C-Forum

I recently paddled the Esquif Vertige X with tandem factory outfitting. I was really impressed with the boat.

I was teaching an ACA Whitewater Canoe Instructor Certification course with a co-instructor and we borrowed the boat from NOC on the day we paddled tandem. As a confirmed Dagger Caption fan for tandem paddling, I was dubious about the Vertige.

My limited experience with the Esquif Blast set up tandem was not as good as I had hoped it would be. (Perhaps Esquif has altered the Blast design since it was first issued several years ago and it paddles drier and better now.) I was disappointed with the Blast, especially its hull speed.

Both of us hated the Vertige X factory outfitting. It was confusing and did not hold us tightly in the boat. (My co-instructor is an accomplished slalom racer and veteran paddler. I am a veteran cboater/instructor/river runner. We both do our own boat outfitting.) We abandoned the outfitting before we set off on the river and relied on our thighs to hold us in the boat.

Turns out, the outfitting did not matter. The Vertige X was nimble and fun. It shed water well and was dry. It was a surfing machine. It turned on a dime. It leaned in any direction without pitching us out and we were able to heel the boat over as much as we wanted. The boat felt lighter in the water than on land. And, it was fast - so fast that we found ourselves backing off with paddle strokes and drifting into things. Otherwise, we were smoking our class on the river. The Vertige X did everything we asked of it and we were having a "blast."

I can't wait to try the Vertige X with my regular tandem partner, my husband!

i like the blast it is an easy boat to tandem roll and I find that the hull speed is enough for big water and pushy systems havent paddled the vertige X but am looking forward to it.


all said and done
sleep tandem paddle solo!!!

Glad to hear your paddling again Laura. Hopefully Van will be ready to go soon.

How do you think it would do as a solo boat though? I have a friend that is interested in getting a new boat but he is a bigger guy and could probably use the extra length to his advantage.

Another boat worth checking out - some prefer it to the Vertige X...

(O)C

So does the Vertige-X have a more "Caption-like" feel than other Esquif boats? I was in a Caption again for the first time in a couple of years this weekend and found it hard to get used to the lack of chines.

I think you are right about the difference in hull speed between a Caption and a Blast - the Caption is faster. However, I think the Blast's planing-type hull lets you take advantage of small waves and features in the river that a Caption's displacement-type hull can't use.

I'm looking forward to seeing a Vertige-X - any boat that you can really enjoy in spite of the outfitting has to be worht paddling.

Martyn