C-Forum

I need some input on what I should get as my next C1.
I am currently paddling an Atom as my C1, have had it for while, and am fairly confident in it, i paddle regularly class 3 and sometimes class 4 rapids in it. Lately I somewhat lost interest in this boat, as I purchased a Prelude OC1, which I like better in several aspects, mainly maneuvrability.
Both boats fall short though when it comes to playing in holes, as neither of them has a planing hull.
So what I am looking for is a boat with good play potential ( I weigh 180 lbs and am 6'1 tall) which I can use to learn some play moves like spins, cartwheels, but that is still useable to run a river(i.e have some half decent hull speed and at least a hint of tracking)
I am not into pure park and play paddling.
Your thoughts are greatly appreciated!

martin

I may not be experienced enough to comment, but I like my Forplay.

I came to the Forplay after paddling a Rival (OC), Cascade (C-1), and Redline (converted to C-1) over a period of two years. I weigh 170, and am 5'9".

The Forplay is a good river runner on at least class II and III. I haven't run class IV in it. The boat tracks fine. If I dip one chine slightly, it tracks exceptionally well. The Forplay has always seemed surprisingly stable to me.

The Forplay loves to surf. The ends are pretty easy to take under if I hit the current correctly. The weak link in my Forplay as a playboat is the paddler. I am convinced that it will be a good boat to do moves in, as I get them figured out.

The Score by Wavesport is a larger version of the Forplay. I have paddled with a guy that weighs around 200, he was using a Score and could do some tricks. But he really had to work it to bury the ends. I think at 180, I'd try out the Forplay.

If you're looking for a playboat, the Forplay is a great option, and you should be able to pick it up cheapish . There are other newer boats (and older ones, like the X), but I'd get a forplay (Kalin let me try his a few years ago, and at 165lbs it was fine for river running. A few more lbs and it would have been a better playboat.