C-Forum

I've been paddling whitewater in an OC1 for 4 years now and have thought about trying the kayaking thing; a little drier for play and not to mention the coolness factor. But, I still can't help but think that having 2 blades is just too easy. A friend of mine has a Dagger Outlaw and is thinking of getting a new boat. Would the Outlaw make a nice C1 conversion for me? I'm 5'11" and 155 lbs. Also, I've come to like my paddles to be 57", would I need a shorter paddle for the C1? Thanks guys(and gals)!!

The outlaw would be fine as a C1 provided you are interested in learning the C1 thing or river running. It is a big boat compared to more current shorter decked boats.

Usually, with the lower saddle height in a C1 paddlers use a shorter paddle, say 1 to 2 inches shorter.

Welcome and good luck![/img]

I can't comment on the boat conversion, but regarding paddle length, measuring your current saddle/seat height vs. the height of same in your C-1 (once you've acquired one), will give you a rough approximation of any needed change in length. Typically a C-1 seat will be lower and thus you'll need a comparatively shorter paddle. Sometimes OC boaters need to shorten it even more than the drop in seat height would indicate, because of using an even longer paddle in OC to reach around the sides.

John

[ED] "the cool factor" and "kayaks" should only be used in an oximoronic sense.

At your size you will be able to use most any kayak as a conversion. If I were you I would call Bernie at Whitewater warehouse and set up a time to meet him at his place in Dayton, Ohio and try out several designs and get the one you like best. Nobody beats his prices and he get the companies to build boats without the kayak internal equipment.


Chuck

for chenging from an oc to a c1, which i did this spring, i kept cutting the paddle down from where it was to shorter, and played with it, when it felt like it was long enough to get a strong forward stroke, yet short enough to throw it over the bow with no poroblem, i stayed there.
i went from a 60" in a oc
to a 55.5 in a finkenmeister c1.
i tihnk that i will use the same length for my NEW Race Boat as well.\
what ever works.
-isaac