C-Forum

I love my Prodigy Xs, but I'm thinking about getting a plastic creeker, though I'm not attracted to the tiny boats (Taureau, Ion, S. Fly, B'fly).

The L'Edge and the Octane1 are about the same weight (61# & 59#, respectively, except I would get the undecked L'Edge which should be lighter than the decked one), Length (9'2" & 8'11"), width (30" & 31") and depth (16" & 15 3/5"), but the L'Edge seems to cost US$250 more than the Octane1. I like a bright, highly visible boat, and the L'Edge seems to come in red (OK), and I could probably order an Octane1 in orange (good).

So: performance characteristics. It looks like the L'Edge should be faster and it looks like the Octane1 should be dryer (I'm not very excited about the idea of adding the weight of a bilge pump, even as light as they have become). I wonder if both boats are about equally stable and about equally maneuverable? I saw Harrison's thread about the ease of rolling the L'Edge, but no replies comparing (or contrasting) the Octane1. It seems like I would have a hard time arranging to demo each boat on the same creek or similar creeks at similar water levels.

Anyone who has paddled both, please give me comparative ratings on:
Speed
Maneuverability
Stability
Dryness
Ease of Rolling

Should I also be considering the Prelude? Looks faster and less stable, but Esquif says it's 10# lighter than the L'Edge or the Octane1. The light weight is a huge plus, unless the layup is too thin for creeking.

Thanks,

The L'Edge speed is faster than the Octane
Maneuverability - The L'Edge is more maneuveable, but the Octane is so stable I will do offside strokes in tight situations I might hesitate to do in other boats.
Stability- The OCtane is the most stable OC1 I have ever paddled standing, kneeling, or sitting on thwart. The L'Edge stability is excellent.
Dryness - both very dry
Ease of Rolling I am only an onside sometime roller, but I hand rolled the Octane and have found the L'Edge easy to onside roll

Richard- you should also consider the light L'Edge. It just came out in yellow and purple. My light L'Edge weighed 51 pounds and paddles much easier than the 61# model, less effort, glides over rocks. I have paddled it in big water and ELF and am very pleased.

I haven't paddled or even seen an Octane1 except in pictures and video. I have very briefly paddled a L'edge. So I'm not qualified to talk about either boat. I have paddled a Prelude for the last 4 years and it's pretty bomber. In fact, I just did a low-water creeky run of the Breitenbush (Oregon class IV river), where I boofed repeatedly and landed on rocks in some cases and as usual the boat came out just fine. I'm sure some day I'll crack it, but with over 50 days a year of paddling in it, I'm getting my money's worth. I was paddling with a friend who had a year-old L'edge the other day and he did a short boof off a ledge and lightly hit a rock and the boat cracked under the seat. This isn't that heavy of a guy either--180 or so--nor was the rock exposed--there was water running over it. I hit the same rock in the same way with the Prelude, no problem. Hate to say, but there still might be some issues with cracking L'edge hulls--though lots of people on this forum have had better luck. Maybe the new lighter ones will prove to be tougher.

Prelude is faster, spins great. Best for lighter paddlers (I'm 165 pounds). No initial stabilty and you should have good balance and loose hips to paddle one. Once you get a feel for it, they're highly responsive canoes and surf machines. Excellent secondary.

To see my wife launch her Prelude in the hole on Woo-Man Choo on the Breitenbush, tune to 1:18 on this video: http://youtu.be/z86ViWSVbQc. Keep watching to see a kayaker outdo her.

Demo! You're personal style will pick the boat. All 3 are fun boats. My $.01!

What year was the L'Edge that cracked made?
So far I have paddled 30 or so trips in my light L'Edge and not babied it- no problems. Boofed alot, low water runs.

Not sure on the L'edge's vintage according to the serial number plate, but I know my friend bought it new in mid- 2011. It was not a light PE one, but he bought it with factory wood gunwales, so it was the light version at the time. I don't want to knock the L'edge though--it's a good boat and if Preludes didn't exist, I'd fork over the cash for a L'edge or an Option in a heartbeat. Both would be fun boats and excellent for creeky stuff. But as long as Preludes are made, I'm a customer. In fact, I've got a spare stashed up in the garage rafters already. The Octane is a different story. I'd be more interested in the tandem version of that. And I'm super curious about the Ion.

If you know it s an older boat then it s not fair comment on the durability of the new ones.

I think you re the only person I ve heard call the prelude a surf machine. It s a round hull isn't it?

Had the same idea myself last summer. I also have and love my Prodigy X and decide to add a Ledge to the fleet. I think the Ledge is a great boat that easily handled my 215lbs and could carve and catch eddys like I had hoped. What I wasn't ready for was just how slow the boat would be compared to the Prodigy X. I expected slow but wasn't ready for how slow. My thought was to practice on local rivers which do contain a lot of flat water sections then take it to the type of water it was designed for. It became obvious after a while that I wasn't having much fun unless I was in really pushy water. Attainments are brutal compared to the Prodigy x which isn't a knock on the Ledge, just the wrong tool for the job. I really urge you to paddle the Ledge before you buy it. The type of water you have access to for most of your paddling will determine whether it becomes your go to boat or a garage queen. I'm probably going to let mine go because it just won't get the use I thought it would.

I just bought a L'edge Lite on Saturday, and after taking it out this afternoon at a play spot and doing some high volume ferries and running it intentionally over some small wave holes, etc. I have some opinions.

First, I am coming from a Viper 11. I really like that boat, and have kept it, but I don't know how long it will stay in my basement now.

I am 6-4; 205 - just for reference.

The Viper was a very wet boat for me - as expected, due to my weight; and I wanted something drier. Well, it appears as if I found it. The L'edge seemed very dry this evening. Even placing it in positions to try and fill it up didn't accomplish that goal - a good thing. It ferried extremely well, and the boat was comfortable with cross strokes and off-side ferry moves. I don't have any idea how it will boof or handle low volume stuff, but I have high hopes for good performance in that area.

The L'edge spun nicely, and it grabbed eddy lines crisply without feeling unstable.

My only reservation after the initial short paddle this evening was the roll. I could snap the Viper right up in just about any condition, but the L'edge is another story. I missed a couple rolls in the practice eddy tonight, and even my successful rolls were slow and not all that confidence inspiring. Maybe I just need to work on my technique, but it is something of note. It could be my knee position, too, as I set the Viper up with an extremely wide knee stance, and the L'edge feels closer together.

Overall, I count the first experience as a success, and I look forward to trying it on steeper, lower volume runs (you, know, actual runs - not just a play spot. Haha.).Thanks for reading my babbling. Carry on...

Steve

My light L'edge has held up since I got it in October. It is a much better boat than the original.

The original version is too heavy, so it is sluggish and feels like work to get moving.

The light L'edge is fun to rockspin, boof and surf. It is definitely faster and I have landed hard onto numerous rocks.

I have demo Esquif canoes available in WNC. Feel free to contact me to arrange a test run.

Chattooga Whitewater Outfitters and Diamond Brand just got the light ones in stock in my area.

The Light L'edges retail for $1,663 decked or $1,805 with wood trim.
The Solo BlackFly boats are listed at $1,550.

The Big Dog Force is only $1,150, but plan on replacing the outfitting. (Esquif's bulkhead saddle retails for $292, but does not include sidewalls).

Hope you enjoy whatever you choose.
Eli

I have only been in a L'Edge and Octane briefly, but here's my $.01 -

The L'Edge was plenty stable, very comfortable, familiar coming from a Spanish Fly, as fast as (or faster) you would expect a boat of its length to be. Vey dry and easy to roll. I wouldn't turn one down - a light one would be even better.

The Octane is silly stable. Stand up and dance stable. But... heaaaaavvvvvyyyy. It would make me shorter than open boating has already made me... It felt like a blunt instrument, not a precision tool.

But also :

Consider the Option - by comparison it was lighter, felt more nimble.

I tried a Big Dog briefly, too - would definitely like to spend more time in that - very confidence inspiring, too, even though I couldn't get all the way down on the seat.

It's great to have so many choices these days...

so i just got my l'edge lite. what a change in handling! much more responsive. and the thought of carrying it is not dreaded. mine has no gunwales or deck so i compensated for that by adding more very thin thwarts to keep airbags from bending gunwales on a hot day. will keep you posted on that idea:)
as for rolling. check out my video in my earlier post.
-it will seem harder because sides are higher than a viper and you roll up drier, so boat is floating higher.
paul

Hi Richard,

I think you would really like the L'Edge. You might as well go ahead and get the light one. I wonder how long they will be making the big old heavy dogs like mine, given all the bad mouthing people are giving that boat (after it was THE BOAT a couple of years ago)! I love it though it takes some muscle to move. So freaking stable and dry. Knowing you I think you would be most happy in the L'Edge Lite but I have not paddled the Octane (I had an Option and loved it, but I love the L'Edge more.)

Best of luck

Harrison

Steve, carve the foam so your knees are almost touching the sides. This makes the handling even better, and hip snaps with ease.