C-Forum

Got a chance to take a (way) cut-down Acrobat for a spin yesterday on the Potomac. It belongs to a local paddler named Dirk Young, who apparently used to get some serious downtime in it.

Which I can believe. It is an awesome boat! Really, really cut down. Looked like no Acrobat I've seen. It reminded me, in length and volume, of the Ceamweaver. Apparently Dirk used to get some pretty serious downtime in that thing.

I'll take some pictures of it next time I paddle it . . .

Alden

Nice! Looking forward to Cing the pics!

Got a few quick pictures of the way-cut-down Acrobat today. It's a great boat, and quite small:

[img]http://neguidebook.com/wp-content/uploa ... ng-019.jpg[/img]

Here's the whole boat from above:

[img]http://neguidebook.com/wp-content/uploa ... t-copy.jpg[/img]

A few action shots from today up in the Bermuda Triangle (on the Potomac River):

[img]http://neguidebook.com/wp-content/uploa ... ystery.jpg[/img]

[img]http://neguidebook.com/wp-content/uploa ... oating.jpg[/img]

I got up to my chin a few times, which was pretty cool. That said, even though this is the smallest, lowest volume C1 squirt boat I can recall seeing, it's still too big for me. Dirk got serious downtyme at 180 lbs, but I'm only 147. My kayaker friends tell me I need to put weights in there.

(Maybe if it was actually my boat . . . )

Oh well -- starting to get too cold for squirting anyway. Until next year . . .

Happy paddling to all,

Alden

Alden, that's an awesome chop He did the right thing & fixed the cockpit rim too. You need to bring him to Cquirt next year.

Dirk was cool. He was the first guy I ever saw with one of those hollowed out foam wafers. It was black 3" minicell with small grooves for calves and some thigh straps. It was about 3.5 feet long and blunt, but it was a C-1 by gawd.

Jim

I am really excited to get head-under. Just getting sucked down to your chest is wild. Hades, just paddling a boat that is usually under water is wild. Just paddling without a lifejacket is wild.

But I am not going to be satisfied until I have done some "roaming!"

You know I was just thinking -- part of what makes C1 squirting more challenging is the extra body-out-of-boat mass that needs to be sunk. I sit so much taller than the kayakers (I just tell onlookers that I'm 6'10) that my getting chest-deep is like a kayaker getting a head-under mystery!

Last Sunday we went out to Bermuda and my buddy Steve got 25 minutes of downtime total!! He has a special diver's watch that starts clocking downtime when it's three feet under. He spent most of the day out there and like one-fourth of his time was spent three feet or deeper.

I'd like to try the Ceamweaver, too.

Just some random squirt boating thoughts . . .

Happy paddling today for anyone who's going -- sure is nice out! (But a combination of indolence and studiousness keeps me home.)

C-1 Forever,

Alden

Alden,

Hopefully you get a chance in the Woodie one day. I think Mike will bring it to the Armada anytime he comes.

Jim

jim gross wrote:I think Mike will bring it to the Armada anytime he comes.

Jim

You can bet on that If I neglect to offer you a turn, just ask (this goes for everyone).

Nice job Alden! And that is definitely one of the sweetest DT Acrobats I've ever seen - very professional looking chop compared to some others.

To me from the top the outline looks very much like the Groove (of course, that is the ONLY dimension that does).

Alden.....S..W..E..E..T!!!! C U @ Cquirt!

It does remind me a little of the Groove. It really is amazing how crazy some of these boats feel to paddle when you first get in them. The Groove felt that way. The Acrobat -- I didn't think things were going to work out between us at first.

But then you spend a little time in them and now, yeah, I could be talked into the Niagara Gorge in that thing. Yeah, if I was on camera.

Single blades and T grips,

Alden

Way cool Alden!
Do you know about how long is the boat now? Would love to see it up close and personal.
Mikey B

It's 9'1" long.

Alden