If you can make the first Locust Race (or any of the three)...
... there should be several different boats to try.
Mastering the short boatsAnother single blade
Moderators: kenneth, sbroam, TheKrikkitWars, Mike W., Sir Adam, KNeal, PAC, adamin
I've paddled both an Ocoee and Zoom; the Ocoee on a regular basis for a year or so, and the Zoom as my only boat since July. My take on the two of them is that the Ocoee was (for me) an instant boost of half a class, and the Zoom probably knocked me back down a half a class. I really like both of these boats, but I do find the Zoom has a bit more of a learning curve. I find it less stable--it'll flip you faster than anything if you hit a slightly submerged rock, for example. I think the Ocoee maybe snapped more quickly into an eddy, but not significantly so. For me, the Ocoee was instant comfort and success, the Zoom has been a little humbling and challenging, and I need to work harder to do the things that were easy in the Ocoee, but that's a good thing in terms of getting my skills down.
Both the Ocoee and Zoom are fun boats, but I think the Zoom in the long run will make me a better paddler--I've already improved my bracing skills, and it's given me the idea that perhaps I can roll it one of these days. It's certainly a great boat for wiggling your way through a technical, rocky river. It's a good surfer and can stay nice and dry on a drop or wave train.
I'm an intermediate paddler, solo paddling for a little more than 3 years and can do class III with a little III+ or IV on a very low water day. I think eventually the Zoom will take me as far as I want to go with my paddling ability, that's to say a solid III-IV paddler. I don't aspire to quickly get to class IV without feeling confident about it, and I can honestly say I never aspire to paddle class V water! Just for info purposes, I'm 5'2" and medium weight for a woman my height, which brings me to my last point about the Zoom--it's the first canoe I've ever been able to actually pick up and carry, which is important to me and a big part of why I love this boat and will continue to work with the challenges that it's given to me!
Deb
Both the Ocoee and Zoom are fun boats, but I think the Zoom in the long run will make me a better paddler--I've already improved my bracing skills, and it's given me the idea that perhaps I can roll it one of these days. It's certainly a great boat for wiggling your way through a technical, rocky river. It's a good surfer and can stay nice and dry on a drop or wave train.
I'm an intermediate paddler, solo paddling for a little more than 3 years and can do class III with a little III+ or IV on a very low water day. I think eventually the Zoom will take me as far as I want to go with my paddling ability, that's to say a solid III-IV paddler. I don't aspire to quickly get to class IV without feeling confident about it, and I can honestly say I never aspire to paddle class V water! Just for info purposes, I'm 5'2" and medium weight for a woman my height, which brings me to my last point about the Zoom--it's the first canoe I've ever been able to actually pick up and carry, which is important to me and a big part of why I love this boat and will continue to work with the challenges that it's given to me!
Deb