C-Forum

I'm thinking of purchasing a new boat for fun and perhaps regional races, i.e., NESS, and would appreciate hearing impressions and/or comparisons of these Vajda boats: MM Max; One; iScream.

Any impressions and/or comparisons would be appreciated. Paddler weight about 65kg.

Thanks!

Just some thoughts about 2 of the boats from what I read and have heard (I have paddled neither). Anything built for Michel Martikan is going to feel tippy as his boats are not built with stability in mind. The iScream should be a larger volume boat which will make it more stable/easier to balance and paddle. Better stability may affect acceleration/top speed, but if you paddle like me, I can only get speed if I am balanced in the boat.

Hopefully, others have better input than me.

KNeal wrote:Just some thoughts about 2 of the boats from what I read and have heard (I have paddled neither). Anything built for Michel Martikan is going to feel tippy as his boats are not built with stability in mind. The iScream should be a larger volume boat which will make it more stable/easier to balance and paddle. Better stability may affect acceleration/top speed, but if you paddle like me, I can only get speed if I am balanced in the boat.

Hopefully, others have better input than me.

My slalom C1 is super-stable (because of the relatively flat hull) but is very edgy and not easy to paddle in nasty water. On the other hand, my cruising design (the Hornet) has a very round bottom and is somewhat tippy, but will almost never bite me. I haven't paddled any of the new designs extensively, but their feel seems to be in between my slalom boat and the Hornet. I think that most people could get used to something like that very quickly.

Thanks for this information. The last boat I raced extensively was an Ultramax, which was quite stable. I'm fine with more rounded hulls, as long as they don't require the balance demanded by my old wildwater C1. It sounds like any of the newer boats should be fine, although I have heard that the One and MM Max require more attention entering upstreams, so as not to catch an edge. Any additional comments would be welcome. Thanks!

I can only compare an old Maverick with my new iScream, and bear in mind that I weigh about 115kg at present so have an XXL iScream, whilst the Maverick would have been cut for less than 80kg (it wasn't a +).

The Maverick was a nightmare in almost every respect, it's also a 4m design.

The iScream doesn't have winglets so carries the width throughout making it much more stable which means I have more confidence to set either edge, in the Maverick setting offside edge made me nervous. Of course that also means I am more confident to edge into cross bow rudder style moves.
To add to the feel of stability, the cockpit opening is much bigger, so I can spread my knees wider apart which gives better control, and allows me to use a 100mm (4") seat for the first time.

In the iScream I can finally paddle continuously (after getting started) on just the onside using slight offside edge (sharp turns to offside need a coupe of cross bow strokes to straighten out after). Interestingly the UK distributor normally paddles iScream now but also has a One and tells me that he finds the One will track straight best when paddled flat.

Due to almost all slalom paddlers being at least 35kg lighter than myself I wasn't able to try all the different designs, I seem to recall the One can't even be made big enough for me, but the MMmax or MMmax II probably could have been, but tracking one down was unfeasible. In fact, I chose the iScream based on trying the distributors boat which is a size L and right away it felt so much easier to paddle than the old Maverick.

I haven't been paddling slalom C1 seriously for very long (about 8 months, although I first dabbled over 20 years ago) and I'm still racing on virtually flat water and getting beaten by kids so I don't have that much experience with it in proper rapids, but I'm sure it will look after me pretty well.

I have a Vajda Nerius professionally cut down to new specs in Chapel Hill, NC for $500. Excelent shape.

cheajack wrote:I have a Vajda Nerius professionally cut down to new specs in Chapel Hill, NC for $500. Excelent shape.

Thanks for the offer. I'm going to hold out for a more recent new or used boat. You may want to consider posting under Boats and Gear For Sale. Good luck!

I finally had a chance to paddle a modern 3.5 m c-1 (Vajda Scream). I was amazed at effortless the transition from my cut down Estanguet was, and how much more fun the modern design is. I am 165lb/75 kg, and don't know if I was in a medium or large, but my guess is that any of the modern designs would be an easy transition -- assuming you are comfortable with a 3-4" saddle. The Scream was if anything more stable and forgiving than my current boat, which makes me curious about the Martikan designs....edg

GBaum,

If you are going to the Blackwater this weekend, there should be a couple of new designs to try out, including my hybrid (which I suspect is more appropriate for easy local races).

Thanks, Bob. I didn't make it to the Blackwater, this weekend. Any comparative observations on the newer designs there? Also, I took a look at your CSX (hybrid) photos and videos. Is this a boat that Millbrook (Kaz) is able to make, if I'm interested in going that route?

Ilya Stein borrowed the boat at the Blackwater and finished 2nd, so it couldn't be too bad.

Kaz doesn't want to do closed boats any more (fume-wise inside seaming), but he may be persuaded to make the two halves. I also have angles that can be bonded in so that the inside seaming work can be pretty minimal. That's how I did mine, mostly because the last 18" of stern is basically impossible to get to.

I got a Scream a few years ago - I had been off the water for many years - my previous slalom boat was a Zealot - I'm a bit bigger than you - 200 lbs, but a Scream xl is about perfect for me. There was a bit of transition to more of a "cab forward" paddling technique for the modern boat, but overall a great experience. I haven't been in any of the Martikan designs - He is so much smaller and likes his boats very narrow...

Thanks, everyone, for all of your great comments and insights--very helpful! Sounds like the iScream is most likely the way for me to go. Let me know if anyone gets to see or try a Connect Kayaks Piola, as well. Thanks, again!