C-Forum

Why don't you like the Mike Yee system? I've gone away from paddling boats with thigh straps and switched to bulkheads on all my OC1's. That said, I'm still a big fan of Mike's system. When its installed correctly, the Mike Yee system is bomb-proof. I had it set up in my Aftershock so that you could...

I agree with O(C) that plastic is the way to go for playboats. The newer Royalex sheets do not seem as strong as the old ones (About ten years ago, both Mohawk and Dagger had really bomb-proof layups. It made for heavy boats, but they were durable) I suspect the flexing isn't going to help cracking,...

My sense is that wood is quite a bit lighter than vinyl, at least the wood gunwales I have seen. As far as resiliency, I have broken wood gunnels on a Phantom by running into a raft (for big bags full of air, they are surprisingly solid when you hit them really hard ... ;-) and I will probably keep ...

Hey Mike, I would definitely switch to wooden gunnels. They are lighter and let the boat hold its true shape a lot better. Yes, they are a bit higher maintenance but I think they are worth it as your boat will perform better. I'm not sure if you have the material already. If you don't, you may want ...

I have a Fanatic-92 in pretty good shape that is gathering dust. I'm not sure if that is too old a design for you to be interested.

Martyn

The Detonator and Phantom are very different boats. My take on the two is that the Phantom responds better to finesse but doesn't surf as well and is a pig when wet. The hull shapes are very different. The Phantom is very round, pretty similar to the Rival. I'd have to agree with the other posts. If...

I have to agree with Logan that a Quake would be worth checking out. I would think it is a better choice than a Maxim as it is almost certainly going to be more stable. A Skeeter might be worth having a look at (mine certainly isn't glass). I'm not sure what kind of paddling you do. The Quake/Skeete...

I have to agree with JD.

I've got a bunch of boats, but at any time the boat I like best is the one I'm in. So long as you don't get anything too odd (or if it is odd, try to pay next to nothing) you'll be able to trade it if you don't like it.

Martyn

I'd agree with Judd about the Werner Bandit. It's a great paddle. I have three, in varying stages of having the blade worn away. Andy Convery makes really nice paddles (I think his company is called Echo paddles) I would stay away from the Aquabound, they are a bit cheaper but they have earned their...

I've probably only thought of this as I'm spending more time wrapping my brain around climbing right now than I am boating but I think its fair to say that leading III/IV is a lot harder than following on III/IV. I'm pretty comfortable on III/IV rivers I know with intermediate paddlers. I know that ...

now that's scary - overloading the forum name

Hi Anna, A new Dagger Phantom might be tough to find, I'm pretty sure Dagger has taken them out of production. As to whether or not it would be a good idea, it really depends what kind of paddling you are doing and how big you are. The Phantom seems ideal for smaller people (say less than about 180l...

Hey Judd,

I'm pretty sure it was my Viper you bought. At least I know it went to a good home !

Martyn

Hi Ol'Geezer, I've got to agree with the above postings that the Probe 12II will be the most similar to what you are used to, but then again the Viper is way more fun! I had a Viper 11 for a couple of years and it is the only boat I've ever owned that I have later regretted selling. For my money, it...

People I know have a love/hate relationship with the Prelude. I love it. I'm not sure what you were paddling before but here are some of my friends thoughts on the boat who didn't like it. One guy who paddles a Quake doesn't like the Prelude because it is a lot narrower than the Quake and doesn't ha...