Robson

riverrat406 · Post by **riverrat406** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 11:12 pm

Does anyone know if Robson USA is still around? I really want to try a CU-FLY and can't seem to get in touch with either Robson USA or Robson in Europe. What up with that?

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 12:31 am

I used to be in close contact with all of the Robson folks but I don't know of anyone dealing in their products in North America currently.

FWIW though... there's been a couple CU's in the for sale section here in the past two months for under $400 which is dirt cheap and the majority of these boats never saw much abuse.

So... use the advanced search button and take a trip to the classifieds and get one affordably.

http://www.cboats.net/cforum/search.php
click Boats and Gear For Sale
then enter Robson into the search function

The CU is a fun boat especially on a wave... but with that being said... you'll find better overall performance from a Blackfly play OC1 which won't be under $400 used. Either way... welcome to the weird side.

Pierre LaPaddelle · Post by **Pierre LaPaddelle** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 3:00 am

Craig Smerda wrote:I used to be in close contact with all of the Robson folks but I don't know of anyone dealing in their products in North America currently.

The CU is a fun boat especially on a wave... but with that being said... you'll find better overall performance from a Blackfly play OC1.

Either way... welcome to the weird side.

Last fall, when I was interested in demo'ing a Fink, I contacted the Robson folks' head office. They confirmed there were no longer any Robson dealers in North America -- too pricy for us to import their products.

CRAIG -- thanks for your comments on CU-Fly vs Blackfly-Fly. I recall this question has come up in earlier threads, but I would be grateful for a refresher:

For those of us who are noobs, and who wish to progress to the 'weird side' (AKA playboating,) how do the existing choices stack up: CU Fly, Blackfly, Salsa, Wheelboy, Pagan, assorted K-conversions. . .

Dunno about riverrat, but I'm around 160#, and comfortable front-surfing small Class I waves (despite comments from other paddlers that I look like a bear-cub making love to a football.)

Thanks in anticipation! Pls chime in, folks!

Rick

Shep · Post by **Shep** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 1:47 pm

I did not spend a ton of time in my CUFly before selling it, but I was definitely frustrated with it's crazy-slicey ends trying to surf it. I also believe that I may have been suffering from being too far forward to properly engage the bulkhead. I not have tried any other boats, but I believe a good K-conversion might be a little less frustrating while you are trying to get the outfitting tuned sine the weight will stay consistent by not filling with water. It also might have heped if I were able to work with an experienced OC-rodeoer. I think an Ion would probably be the best OC rodeo boat in the world to learn on your own, due to the traditional bow and stern shape, and modern hull design for spins, etc...

HTH,
Shep

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 3:42 pm

Pierre LaPaddelle wrote:CRAIG -- thanks for your comments on CU-Fly vs Blackfly-Fly. I recall this question has come up in earlier threads, but I would be grateful for a refresher:

For those of us who are noobs, and who wish to progress to the 'weird side' (AKA playboating,) how do the existing choices stack up: CU Fly, Salsa, Blackfly...

Rick

Each boat is another step forward...

The CUFly (plastic) performs well on a wave but I don't feel it's a great hole boat in comparison to the others due to it's overall width, boxy cockpit and low ends. What it does have is a wide flat planing hull... way faster on a wave than one might think just looking at it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmCryHPb2po

The Salsa (glass boat) is the first OC I saw perform truly effortless multi-linked cartwheels in and it bounces well on a big-wave. This boat paddles very similar to a K1 conversion. See Bus-Eater worlds.

http://www.chasingrain.com/video/OC-1finals.mov
http://www.chasingrain.com/video/Worlds-OC-1.mov
http://www.chasingrain.com/video/buseaterOC-1.mov

Lastly... the Blackfly... Jeremy won the Worlds in this boat and went into production in plastic... by all accounts it's a great open play canoe and if I had to pick one of these three right now... it'd be a Blackfly hands down. Why? I think for most people on most average waves and most average holes... Jeremy's boat will give most people the best overall performance and fun.

http://www.blackflycanoes.com/

Also in the running... Big Dog Kaos (glass boat) although I've never seen one in person. We'll see how it does this coming week at the Worlds I reckon. There's only one of these in North America... and I hope the thief meets a fiery fate.

http://www.cboats.net/cforum/viewtopic. ... 34d7455f90

I'm not going to bother talking about conversions... there's like 46,867 kayaks out there to convert... and no two are ever even close to the same for everyone.

TheKrikkitWars · Post by **TheKrikkitWars** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 6:18 pm

Craig Smerda wrote:I'm not going to bother talking about conversions... there's like 46,867 kayaks out there to convert... and no two are ever even close to the same for everyone.

I'll add a colloary; A C1 convertion will most likely paddle better and be easier to learn in than any OC1...

An OC1 convertion; will most likely fail to impress you; as they're all too narrow to deliver the stability and buoyancy required to cope with water ingress making them flushy, with low seating positions that combined with the 40cm (15") regulation sidewall height, make them a bitch to roll.
There's a reason why Chris's orginal Astro convertion has fallen into disuse...

If I was buying an OC1 playboat now (I'm not, I don't have the cash) I'd go Blackfly... the Kaos OC1 (MkIII, not the MkI that Eli had) looks like it could rival the Blackfly for performance; but as far as I'm aware it'll remain composite only for the forseeable future, which in my book is a no-no.

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 6:21 pm

TheKrikkitWars wrote:
Craig Smerda wrote:I'm not going to bother talking about conversions... there's like 46,867 kayaks out there to convert... and no two are ever even close to the same for everyone.
I'll add a colloary; A C1 convertion will most likely paddle better and be easier to learn in than any OC1...

if you don't mind wearing a skirt and paddling a kayak that is...

TheKrikkitWars · Post by **TheKrikkitWars** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 6:24 pm

Craig Smerda wrote:
TheKrikkitWars wrote:
Craig Smerda wrote:I'm not going to bother talking about conversions... there's like 46,867 kayaks out there to convert... and no two are ever even close to the same for everyone.
I'll add a colloary; A C1 convertion will most likely paddle better and be easier to learn in than any OC1...
if you don't mind wearing a skirt and paddling a kayak that is...

From the man who's taking the open out of open canoe that's rich!

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 6:33 pm

TheKrikkitWars wrote:
Craig Smerda wrote:
TheKrikkitWars wrote: I'll add a colloary; A C1 convertion will most likely paddle better and be easier to learn in than any OC1...
if you don't mind wearing a skirt and paddling a kayak that is...
From the man who's taking the open out of open canoe that's rich!

The decks were a ((((bonus))))) as part of the original design... funny thing that rotomolding.

Until I see someone put a skirt on it...

Pierre LaPaddelle · Post by **Pierre LaPaddelle** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 8:47 pm

Craig Smerda wrote:. . .if you don't mind wearing a skirt and paddling a kayak that is...

Hey -- some of my best friends wear skirts! (But enough about my private life -- let's talk paddling. . .)

SHEP and KRIKKIT -- thanks for the input. I appreciate the insights.

CRAIG -- thank you for the run-down. I tend to agree that 'each boat is a step forward' -- the technology has improved immensely over the years, though there are lots of boaters who still swear by some of the tried-and-true old school designs.

The more I see (and hear about) the Blackfly, the more I yearn to try one.

Y'all make sure you let me know if a good used one comes up -- especially in the western half of the continent!

Rick

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 9:16 pm

Pierre LaPaddelle wrote:Y'all make sure you let me know if a good used one comes up -- especially in the western half of the continent!

Rick

There was one for sale (Craigslist) in Anchorage Alaska on May 6th... not sure if it was sold or who's it is/was... but how many can there really be in Anchorage Alaska???

riverrat406 · Post by **riverrat406** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 11:27 pm

Its tough

I have a lot of boat building skills and little space to use them, eventually i will just start experimenting with my own composite designs (much like it sounds Blackfly did), For now i stick with paddles (they take less space to mold and shape). Having little $$ and splitting time between K-1 instructing and goofing off OC-1 and C-1 it seems the savvy consumer in me wants to continue converting kayaks, but dam it doesn't seem right, a canoe is supposed to be open!

Anyone have $100,000 a teleporter and a magic rain cloud you can control? Oh and jet packs, got to have jet packs.

Seriously thanks for the info all.

Pierre LaPaddelle · Post by **Pierre LaPaddelle** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 6:50 am

riverrat406 wrote:Seriously thanks for the info all.

Ah. . . Well, ahem. . . Yass. . .

Actually, we did tend to hijack the thread somewhat, though not enough to arouse the ire of the Let's-Keep-It-On-Topic Police.

Truth to tell, I did respond to some of the ads for CU Flys (Flies?), but geographic issues prevented me from scoring one for my quiver. Therefore, riverrat, if you ever get your hands on one, I'd be grateful, if you would post your impressions.

Good luck with your search.

Rick

riverrat406 · Post by **riverrat406** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 12:57 pm

All forums go a off topic, that's why there fun. Its a lot like boating, it gets really spicy when you start to get a little off line.