Thoughts on a solo boat

milkman · Post by **milkman** » Fri Mar 09, 2007 5:03 am

Here's a better way to describe what I mean by "finesse." For many of us, it's not what you can run (or bomb your way through), it's how you run it--the eddies and waves you catch as you make your way through a rapid. For that, you want a nimble boat, one that is well sized to you.

CDawg · Post by **CDawg** » Fri Mar 09, 2007 12:46 pm

Might as well just go right to c-1. Try out a nice light c-1, not one of the tubs, but something that's easy to roll, easy to paddle, and easy to tote around. All you will need is a good roll, and a paddler should have that anyway. It doesn't hurt to have an open boat around, but I've only paddled mine once since I started c-1ing in 98. More fun in a c-1.

Detonator Function · Post by **Detonator Function** » Fri Mar 09, 2007 2:54 pm

I'm afraid of being converted to a C-1er if I try it.

Maybe the best thing for you do to, vin, is to see what you can find then play around with it until you decide it's the best thing for you.

(Ambiguous I know, but I never know what I'm doing until it's done)

vin · Post by **vin** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 12:54 am

Seems like Ocoee and Outrage have gotten the most votes as the best boat for me. I've never heard of Evergreen or the Solito until now. Looked them up on their website, but the boat looks too small and techincal for me. Anybody out there paddle one and want to tell me about it? And how come no one weighed in on Mohawk's Viper?

yarnellboat · Post by **yarnellboat** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 1:12 am

If you didn't like the "edges" on the Outrage you tried (the Outrage is known as a pretty sofy, friendly, stable, predictable ride - as is the Probe 12), an Ocoee, Solito and Viper will feel very twitchy.

But if you want to grow into a boat, I think a Viper 11 or Solito (or, as suggested, a Phantom if you could find one) would be great boats for your size. Vipers are very popular boats, no reason not too mention them here! But they're pretty sporty/edgy compared to an Outrage (and wetter for a bigger guy).

PY.

c1swim · Post by **c1swim** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 2:05 am

Hey Vin, I have a Viper 12 and it's a great boat, dry and fast , but as mentioned the chines are sharp ( great for carving turns; but until you master them you will flip alot ie eddy lines ect.) However you won't outgrow it. And the best part; it's about half the price of many of the aformentioned boats. Good Luck

Nessmuk · Post by **Nessmuk** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 3:52 am

Vin-

I live in northern NJ. I have an Ocoee that you are welcome to try. I also have an Outrage and a Quake.

After paddling a Caption, I think you will find the Ocoee to be quite a handful!

I love all my boats equally

but if I could only have one, it would probably be the Outrage. I think it's the most versatile of the bunch.

IMO, the Ocoee is a little too much boat for someone starting out. I've been paddling mine for a year now. It's a fun boat, no doubt about it, but those hard chines still catch me offguard sometimes.

Between an Ocoee and an Outrage, I think the Outrage would be a better choice for you. It's fast, dry, has good secondary stability, and carves a turn really nicely. It also front surfs and (especially) sidesurfs quite well. Not nearly as responsive as the Ocoee, but you'll spend more time paddling, and less swimming, in the Outrage.

And if you roll- or want to learn- I think you'll you'll find the Outrage easier to roll too.

If you decide you want something else in a couple of years (notice I didn't say "outgrow"- the best open boater I know swears by the Outrage) you'll have no problem finding a buyer- used Outrages are always in demand.

If you are looking to get more into WW, you might also want to check out the AMC-NY/NJ chapter:

http://www.amc-ny.org/recreational-acti ... /schedule/

We do alot of WW trips, and have a pretty large contingent of open boaters.

vin · Post by **vin** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 1:31 am

Thank you one and all for your experienced opinions. You've helped me to narrow down my choices somewhat. Definately as to what length boat I should be looking at. Obviously you've all sung the praises of your favorites and all that info is good to know. I guess what I have to do now is get involved with some different clubs and hopefully meet the kind of people who are paddling the kind of boats I want to demo. And I guess not only will this take some time, but I'll probably wind up dropping some bucks. I've been perusing CBoats, Paddling.Net and Northeast Paddlers for a year now and have come to realize that once purchased, these boats are rarely sold. Hey Nessmuk, I'm in Long Valley, where are you? Do you paddle with a club? I'd love to take you up on your invite to demo your Ocoee. I paddle almost every weekend. Any chance we can get together sometime soon? And whan you said AMC, was that Adirondack or Appalacian? Let me know. Thanks again everyone, and if anyone else would like to voice an opinion I'm still open to suggestions.

Nessmuk · Post by **Nessmuk** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 3:49 am

Long Valley? We're practically next-door neighbors. I'm in Flanders (maybe 10 miles away).

AMC is the Appalachian Mountain Club; I paddle with them a lot.

The NY/NJ chapter is one of the last holdouts for WW canoeing in the area (although we're still way outnumbered by the kayaks).

We do alot of WW trips, cl 2-4. We regularly paddle local stuff, like the Lehigh, Esopus, Tohicon and Mongaup (if they ever fix the dam and start releases again), as well as most Deerfield releases, the Moose and other stuff in the daks, the Farmington, Yok, Stoney, an annual week of southern rivers (usually W. Va.)....

We also have winter pool sessions at NJIT in Newark for rolling practice.

If you're looking to join a local club where you can paddle cl 3-4 WW with other open boaters, the AMC-NY/NJ is just about your only choice!

Now that I've given my plug for the AMC

I'm sending you a PM.

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Thoughts on a solo boat

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