control over the boat as your movements go towards moving the outfitting around, not the boat. The outfitting can get sucked out if you leave the boat in a big hole. If you want to play around with positioning of the outfitting, but don'...

I'm definitely interested - keep me posted as to when you are thinking of holding the clinic.

Martyn

Hey Grinner, Your Skeeter outfitting looks pretty much the same as mine. I found that I stayed in the boat better if I moved the foot pegs up closer to the bow of the boat. The way it seemed to work best was to have them so far forwards that if I jammed thighs in as far under the bulkhead as they wo...

Hey Grinner, I stick in my boats through a combination of foot-pegs and the console or bulkhead in the outfitting. If you can set things up so the foot pegs are pushing you into the console, that "should" hold you in pretty well even while upside down but should allow you to get out pretty easily. I...

Hey Grinner, If you have access to the Skeeter, keep paddling it. It is pretty easy to roll, and while some people don't like it, I have always found it to be a really good boat. It doesn't feel as stable as the Spanish Fly as I think it is narrower and rounder. But I don't think it is as narrow or ...

Hey Martin, That's pretty hard core. I waited until it had got tropical yesterday and went out. My buddy who I paddled with had been skiing when you were boating. I've finally decided to go over to the dark side, but who would have thought a C1 would be so much fun! I was pleasantly surprised to fin...

The Zoom is probably a pretty good second boat, unless you are pretty light and have amazing balance. If you get it as a first boat, your swimming should improve!

The Nitro and Detonator are both a lot more forgiving.

The Atom isn't a bad boat but I don't think its a great boat either. As a river runner, its OK but if you want something to play with, you could probably pick up an EZ for about the same price and have a lot more fun.

try 2-sided carpet tape, and put it on pretty liberally. If you can get the indoor/outdoor kind, all the better, my experience is that it will bo a pretty reasonable job of holding you in until you are getting thrashed in a really big hole, then you and all your outfitting come out and you remember ...

Are you still looking for a boat? I've got an Aftershock and a Skeeter, neither of which are spending enough time on the water. I'm through Ottawa every couple of weeks.

Martyn

I don't think Esquif is using Mike Yee outfitting anymore. I've heard a couple of people express reservations about the North Water system. If they are using the old Beluga system, I would go for it, but if its the Norht Water, I'd be pretty tempted to go with the custom outfitting.

Martyn

Try as many boats as you can. I would be tempted to stay away from the Probe, I'm not sure its performance would be that much different than your Impulse. Definitely take a look at the Zoom, I'd also check out the Bell boats like the Ocoee and the Prodigy - they are two very different boats but one ...

Jon and Grinner,

Thanks for the information. Doesn't look like I will get in any boating on this trip but I expect to be back in the winter. Are the creeks still going off then or is it weir season?

Martyn

I think OC1 is pretty well unbeatable for low volume creeks, I've paddled a Prelude and a Skeeter. With the bulkhead outfitting, you can get in and out really quickly (great if you have to hop out in a hurry to scout something ...) They can be wet, especially on biger volume runs. I play around in h...