Prelude versus a Bell Ocoee Comparison Request

[AJ]

I have looked through a few old posts on the forum, but can anyone give me a more direct paddling comparison of the Prelude to a Bell Ocoee?

After switching from an Outrage that I paddled for 4 years to a Bell Ocoee at the beginning of last year, I experienced a tough Ocoee learning curve, which equated into swims and a general loss in confidence in paddling the Ocoee.

I had a tough time getting the feel of the Ocoee's hard chine, especially on my off side. So towards the end of last season, I decided to lower my Mohawk saddle at the expense of my knees and I widen the saddle at the knees. This made a world of difference. My center of gravity was lower and my knees where closer to the chine. These changes really improved the handing of the Ocoee. I finally feel comfortable being on edge on either side and have regained my confidence in my paddling abilities, shew!

With the saddle changes as well as changes in my paddling style, more up front and trying to get rid of a rudder/back end prys, which will absolutely kill your momentum in an Ocoee, I feel that I am a better paddler today, but it was rough getting to this point.

So now my Ocoee is showing quite a bit wear and I had to put on skid plates. My Ocoee has vinyl gunwhales. It seems a lot heavier then my old Outrage with wood gunwhales, which makes it seem so much slower. I realize the hull shapes have a lot to do with this. I have only paddled the Ocoee once sence installing the skid plates and it was on high pushy water. Not sure, if the skid plates will make it feel slower yet? I need to paddle it a few more times.

The plus side to the hard chine, shorter Ocoee versus the Outrage is that is turns quick, its more menuvearable, and it catches small eddies.

So after all of that, how does the Prelude paddle compared to the Ocoee?

I am 5'9" 185lbs, am I too big for this boat?

Is it is anything like a Phantom? If so, I do not think I would like it?

From the specs, I know the Prelude is shorter 9'6"/11'2" and possibly lighter after outfitting, 48lbs outfitted/43lbs no outfitting?

I think the hull is a different shape then the Ocoee? Is it faster, Dryer, more forgiving?

Can you get the Prelude with wood gunwhales?

It appears the Prelude plastic hold up better then Royalex?

Finally, I was reading about the saddle height in a few posts. My old tele knees can't take a saddle much lower then 8". Will an 8" saddle work in this boat or is that too high?

Please share anything else that you think is important in considering this boat and thank you for your information.

Thanks,

AJ

[Louie]

phanmton, except the ovilation, talk to Dooley he ahs paddle the prelude a lot and the old (better) Ocoee's. I never gave the prelude a chance, but I think you have a little of a learnin curve with it too.

[the great gonzo]

The Prelude is quite a bit different from the Ocoee.
Slower, but quite a bit more maneuvrable, due to the reduced length and increased rocker.
Due to the more rounded bottom and chine it is also less edgy, but at the same time it has less primary stability, it will feel 'wobbly' when you first get in it. It has great secondary stability however, i.e. it's very stable on edge.
Stability does not change much when you are takeing on water.

You can't get it with wood gunwhales, vinyl only.

The PE hull is an order of magnitude more resistant than the current crop of Royalex.

An 8 inch saddle should work, that's what I am using.

As far as size is concerned you are o.k., I am ~190-195 lbs and 6'1" and I am fine, I don't feel like I am too big for the boat.

It's not a light boat, I think it's about the same as an Ocoee.

The Prelude is most at home on creeks, it is extremely maneuvrable, fits in every eddy, boofs very nicely and punches holes surprisingly well. It does also well in big water, rides the waves ncely and is still fairly sable and maneuvrable even when full of water.

If you like to paddle more slalom style and the rivers you paddle are not too shallow and hard on a boat, the Ocoee is a god choice.

If you like steep and shallow rivers and creeks, the Prelude is better.

In big water they are about the same IMHO.

They are both boats that people either love or hate. I like the Ocoee, too, but for my paddling style I have to this date not yet found an open boat that I like better than my Prelude.

martn a.k.a. the great gonzo!

[swisscanoeist]

HI AJ
I can't tell you about the Ocoee I paddled it just once to compare it with the Mohawk Viper 11, years ago.
I bought the Viper, and used it a lot for a couple of years until
it wore out. I got a lot of confidence in the Viper. But after it was gone, I had to look for an other boat. Than I bought a Prelude.
I hate the Prelude. Some days it worked quite well and on other occasions I felt like a beginner.
After the Prelude got a big hole, I purchased the Spanish Fly, with is much more stable and for me also more predictable.
Now I just used the Robson Homes on witewater class VI low water for the first time.
The Homes is carving into the eddies from alone. I'm surprised, it does it easier then the Spanish Fly. I'm wondering, what will happen in bigger water with the Homes. Don't like the Fly in bigger stuff.
Could just handle the Viper, there.
I hope I get the Viper Feeling back in the Robson. Though, it is much shorter and narrower.

Hugo

[cbcboat]

Swisscanoeist, do you really paddle class VI or did you mean class IV. A far as the Ocoee to Prelude comparison it is like apples to oranges. Totally different boats, almost 2' length differences makes a big difference. I paddle the Ocoee and like it. I paddlede the Prelude a little bit a few years ago and it is pretty fun but much slower and I thought a little harder to roll. try them both out on the same run and you will know which one you like best. Good luck

[swisscanoeist]

I paddle for fun, not to loose my life.
Class IV ist Class 4

Sorry
Hugo

[kmcinturff]

I own a Prelude and have paddled a friend's Ocoee. I love my Prelude - it is very "squirrelly" at first, but once you get used to it - it is fine. I will never own a solo royalex boat again - my Prelude is 2 years old and (knock on wood) has no holes, patches, etc. In retrospect, my friend's Ocoee is so thin at the edges that you can easily press the plastic in with one finger. He has duct tape and epoxy all over the place. The Prelude is actually a heavy boat, for its size. If it were the same size as an Ocoee, it would be a beast, but since it is smaller, I think they are about the same. The Prelude does great full of water - the stability does not seem to be affected - which is a huge plus for me. The Ocoee seems faster to me, but the Prelude seems better at getting in holes and doing spins and side surfing. The Ocoee can front surf a bigger wave without plowing the nose under - but again I have only been in an Ocoee a couple of times. My boat is great for low flow exploratory runs down rock filled creeks. It does pretty good on bigger volume runs as well.

Kevin

[Dooleyoc-1]

I paddle the Prelude as primary boat in the southeast an the Ocoee as my primary boat in Colorado. If you live in Colorado you probably won't like the prelude as it is slower and wetter than the ocoee.

The prelude is a better boat for steep creekin but there isn't too much of that to be had in Colorado that isn't V+ and un-openboatable. The creek runs that I've done in Colorado (Fish Creek, Spencer Heights of the Poudre etc...) are still "high volume" by southeast standards and are more suited for an Ocoee.

All that said, the Prelude is my favorite boat and definitely worth trying. Also, I put wood gunnels on mine to make it more look like a traditional open boat and to lighten up too.

[cheajack]

The Ocoee is much faster than a Prelude and the primary stability far exceeds the Prelude, hence making the Prelude easier to paddle full of water which it is most of the time. Afterall, the Prelude is a Savage Skeeter with gunnels and conventional deck plates.