Wenonah Recon

bkebs · Post by **bkebs** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 2:42 pm

So as I am looking through the OR footage, I see Wenonah is coming out with a 13 foot c1. I am a huge Wenonah fan, and I can not wait to hear more about this boat. Any thoughts on the boat? I have to question the velcro outfitting. I wonder if it will hold?

I also find it interesting that they came out with a long boat, when everyone seems to be going shorter.

kaz · Post by **kaz** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 3:41 pm

Long? It's probably the shortest boat they make.

JKaz

Sir Adam · Post by **Sir Adam** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 3:46 pm

That was my thought too - Wenonah doesn't build slow boats:)

I think they are also building a boat where they think their market WILL be, not where the market appears to be NOW.

They build a really nice boat.

I'd rather have a Millbrook though (and for open boats I do have a Millbrook sitting here, as well as a Wenonah).

If Kaz started building flatwater race boats Wenonah would have some stiff competition.

Smurfwarrior · Post by **Smurfwarrior** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 4:12 pm

It looks solid in person, reminds me a little bit of a Outrage X (which Mad River also has on display here at the OR Show). The velcro adjustments are kinda neat, although the seat does seem like it wouldn't move under stress, the knee and ankle blocks look like they would shift a bit. The velcro would really help you find where you like your outfitting, prior to gluing it all down. It is a pretty boat.

bkebs · Post by **bkebs** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 5:55 pm

By long, I meant compared to other new WW boats being made, like the L'edge. Please understand, I am not knocking Wenonah. I have been paddling and loving them since dad put me in a canoe for the first time in 86.

Also, Wenonah makes a boat called the Wee Lass that is 12-6 if I recall correctly. However, it is an Adirondack style boat.

ezwater · Post by **ezwater** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 6:12 pm

A few of us long and heavy people are reluctant to go under 13 feet for a general purpose whitewater OC-1. I don't find that length limiting, even though most of my old-man paddling is technical hacking on class 2-3. My newest boat is a 13' Millbrook Edsel, formerly called the Big Boy until Kaz put the mold on the disabled list. It's as light and maneuverable as I could ever want, and very dry, though it does blow around a bit in crosswinds.

Sometime I'd like Kaz to say how short a boat would be optimum for slalom if there weren't a minimum length of 13 feet.

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 1:26 am

I've a feeling it's a much improved OutrageX

Keep in mind who Dana's father is... of MRC fame.

Twister... Outrage... OutrageX...

ezwater wrote:Sometime I'd like Kaz to say how short a boat would be optimum for slalom if there weren't a minimum length of 13 feet.

we have a forum just for that sort of ? now...

ACA OC Nat's doesn't have a 13' minimum any longer... the Inferno is 11'-ish... and I think John would say... well... what say you John?

I think 11-ish is ideal for ballz-out speed and manueverability in a slalom oriented boat.

kaz · Post by **kaz** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 12:02 pm

Yes, I think a slalom boat in the 11' range is ideal. It would still be able to maintain speed in the transitions, and still have enough volume to float most people.

Jkaz

philcanoe · Post by **philcanoe** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 12:19 pm

(yes another hijack - in progress)

A quick and dirty look from my last national's, comparing between a 13'2 boat and 10'7" length.... listed a 3 second difference in elapsed time favoring the longer boat. Which is practically the same for me, and likely to flip flop the other way. Plus - not only is this shorter one drier, it's also a lot more fun to paddle. Dooley had the same to the second run in the same two boats; however had a clean run in the shorter boat. In this one look I had two clean runs in the shorter, and one in the longer which is negligible. This was surely not a comprehensive look, but it's what I've noticed in general over several races in both speed and cleanliness.

Seems likely it might be more appropriate to match a paddler (and his weight) to the proper boat (volume) with regard to speed. Also these times might be biased toward the longer length boat, due to considerable familiarity with this hull. While we both had only limited time in shorter (10'7) canoe.

philcanoe · Post by **philcanoe** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 12:53 pm

As for the Recon - is that for reconnect??

Looks like it might make a good big water boat, and likely a good tripper for extended wilderness whitewater runs... of course without actually laying hands on one.

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 1:24 pm

but Phil... your fastest overall run was done in the shortest and heaviest boat you paddled... which is odd?

ncdavid · Post by **ncdavid** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 1:29 pm

philcanoe wrote:As for the Recon - is that for reconnect??

Looks like it might make a good big water boat, and likely a good tripper for extended wilderness whitewater runs... of course without actually laying hands on one.

I assumed it was for "Reconnaissance," which is sometimes abbreviated "Recon," mostly famously by the US Marines-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Sta ... nnaissance

pier · Post by **pier** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 1:31 pm

Thank u Kaz for your words"....and still have enough volume to float most people."

we want a kevlar spark for big boys

philcanoe · Post by **philcanoe** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 3:43 pm

Craig Smerda wrote:but Phil... your fastest overall run was done in the shortest and heaviest boat you paddled... which is odd?

oops

Was referring to 2008 and not 2010... how soon we forget. In that year old short and heavy, was around 15 seconds slower.

Being 2010 was a injury year and had just gotten back into any boat the preceding week before (after a wee shoulder tear at ALF)... I was simply happy to enjoy a race, albeit much less participate competitively. So you may wish to compare another persons events. There could also have been some (lack of) interaction with low ends (on a S'Fly) and super high gates at ASCI, causing a little shortening of the course in this class. In some gates that race made me feel as if in a C1.

Simply wanted to add that being shorter than 13'2, doesn't necessarily mean slower. Which also applies in the case of a Recon being 13 feet, as it doesn't always tell you a lot about handling. Proof will be in the paddling? It does look good... but how couldn't it.

philcanoe · Post by **philcanoe** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 3:45 pm

ncdavid wrote:
philcanoe wrote:As for the Recon - is that for reconnect??

Looks like it might make a good big water boat, and likely a good tripper for extended wilderness whitewater runs... of course without actually laying hands on one.
I assumed it was for "Reconnaissance," which is sometimes abbreviated "Recon," mostly famously by the US Marines-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Sta ... nnaissance

me too

was just word playing

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