Can anyone compare the ride of a Prelude to my Rodeo?

bald1 · Post by **bald1** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 7:48 pm

I know I need to test ride a Prelude before I buy but I am curious for others opinions.

My current open boats are the Rodeo and a Taureau.

I haven't paddled the Rodeo in awhile, but I would say from my limited experience it can keep you on your toes more than some other boats.

At first I found the Taureau to be a little more twitchy than the rodeo, but before very long it felt solid.

So lets hear a comparison from those in the know.

I like the idea of that poly boat, and have lusted after one since a buddy picked one up at the G fest three years ago.

thanks
-Bryan

Post by **sbroam** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:33 pm

Your weight matters - 200# and up the Prelude is very twitchy. Search here on the hull mod (how to flatten it) - that might help. I'm 220# and found it very slow and little to no primary in the short test paddle I took. Come to think of it, it felt a lot like a Zoom to me.

bald1 · Post by **bald1** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:43 pm

160-165 lbs. so no problem there.

I am surprised to hear it thought to be slow. I would have thought a more rounded hull would be faster.

Post by **sbroam** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:48 pm

To clarify - slow with *my* weight in it. It sat pretty deep... And it was a short test float with me paddling upstream in shallow water most of the time, which I thought would be a good test of speed which is something I consider important in a boat. A Spanish Fly that I paddled at the same time, by comparison, seemed quite a bit faster - but it is also a bit wider and seemed to float my weight better.

Randy Dodson · Post by **Randy Dodson** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 7:31 pm

If at first you found the taureau to be a little more twitchy than the Rodeo, then you will probably find the Prelude to be the most unstable "twitchy" boat you ever paddled.

I have a Prelude that doesn't get paddled but only because I'm waiting until I get down to a certain weight to paddle it again. when I bought it I weighed around 220#, now I'm down to 195#. Once I get to 180 or less, I'm going to paddle it every day (including flatwater drills). I'm also going to flatten the hull, pinch in the gunnels about an inch and put ash wood gunnels and cherry wood deck plates on it.

Preludes are awesome for creeking and even when I first bought it and weighed too much, I discovered that it felt pretty good while I was paddling a low volume rocky creek (not steep) just a fun little class II + creek with lots of rocks.

So a lot of it depends on what you want to paddle.

kanur · Post by **kanur** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 7:50 pm

Bryan/bald1

I met you at the Russell Fork last fall. I plan on being there again this season on the 18th and 19th and you are more than welcome to try mine.

bald1 · Post by **bald1** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 12:08 pm

Dennis,

I will most likely be there and I will definately want to try that boat out!

I really appreciate it. Man I am excited about the Fork this year.

-Bryan