Hey All,
I don't want to conitnue to bring the same topics back to the board but I havve niot been able to find anything used and am considering buying new. So if this happens I want to make sure I get the right boat.
The Prelude. I have read lots on it and it seems sweet. Does anyone know if it ferries well or at all? As well how tippy is this? Lets compare it to say a Rival or and Ocoee.
The Zoom. A new boat. Anyone know anything. Is it as slow as the Detinator? How does it role? How would one compare it to say the Ocoee and the Prelude.
Any help is great.
Happy Paddling
Zoom and Prelude
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DJ
Hi Dave,
I have a Prelude and like it a lot but I have altered it a lot. As it comes it is very round and narrow on bottom which makes it very rolly from side to side. Being an Ocoee fan I decided to make it more like one. Before out fitting I flattened the bottom, pulled in the gunnells 1 5/8" , and replaced the vinyl gunnels with ash, then installed the stock outfitting. The boat now handles like a mini Ocoee. More stable, very snappy into eddys, and fairly fast (for a 9' canoe) A friend has a Detonator and my Prelude is noticably faster. I never saw a Zoom so I can't compare. Dennis
I have a Prelude and like it a lot but I have altered it a lot. As it comes it is very round and narrow on bottom which makes it very rolly from side to side. Being an Ocoee fan I decided to make it more like one. Before out fitting I flattened the bottom, pulled in the gunnells 1 5/8" , and replaced the vinyl gunnels with ash, then installed the stock outfitting. The boat now handles like a mini Ocoee. More stable, very snappy into eddys, and fairly fast (for a 9' canoe) A friend has a Detonator and my Prelude is noticably faster. I never saw a Zoom so I can't compare. Dennis
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Guest
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Paddle Power
- C Maven
- Posts: 1041
- Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2002 2:18 am
- Location: Manitoba, Canada
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Prelude Paddlers
Where about do you Prelude boaters paddle?
I have never seen a Prelude in real life but I think it would be a very interesting canoe.
Do you know of any used Preludes for sale?
I have never seen a Prelude in real life but I think it would be a very interesting canoe.
Do you know of any used Preludes for sale?
Brian
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http://www.JohnstonPursuits.ca" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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DJ
Part of the roundnes comes from the stock saddle being to tall where it contacts the thwarts. This pushes the center out round. Cut about 1/2 to 3/4 " off the top and the center will start to come back in. Working from one end to the other hang a heat lamp inside about gunnel high till hot (15 - 30 min) Apply down pressure till cool. I did this by placing a 2 x 4 across the gunnels and wedging another one from this up to the ceiling of my basement. This will flatten about 2' at a time. I would leave it under pressure over night. The boat is still a little tippy, but much better. BTW I am in Missouri. I don't know of any Preludes for sale but I have a Skeeter I,m thinking of selling. Dennis
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Guest
From what I understand, the Zoom is kind of a next generation Phantom. I haven't been in one yet, but people who have paddled it say it has a somewhat rounded hull, and doesn't have the same hrad chines and planing surface as the Detonator, Blast, etc.
I was paddling a Prelude last year that had a very flat bottom - in a lot of ways, the Prelude has the same underwater shape as a Skeeter. Very similar rocker and hull shape, but my Skeeter had a very round bottom - I was told this came from a miscalculation at Savage when they were molding the boats. I found the Prelude to have harder edges than the Skeeter and to surf better. Also, it's a drier boat. It is a very narrow boat, however. I would think if you like the Ocoee or Skeeter you would like the Prelude. If you are more in the Rival/Phantom camp, check out the Zoom.
My guess is the Zoom will carve turns better than the Prelude and probably hold whatever hull speed a 9' boat is capable of maintaining better than the Prelude does. You should be able to use the edges a lot more on a Prelude - it will probably plane better than the Zoom and be way more responsive to outside tilt. I'm hard on my toys, so I like the fact tht the Prelude is rotomolded - I have an Esquif Blast for tandem paddling and find I have to be pretty gentle with Royalex.
I got my new Prelude yesterday - the ice is just coming out in our rivers now, so I should get it outfitted soon and have a better idea how it really handles.
Good luck with choosing your boat.
Martyn
I was paddling a Prelude last year that had a very flat bottom - in a lot of ways, the Prelude has the same underwater shape as a Skeeter. Very similar rocker and hull shape, but my Skeeter had a very round bottom - I was told this came from a miscalculation at Savage when they were molding the boats. I found the Prelude to have harder edges than the Skeeter and to surf better. Also, it's a drier boat. It is a very narrow boat, however. I would think if you like the Ocoee or Skeeter you would like the Prelude. If you are more in the Rival/Phantom camp, check out the Zoom.
My guess is the Zoom will carve turns better than the Prelude and probably hold whatever hull speed a 9' boat is capable of maintaining better than the Prelude does. You should be able to use the edges a lot more on a Prelude - it will probably plane better than the Zoom and be way more responsive to outside tilt. I'm hard on my toys, so I like the fact tht the Prelude is rotomolded - I have an Esquif Blast for tandem paddling and find I have to be pretty gentle with Royalex.
I got my new Prelude yesterday - the ice is just coming out in our rivers now, so I should get it outfitted soon and have a better idea how it really handles.
Good luck with choosing your boat.
Martyn
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Craig Smerda
- L'Edge Designer
- Posts: 2815
- Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2002 3:59 am
- Location: WaUSAu Wisconsin USA North America Earth, etc.
..since I and others in the past have posted info on the Prelude til we where blue in the fingers I won't add any more but will remind you of one missed point. Which boat will outlast the other, and how will you use it? If you aren't into buying a new boat every year or two the choice should be obvious. Esquif makes some good boats and they are trying "many" new ideas so don't be discouraged by this...just keep it in mind.
Craig
Craig