C-Forum

Hi all,

is there an significant difference between the Paradigm and the Ocoee? The shapes seem to be quite similar ..

Raff

I cannot compare between the ocoee and the paradigm, but I do can between the viper11 and the paradigm.
Since the ocoee is said to be the successor of the viper more or less, it can be an indication.

I haven't paddeled the paradigm anymore since I have my viper, so I'm comparing different skill levels at different moments in time. But I think that the paradigm is a more agressive boat. First of al it is shorter. Second the chines are harder and more agressive. At least that's the impression I have. The chines of the paradigmm catches much more agressively over eddy lines then the ones of my viper do. My paddling skills improved though, so it might just be an impression.

I should give the paradigm another try, but I can only get it as a demo boat if the dealer takes it.

both good boats I think though .

I went from an ocoee to a paradigm about a year ago. I think the main differences for these boats are based on the different rocker designs. The ocoee has a lot of rocker, and both ends sweep up in a smooth curve. The paradigm has far less rocker, and both ends kind of angle up (more or less straight line) from a point behind center. There is not a whole lot of sheer to the P, I think that makes it a very easy boat to roll. That long water line also makes P really slow to straighten from a "broadside" postion. The paradigm is stable all around, I think due to the funky rocker allowing more boat to water contact, where the ocoee firms up once edged one way or the other. Overall, I found the ocoee to be the more "aggressive" boat, it's definitly snappier on the eddy lines. But the Paradigm is the surfer of the pair, it'll front surf like nothing else I've paddled. Paradigm is pretty dry as OCs go, it holds alot of volume towards the stems. Ocoee is faster, maybe because of the length and sharp nose? The ocoee is also the looker of the pair with the nice sheer line, P is not very pleasing to the traditional eye! I loved both these designs.

To be fair, my primary OC-1 thrashings are in an Ocoee. I did a brief test paddle of a Paradigm at a lunch break on a mild river. I'm pushing 200 pounds and I think this matters with smaller canoes.

OC1er wrote:... The paradigm is stable all around, I think due to the funky rocker allowing more boat to water contact, where the ocoee firms up once edged one way or the other. ...

Amen, sorta, to that one. On relatively flat water I heeled it over to the gunnel and nearly flipped. In my Ocoee I can heel it over with control and have the gunnel sip river if I want. Tough to say what this means in a rapid.

OC1er wrote:Ocoee is faster, maybe because of the length and sharp nose?

At my size and in my incapable hands the word "fast" would likely never be applied to either of these boats. For me my Ocoee is an eddy catching machine on the tight and twisty. Love that part, hate the slow.

That said, I'd like to mess with a Paradigm for a day in some actual rapids.

1st impression: I hadn't looked at the bottom of the hull prior to my brief test paddle. Afterward I looked and was really surprised to see it was relatively flat-bottomed and sharp-chined -- it didn't feel like that to me.

Continuing my search for a faster Ocoee,

Ken Dubel