C-Forum

I'll post pics in the next couple of days, but wanted to let people know about the new Bob Foote boat from Esquif.

Esquif Raven

Specs: Solo Playboat
Length 11'3"
Width 30.5"
Depth 15"
Rocker 4.5"
Weight 50 lbs
Colors Mango and Blue (have only seen Mango so far)

This is a very different looking playboat. The normal shouldered tumblehome found on boats like the Nitro and Detonator has been radically altered creating a very wide footprint as the boat is leaned while still maintaining a normal profile when level.

The asymmetric hull is also radically asymmetric with huge flare up front. Reminds me of a Sting Ray.

I suspect this will be the instructors boat of choice next year, you can radically exaggerate your moves and still keep total control.

Performance is very similar to a Zephyr but with awesome secondary. Slightly higher volume/ capacity than the Zephyr but nowhere near as large as the Nitro.

Brought the OR Demo (mentioned in another thread) to Denver late last night. We have a bit of tweaking to do to her (is still a prototype) but should have her in class III by the end of the week with some reviews.

It looked very far forward.

I'm not sure which photo or what the placement was at the time.

Our boat was the on water demo with bulkhead saddle. The saddle itself is bonded in with Velcro for adjustment and Bob Foote/ Jacques played around with the boat Thursday until they decided where stock seat placement would be.

The hull is so assymetric with so much volume up front, it will be forward. I'll have measurements when I post photos in a couple days.

I saw on the esquif website "spanish fly comming soon". Any info?

Hi Eric Any more news about the Esquif Raven

In order of appearance:

Esquif has the Spanish Fly in production - I have one in stock

Took the Raven out for it's maiden voyage yesterday.

Let me qualify my comments with a statement that the Esquif bulkhead saddle does not fit a 6'5 230lb guy without modification, and I was not allowed to modify it for my test. I shoe horned myself into the boat, but was sitting 1/2" off the saddle for the 15 mile run. That's not exactly a comfortable position, and I didn't play the boat nearly as much as I'd like.

Took the boat down the Colorado from Grizzly Creek to Newcastle, 15 miles of class II that warms up to some big wave class III.

The Raven is incredibly forgiving and predictable. I can see why they were calling it the future "instructors boat".

Stability - initial stability is fair, secondary is rock solid. When you first get in the boat it dances around (in part from my outfitting issue), but as it starts to lean the bubble catches and it becomes very solid at about 20 degrees.

Speed - I was paddling with a Prodigy and the Raven is slower. I'd put it on par with a Nitro.

Maneuverability - Not as good as the Nitro, better than the Prodigy, in the same Zephyr range.

Chines - There, but not super grabby. The boat will carve a nice turn, but it doesn't dominate the turn.

4' waves straight on - If I backpaddled to give the bow time to lift, it was a dry ride in 3' waves but splashy for my weight in 4' waves. Naturally I'm 30lbs over what the boat should carry, but that's part of the fun. I missed my electric bilge pump, old school bailing sucks.

4' waves at a 30 degree angle - The boat is dryer taking large waves at about 30 degrees, the bubble in the tumblehome lets the boat lift and the wave break before getting to the gunwales. If you go over 30 degrees at my weight the waves come in over the side.

6' waves - no flipping way with my outfitting issue.

2' ledge into hole - No problems

3' ledge into hole - Stern did scrape but otherwise no problems

Surfing - didn't try due to outfitting

Next demo's going to be rigged with a saddle and thighstraps. I love the bulkhead in my personal boat, but it's got to fit the paddler.

I really liked the boat. For my size/ weight I'll stick with a Nitro, but if I get down in the 200-210 range then the Raven will pop back up on my radar. It is a boat you can make mistakes in and still come out smiling. I know some guys who like to teach in Ocoees, but they end up swimming as much as their students. The Raven will allow them the same tricks, but they'll stay upright. It would also be a great boat for moving into more technical water than ones current skills can comfortably handle. It will point out your mistakes, but let you recover from them. It's an awesome prerunner for sections you're just not quite sure about.

Im in the market for a open boat, do you have any pics of the new Raven??

I'm not sure when the Raven will hit the market, I'm guessing they'll show up in the next few months.

I'll post photos when I find my camera (went MIA last week).

Here is a pic I found on line. Funky, looks like not much rocker in back. Not to sure about Bob Foote designs? Better paddle deep water and no boofs. Seems like you would be hitting the stern alot, which we all know does not hold up with the newer Royolex?

Here it link to the picture.

http://playak.com/galleries.php?glid=821&pid=4062

Hi Folks,
As Eric mentioned the Raven is new Esquif solo canoe, just to ad to his comment Bob an I put together some line to create the new Baby. Integrating exagerate flare and tumblehome, fowardcab concept, soft variable shine, blunt stern and directional entry. It was a very fun collaboration,I wish you'll have fun.Available in 6 to 8 weeks. We'll put that on our site in a week.

Thank's

Jacques

30.5" is one WIDE boat

If it's as fast as a nitro ( :-/ ) and has softer chines, why would you paddle this over a nitro?

I suppose the wear would be less on the softer chines. What else?

Why would I paddle it over a Nitro?

Two different boats, different styles of paddling.

The Raven will still carve a turn, but won't grab out from under you. She's still very stable when leaned in the 30 degree range (no or minimal bracing), where a Nitro gets a little twitchy.

I'm calling the Raven an "Instructors boat", something where you can very comfortably illustrate moves to students. That same forgiving nature will appeal to some, not others.

The Raven is not a replacement for the Nitro, not even close. It's a very unique boat.

I'd choose it over the Nitro (if I dropped some weight) for two simple reasons.

1) I like the wider knee placement. I'm still not all there with my knees close together. That low bubble allows my frame a very comfortable stance.

2) I'm a downriver paddler. Anything under 15 miles is a short day, I like to stay in the 20+ range. Although the Raven doesn't really beat the Nitro on speed, I feel it's more comfortable for that length of seat time.

Esquif isn't trying to market one design as a "this will do everything" like the other manufacturers do. They make niche boats, each with it's own criteria.

If you're scraping your chines, you probably won't like the Raven. It's IMHO a deeper water/ big water boat. Radical flare does little good when rockbashing. It's great in haystacks.