In praise of the Blackfly Condor

[BAD paddle]

OK, feeling a bit guilty here. 'Been meaning to post something on the Condor for a couple of months now. I don't own a Condor and don't actually own any Blackfly boats at present and no, don't get paid anything from any-boat-body. Moving on, gotta say, the Condor is a stellar design that really needs to be paddled to be appreciated.

Here's my story and I'm sticking to it---

I'm in my 60's, an intermediate canoe paddler having started about 8 years ago, and had been on one self-support trip ever. This summer at the start of July a buddy calls and says he wants me to come paddle the Selway (classic Idaho multi-day trip Class IV) because he has the "golden permit". Selway is the hardest permit to get next to the Grand Canyon, or so he says. Yep, I wanna, but I just sold my big canoe and the put in date is less than 2 weeks out.

Sigh. Probably won't happen. But I get an idea to ask to borrow Heavy D's Condor (his C-boats forum name). I had sat in it once and it just felt good. Asking couldn't hurt and there's nothing wrong with "no", right? But he's a gem of a guy, and says, "sure go for it". Next, I get a one day paddle on some local class III and hey, the Condor ROCKS. Maybe I've got a chance at the Selway.

Much longer story short, the Condor just kept on giving and giving-- right through a couple of trial days on the main Lochsa rapids and then all the way through the Selway. Good memories acing Ham rapid (when the kayakers seemed to think I was gonna die paddling an "aircraft carrier")---and much later boofing the big tan rock a third of the way down Wolf Creek rapid.

Selway score card-- No flips/ no swims in an overloaded borrowed boat on river that's arguably above my pay grade. Dang. That Condor is a great boat! I can think of a bunch of way-more familiar boats that could not have come close.

More about the Condor; up-canyon winds on slack days? Despite the bow being turned up, it holds the line much better than Outrage, Viper 12 or Whitesell Descender. And surfing-- well it is a Jeremy boat, right? YUP! And holding the line but also carving through boulder gardens; knee down turn, stroke, knee down, repeat-- and carrying weight? How about boofing loaded with too much camping gear? YEP! And snaps into eddies like, "Whoa, am I back in the Octane?"

Anyhow thanks Darren, Will, and Blackfly. Condor rocks!

[heavy d]

glad you had a great time Pat.
sounds like such a fun trip - now if i can only get rid of this stupid tendinitis that keeps plaguing my left elbow, ill be right back on the river following you down every line!!!
take care,
d