C-Forum

For a new boat I'll probably hold out for the new Ten-four that Craig & Esquif have promised but...

Any performance reviews on the Paradigm, especially from heavier paddlers? It seems to take a long while for Esquif's new boats to make a showing out west. As a comparison, I'm guessing it's somewhat like a Viper 11?

Thanks, Pat.

VERY different from the viper, the paradigm has a very square and flat bottom all the way, doesn't round or point out at the tips.

Reminds me of that old ovation, designed by the same guy. Not a type of boat that I like myself, but some folks around me seems to appreciate a lot.

The first thing that comes in minds when looking at the hull is: slow. Apparently it isn't so bad because the rocker is very progressive.

I don't own one myself so better hear from others but I know you can easily put camping gears in there so I would guess for a big guy would be OK...

for a year. It is slower than the Ocoee, faster than the detonator, in my opinion. However, it ferrys great, surfs fine because of the flat bottom. You really have to lean to get a snappy turn...I think because of the bulbous ends. probably be a good creaker, but never tried that out. It just wasn't as responsive & fast as what I was looking for.

I saw my first one on the Ocoee yesterday, look Esquif is the best canoe maker out there but everyone makes a mistake ever now and again.

the boat is terrible. had one and hated it.

I bought one about a month ago, I'm pretty new to WW so I don't have alot to compare it to. I've paddled it quite a bit since I got it on up to Class III stuff, been surfing a good bit too.

My limited experience impressions - It rolls very easy, and I just learned to roll. It is slow. It surfs nice, front, side and back. It's ugly. Secondary is incredible. Very deep, makes nice arm rests while floating the flats. Runs very dry. Did I mention it's ugly? But hey it was a leftover at the shop an I got it for a good price.

Overall I couldn't be happier. Probably the thing I like the most is it wants me to stay in the boat. I've had a lot of close calls and was able to brace and stay upright. I did have a few combat rolls too though.

Mike

I jumped in wndwlkr's paradigm and thought it similair to the Phantom I paddled for 15 minutes last year.

I paddled one for about an hour a couple of weeks ago. Ran Zoar Gap on the Deerfield, and played in the waves for a while.

I really liked it. Very dry, great secondary stability, very responsive. Surfs and ferries really well. I thought it was at least as fast as my Ocoee.

The chines engage when you really lean it, but otherwise stay out of the way.

I think it would make a good big-water boat- I've put it at the top of my list as a replacement for my Outrage when it dies.

I like mine, Pat. It's fast, no particular bad habits, & is proving reasonably durable (~fifty trips so far).

One downside for me is the volume of water it holds...2" of water in that hull constitutes way more volume than 2" of water in a boat with rocker and/or round hull. I lined the sides with 3" minicell and that eliminates a lot of the water left in the boat after rolling up.

Also, having cut my teeth in a round hulled boat, I haven't managed to unlearn the habit of coasting sideways through standing waves. The flat hull doesn't like that; it will assume the angle of the wave face and capsize. I'm still not sure what to make of the hard chines. Eddy turns are snappier, but that doesn't mean I'm catching tougher eddies. Primary stability, to me, equates to absence of stability. At the end of the day, I'm upside down more often than when paddling a round hulled boat.

My favorite thing? It's simply different from the Outrage... something new to work at.

You mentioned weight...I'm only 155lbs for what it's worth.

And yes...I do recall a grizzled gent in a Taureau smirking at me just below Grumpy's that day.

Tom

Grizzled ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ I´ve been called a lot of things but me thinks that is a first. I bet a lot will end up in Mexico, I mean they got a lot of Ford Mavrick down here, seem like the dumpin grounds for the less that best Eng. designs.