C-Forum

Hi,

Looking for feedback re: the performance of the CU Fly.

Is it the bow stalling, flat wheeling, blunting machine that the marketers want us to believe?

How is it as a med-big water river runner?

Thanks for your comments!

havent had the oppurtunity to get out and paddle it much, but my friend owns one, we run calss 3 all the time and it does stall out on larger waves as well as is a little stick in some holes. but hey it's supoosed to be stick in hole right? whats the point of getting thrown out of a hole you are trying to rodeo. having a little trouble perfecting a roll in the thing but should get better with time. I have had the problem of the bow sinking when I try to accelerate, so I think in must make moves on big water could be a little tricky, only time will tell. Hope you have fun with yours

I paddled one, didn't like it. Search the forum, I am sure you'll find some reviews. Think seriously about whether you might want a C1 in the future, as I don't think the Cufly would be all that easy to resell. Short and wet, probably not a good river runner. I don't like to diss any canoe, but this one is trying too hard to be a kayak or C1 without a skirt.

I saw the Taureau designers (Mark Scriver, Paul Mason, Andrew Westwood and another gy I didn't know) paddling 2 CU+Fly's and 2 Taureau protos down the Main Channel of the Ottawa at a level of -2. It seemed to play nicely at Pushbutton and Blacks. I talked to Paul Mason a bit about it, and he said he liked it for playing, however he said running rapids, especially bigger ones like McKoys or Coliseum is very hairy, as the boat stalls out all the time. And these are the words of one of the worlds best OC1 boaters! Not very encouraging.
I think that, unless you want to use it to compete in the OC1 class in rodeos, you are probably better off getting a C1.

martin

Hey Montana, James and Martin,

Thanks for all your input and suggestions. I do have a C1 but have this 'thing' for open boats.

Martin: I got Paul's input too. In sum, he said it is slower than the Aftershock and handles like a brick but is relatively dry and tonnes of fun...cleans, flatwater ends, 360s, blunts. Doesn't really stern squirt. Great for the Ottawa.

I've been paddling them since the first one landed in North America... and I will "try" to be unbiased in my comments. The boat is simply put.. an OC1 "play" boat. It does many things incredibly well which is play rivers. It is the most stable WW boat I have ever been in. It can easily handle class III river running.. but anything over that and you best have nerves of steel and a good forward stroke. This boat wants to dive the bow and stern.. that's what it was designed for. I was on the Ottawa not to long ago with Mark and Paul... and most of what has been stated here is dead on. Ask those guys next time you see them how much fun I was having at Garb... a riot! This boat doesn't pretend to be anything that it isn't....and a skirt isn't in it's plans. Believe it or not there are some folks still out there that don't want a decked boat...like Paul? I finally started C1ing again this year after a 6 year abscence... but I highly enjoy both disciplines. Don't be discouraged.. the CU on the right wave or in the right hole will put a huge smile on your face... but on class V you would be terrified. I still creek and run bigger stuff in a Spanishfly but the Taureau looks good to... and these are both play boats as well. The CU is just more radical.

Craig

I bought mine 2 yrs ago and I agree 100% with the above statements, its a playboat!!

It is hairy running big rivers like the Ottawa but it is worth it once you hit the playspots. I have also run the Upper Salmon and Upper Mad without problems. I spend most of my time running rivers in my Superfly though, its nice to have some hull speed sometimes.

On the downside the air bag tubes suck, those funky ends will crap out within the first 6 months.

They thinned out the plastic where the thwarts meet the boat so the bolts would be recessed but after some thrashing about all 4 of mine broke completely through, others have experienced the same problem, easily fixed though.

I still have the occasional problem rolling the CUFly, I am 210 lbs and often roll up right into a bowstall and over I go again.

Chris Mack

James, the CU fly is not a river runner it is a PLAY boat. as far as the wet part of it there isn't enough extra room in the boat for water to fill so it isn't affected that much.

...true, true. If you fill up when playing and want to get at least half the water out try one of these two tips. 1. lay the boat on edge (brace) and dump half, or just roll it. 2. go to shore or a rock and lay the boat on it's edge, leaning on your elbow (pads) and you can get 'em nearly empty.

With myself in the boat (I'm 5-10/165lbs.) you "might" have 5 or more gallons in the boat... add some foam and displace even more water, and you don't even know the water is in there. What is really amazing about boats outfitted in this way is the fact that you can keep on paddling or playing when full to the gunnels... with little drama. One feature an OC has vs. a C-1 is the fact that there is that much more bouancy which can help keep you in a hole... but then again this can make for some high drama when trying to exit a sticky hole.

Craig

OH Yeah... even C1's need to be drained now and then...

Hey Chris and Craig,

Any suggestions as to how to reinforce the thwart-boat connection point? I'm thinking a big metal washer or metal strip. Thanks for all your input!

Cheers,
Marc

I send all my repairs to http://paddlesportsrepairs.com/

I have seen 2 ways, Paul used pieces of plastic (old boat) to 'sandwich' the thwart into place. Mine has stainless steel cup washers to keep everything in place, works great so far.

Does anybody have any ideas about the air bags? I cut the valve off and stuck in an automotive vac hose coupler and cap, works ok.

Chris Mack

..I exploded the bags the first time out! Big hole! I'm using voyager lightweight bags... they work good.

I don't know if they are available separately, but the best air bag valves I have ever seen are the ones Pyranha uses on the air bags in the Prelude. they are absolutely bomb proof, but my guess is they would be kinda hard to install.

martin