Silverbirch 10.5 thoughts

[Wendy]

Hey! I wanted to give some thoughts about my Silverbirch Covert 10.5. I bought it in March for overnights, trips out West, big water then had a boating accident in April so I am just getting back to boating. I will list the downside first: as a short older woman it is hard to carry and load, but a cart and the gracious help of many friends has taken care of that issue.
I have wanted a 10 foot boat for several years now as an older paddler some days you want a little more speed for fewer strokes. Of course one must understand I was paddling 4-6 days a week before my accident and now 3-4 days a week. The extra length with the splendid hull design give me the speed I missed in the Octane 91, but keeps a wonderful stability- primary and secondary. The boat surfs and carves like an old school boat, yet remains stable on boily eddy lines. You can punch or boof over waves. The boat is very dry. I did put in a pump because I chose not to install the sidewall foam. It only left 5 inches between saddle and sidewall, not enough for my needs, but I have put foam to reduce the cavernous areas. The boat is really well made with very nice finishing touches such as acorn nuts on the thwart bolts to protect bags and hands. I think this boat is a great option for larger paddlers who need a little more boat for trips, etc than the wonderful Octane 91.
Just my 2 cents.

[Einar]

Thanks Wendy.
Did you paddle the 9.3 Covert ?
Some boat designs change a lot over one foot extra, just wondering about handling difference.
Speed over length and buoyancy over volume are givens, just wondering about carve and edge to edge roll rate and ?
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[Wendy]

9.3 compared to 10.5 The 9.3 is more agile as a smaller lighter boat and had less primary stability. They both attain well and have wonderful secondary stability. I have a Superlite L'Edge so don't need the 9.3, but it is a great boat. They made the 10.5 as a tandem but it fills a niche for the larger and/ or taller paddler especially if they paddle bigger water or overnighters.

[Paddle Power]

to overnight whitewater trips.

[cbates]

Hello Wendy
Thanks for always sharing your great input on boats. Wondered If you had paddled the hou canoes drop zone and if so how it compared to the octane 91? Thanks

[Wendy]

Dropzone compared to Octane 91:
I owned a Dropzone and sold it and have had the 91. The Dropzone is faster, feels wider, not as much primary stability, but a very playful, yet stable secondary that for creeking makes you giggle as you splat, smear, and boof. It is like a big Ion in it's creeking, but because it is longer can ferry with ease. For myself, as a short person with short arms, I had a hard time picking up and dumping the boat. The DZ is so wide, but does not have defined gunnels to grab. The Octane 91 is my preferred boat, but if I was younger, taller and creeking a lot I would still own the DZ. It is a fun boat.

[Mayberry]

Thank you for this. I am a novice paddler and enjoy my Genesis as my beginner boat and will never get rid of it since it is a fantastic boat to trip in. At 230lbs and looking for something more advanced and nimble but not wanting to feel squeezed or less buoyant I am thinking the Covert 10.5 or Condor. I hope to try both next spring. I plan to come stateside since we don’t have many Silverbirch or Blackfly boats here.

[Paddle Power]

Did you see this recent thread topic? It’s probably relevant.
https://cboats.net/cforum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7970726

[Wendy]

Yes, check out the link above. For a playful buyount boat the Octane 91 is fabulous. I am short and did not enjoy the Condor. It seems to need more height/longer arms than 5'4' to turn easily.