C-Forum

interested to hear opinions on a good big water ( new, gauley etc..) canoe. mostly paddle low and medium volume stuff but do like some bigger water on occasion. thanks

ps. have always paddled sub 10 ft boats if that makes a difference

Based on my experience on some of the more mature rivers over here in spate (the Tees at around 9000 cfs sticks out) I'd be happy to reccomend the Prelude.

If you don't mind something less traditional, you wouldn'tgo far wrong with the Big-Dog Force Turret either, Though I've not had it on quite the same volume as the Prelude, so I wouldn't say that with the same certainty.

with all you people with opinions there has to be some on this subject...

I had the most fun paddling an Ocoee in big water.

Esquif Nitro...11.5 feet. Slow hull, runs fairly dry in the big wave trains. Great big water boat but I mostly paddle mine on low volume stuff. Looking to take it on the big stuff soon.

My Millbrook Big Boy was designed for and used on the Grand Canyon. But at 13' long and 17" deep, it is more boat than you'd want to manage, and being a composite boat, it needs a repair now and then.

Anyway, you'd have to buy the slightly smaller Defiant, because Kaz has withdrawn the Big Boy from the Millbrook line for some reason. Edselization I guess.

or longer is fast enough to move around easily on big water. Of course for old schoolers there is the ultimate big water boat, the Whitesell.

I paddle the New Gorge many times during the year and the LG at least once a year, Noli and FB at higer levels.
The Nitro is a great all-around boat that does great for low volume and big water. The Detonator does well to a little wetter. I paddle a Prophet it does very well on big water. If you can try a different boats and see which one works. I prefer the boat I paddle most often, if you paddle Prelude most of the time than chances are that might work the best for you in big water. Good Luck and have Fun.

I know a couple people that love their old Whitesells, must be dry enough too cause they still bail with an old bleach bottle

I guess it would just depend on how big big is WVA New and Gauley are big but not big enough for a special boat. What ever you creek in will handle these runs fine. Nut if I were looking for a do it all boat the Viper 12 is my choice. It creeks good and handles the BIG stuf great. It has the manuverabily to miss the holes and the hull speed to but through the ones you cant miss.

Hey Joshua, I see you have tried the Big Dog Force Turret. Is it / will it be produced and sold somewhere? I'm really looking forward to this boat!

Hey Jerm

The Big Dog Force OC1 is still on the way, and will be going into production soon here in the UK.

It will then be available all over Europe and the North American continent.

I would look towards the end of the year for when it comes online.

I'll get some proper updates on here soon about the Force and the Kaos OC1 playboat (which has had a little bit of a recent revamp).

Well, times have changed and what is big now would have been considered small back then.

Depends on "how big is big", I guess.

In addition to the Whitesell Piranha, the slightly smaller Whitesell Descender might be considered.

Some other big WW OC-1s would be the Dagger Caper and Dagger (now Mad River) Caption (outfitted solo).

The Dagger Encore might be considered.

By today's standards, the Viper 12 (or Probe 12) would be considered big.

i wouldn't put my nitro on the gauley period.it is a chalenging ocoee river boat. the noli up to 2800 cfs. i just type this stuff to maybe save someone's live. what have we all got one life left out of 9 , or no? ANSWER ME THIS IS MULTIPLE CHOICE~

I like the Prelude in big water. It bobs like a duck and there's less boat to protect from getting rolled. It accelerates reasonably well to avoid holes and turns instantly when you want it to.

On the other hand, I've also used a Dagger Genesis in big water, particularly on river trips. Excellent canoe for big water, Fast, but with lots of rocker. I would guess the Dagger Encore would be a good big water boat as well.