Boat demos in the SE

[Coz Teplitz]

Hi folks:

My wife and I are taking a week to jaunt around the southeast, doing some mellow paddling, connecting with old friends, and enjoying an unstructured week. She is also trying to find a boat she likes more than what we've got (Nitro and Ion). She's on the smaller side, so the boat can't be too big, and she wants something a little faster than the Ion. We were thinking maybe a Probe or a Viper, or perhaps an Outrage. Certainly open to other suggestions. Is there anyone in the WV, VA, NC area who might be willing to let her hop in one of these boats - or another boat you think might work - so she can make up her mind before we start looking to buy?

For that matter, anyone looking fr paddling partners in the II-III range, drop us a line!

[Wendy]

I have an Option she can try, and it is for sale. I just got a purple L'edge, and find I like planning hulls like the l'edge,Ion, and Octane.

[D-Caption]

Hi Wendy, How much are you asking for your Option?

Thanks
D-Caption

[canotrouge]

Spark would be a good option!! It is light, it is fast, I think it would work great for a smaller paddler....

[Wendy]

SOLD
I am asking $1300. New boat, just paid full retail plus 150 shipping so a $400 loss for me and a gain for someone who wants one awesome swirl Option. I also added a pump system (parts $120)- Tsunami

[Coz Teplitz]

Wendy - thanks for the offer, but Laura decided she didn't like the Option, and I decided I preferred the Ion.

The Spark sounds like an interesting boat - we'll see if we can try one out.

[D-Caption]

Wendy, so what would you call the hull of the option?

thanks
D-Daption

[Wendy]

Well, we need Jeremy to address this more than me, but it reminds me of a slightly round bottomed Detonator, faster though. When I paddle it at my body weight the chines catch on swirley water, over ledges in a way that does not happen with the L'Edge, Octane, Ion. It is a fun boat without the initial stability I now want since I will be 60 this year, and have to work without injured extremities from swim practice.
I just think it is fantastic to have so many choices. I thank Craig, Esquif, Jeremy, and Richard for providing these choices

[kimmieOC1]

If you wife likes the Ion but wants a faster boat she needs to wait until summer when Blackfly has a new boat - Octane 85 coming out. I paddled the prototype at ALF. It handles like the Ion but it is much faster. It's a cut down Octane or lengthened,narrower Ion - depending on how you want to look at it. She is welcome to PM with any questions about my thoughts on the new boat.

[Pierre LaPaddelle]

. . . Octane 85 coming out. I paddled the prototype at ALF. . . It's a cut down Octane. . .

So! I'm guessing an "Octane 85" must be around 8' 5" (?)

IF so, it's pretty close to the length of the Option. The question is: how did the Octane 85 prototype compare to the Option (weight, speed, handling, primary/secondary stability, rollability, dryness. . . etc.)

Thanks, in anticipation. . . !

Rick

[Wendy]

Kimmie said the Octane 85 is lighter, very dry. All the fun aspects of the Ion with speed

[kimmieOC1]

Pierre
Octane 85 is 5" shorter and 3" narrower than Octane 91/92.

I briefly paddled the Option while someone else jumped in the Octane 85. Here are my initial thoughts - I think I like both, but mind you I haven't spent much time in an Option.

Speed - the Option may be faster, I don't know for sure. It makes sense to me that the Option would be faster than the Octane 85 given the bow shape of each. However, I would defer to Jeremy or someone who has spent more time in each to give a better assessment of that. I do know that the Octane 85 was much, much, much faster than the Ion, but still had that nimble character of the Ion. I could maneuver the 85 with my knees and hips even though I really wasn't in the boat very well. It spins on a dime and eddies like the Ion.

Stability - The Octane 85 has more primary stability than the Option. 85 has excellent secondary, but it seems the Option does too.

Dryness - It's a very dry boat for my size. I boofed every boof on the Upper Tellico dry (except where I swam ). Another fellow ran Baby Falls in it and landed with only about 4" of water. I could have run the Upper Tellico without a pump or a dump (not counting the swim) if the water temp had been higher - and I didn't run timid lines. I did dump the LITTLE BIT of water that I took on just so I wouldn't get chilled legs and feet.

Rolling - Haven't rolled either one.

Weight - Maybe the best part - the boat weighs/will weigh the same as the Ion!!!!! Easy, peasy to carry.

I love paddling my Ion, except for the lack of speed. So, I was planning on buying an Option until last week. Now I'm super excited about the Octane 85 because it had all the nimble, spin, playful, etc. that I love about the Ion, but in a boat that I could get some speed going into boofs and coming out of eddies. I would encourage anyone who tried the Ion or the Octane and kind of liked them but thought they were too slow or too big/little to give this boat a try.

Kimmie

[Pierre LaPaddelle]

Thanks, Kimmie -- appreciate your taking the time to be so thorough.

Jeremy: -- hope you're following this! Would be grateful to get your input also -- If I couldn't afford both an Octane 85 AND an Option, how would I choose between the two? Why would I choose one over the other?

(And Coz -- Sorry for thread-jacking!!!)

Thanks!
Rick

[Eli]

I have a spark and a zephyr you could demo. I live in Asheville NC.

[riverharlot]

I'm a small paddler 5' and a slight build. I got to take the Octane prototype on our local creek this past weekend and LOVED IT. I come from an outrage so i loved the edges and how well it carved. Primary stability is fine and 2nd seems excellent. I need to spend more time getting comfortable with actually having an edge. I ran a few short drops and it went well until I got cocky but it was not that hard to handle while I was swimming. There were a couple of long wave trains and I was able to pull the bow easily to keep from swamping out. The weight is ok.
I have the octane 92 so of course its lighter than that. I have to put boats on my forester by setting them against back and sliding up . The prototype is long enough and light enough I don't see any issues with this. I go to sleep at night with dreams of skinny octane dancing in my head and eagerly waiting for jeremy to start producing them.

The prototype is in PA if you pass through you might check with Mark Z he is the blackfly rep and might be able to get your wife a chance to demo. If she can hold out I would strongly recommend she wait until jeremy gets these in production



sar