C-Forum

I am looking to get a traditional OC early next year.

Can anyone give me a run down of good boats i am probably looking at a double that i can also paddle solo. Big enough to carry kit for a trip and also run class 3/4 solo. I paddle a Spanish Fly and a CU Fly and this will be my first trad boat.

I am currently looking at the Robson Brooks and some of the Esquif boats. I am interested in the Robsons cos they havedeveloped this new armalite plastic composite stuff which looks good.

Any advice would be great.

C1 Col

I would recommend an Esquif Vertige-X. They even make a triple saddle for it so that you can paddle it either solo or tandem. I have mine set up only as a solo boat and I've paddled it with great success on just about every type of river except for the steepest of creeks.

I recommend a Millbrook Prowler. Paddled solo it will dance through the class 3-4 stuff and stay dry, Kaz lays these up really strong, and it is a great boat for taking a kid along. It is not a traditional tripper and the rocker makes for a better whitewater play boat, rather than a boat that eats up the miles. However the weight makes it easy to move around.

I have one that I race slalom with my 11 year old son and he loves the way it lifts over waves. I also race it solo and it is really responsive. When I take it out to paddle it surprises the kayakers because it hops on and off waves nicely.

Good luck with your decision.

On the Vertige X, I use it as a tandem only boat. It runs pretty dry with about 370+ lbs of people plus day trip gear. Surfs well and generally good all around boat. Very stable and rolls very easily solo - once the bow person falls out . Rolls well with two also...It is a tank when full of water though and the stabilty is not as good when loaded with water as some other boats.

Less rocker than other WW OC2's, means you will want a bow partner to help if you want to make tight small eddy turns. Lucky for me I have a good one, the K1's give some funny looks when we are in the eddies they missed.