Quake v Skeeter v Spanish Fly

oopsiflipped · Post by **oopsiflipped** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 2:26 pm

How does the Quake compare to the other two? I'd never seen one befroe GAF. It looks intersesting. Is it dry? Seems like it might be a fun creeker.

Louie · Post by **Louie** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 2:29 pm

wettest boat you'll ever be in, slowest, but rolls like a dream. I have a version 4 which is 3" shorter than the final production model full outfitted and you can use it if you like.

sdbrassfield · Post by **sdbrassfield** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 10:29 pm

I love my Quake and it is a wet ride for sure. I have mine setup w/ a 1600 gph bilge which negates alotta that. It is whole alotta fun. Or shall I say hole lotta fun. It is a Hole surfer/magnet just like the other two.

I paddled the Skeeter once and it seemed about the same as far as wettness and may have been a tad faster. I paddled a Sfly this year at GAF on friday and it definitely is dryer (taller) but was not any faster...

pdown2 · Post by **pdown2** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 10:35 pm

I agree it is a slow boat but its hands down the best canoe I've ever paddled. Had mine for a season and plan on having it until the hull wears completely out.

Never paddled a Skeeter but I did paddle a Spanish Fly. The Fly was much more of a playboat, in my opinion, and my Quake just felt better to me.....I'm sure people with a Fly will 100% disagree. I'd say if you want a playboat get a Fly but if you want to creek get a Quake.

If you paddle a Quake in the winter get some hydroskin pants and a pair of drypants to go with your drytop because you stay wet.

Roger · Post by **Roger** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 11:02 pm

sdbrassfield wrote:I love my Quake and it is a wet ride for sure. I have mine setup w/ a 1600 gph bilge which negates alotta that. It is whole alotta fun. Or shall I say hole lotta fun. It is a Hole surfer/magnet just like the other two.

I paddled the Skeeter once and it seemed about the same as far as wettness and may have been a tad faster. I paddled a Sfly this year at GAF on friday and it definitely is dryer (taller) but was not any faster...

How did you run your discharge hose to and did you put in a thru-hull?

My wife has one and I thought about putting a pump in due to its wetness.

Me, I got a Taureau!

Nessmuk · Post by **Nessmuk** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 2:03 am

It's good to know other folks find the Quake to be wet; I thought it was just me.

To displace water in the cockpit, I got rid of the stock outfitting (with it's small saddle) and put in a full-length "thwart to thwart" saddle (with a Mohawk thigh strap), and added some minicell to the sides.

I've also been experimenting with a deck over the front float bags. I took an old minicell sleeping pad, cut it to fit, and lashed it in under the "lip" on top of the front bag.

The deck has made it a lot drier, and the outfitting changes have made it a lot more manageble when it does get filled up.

I'm thinking about doing it up a little more professionally- replacing the old sleeping pad with some rigid plastic sheeting, and adding a "water diverter".

And I agree, it is a fun boat. Who needs a Tareau?

sdbrassfield · Post by **sdbrassfield** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 3:10 am

Roger,

I debated drilling and ended up not going thru the hull w/ mine.

I have the pump built into the back of the saddle about 1/2 exposed for water pickup, 1 1/4" discharge hose goes under the rear bag and up and over the side w/ a pvc elbow. The inflated bag holds the discharge hose and elbow in place nicely. The boat is fully bagged up to front and back of the saddle and the switch and battery is located in the front of the saddle so it can be turned on easily when needed. My 1600 gph pump will pump a brimming full boat (w/ me in it) dry in about 60 seconds, however when hole surfing I will just let it fill up and use the pump when I terminate the surf or it terminates me. When river running I just crank it on when needed. Saves alot of time pulling over and dumping.

Mine is outfitted like Nessmucks w/ the thwart to thwart saddle and mohawk strap.

Send a pm and I can send you pics if interested.

Roger · Post by **Roger** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 1:18 pm

sdbrassfield wrote:Roger,

I debated drilling and ended up not going thru the hull w/ mine.

I have the pump built into the back of the saddle about 1/2 exposed for water pickup, 1 1/4" discharge hose goes under the rear bag and up and over the side w/ a pvc elbow. The inflated bag holds the discharge hose and elbow in place nicely. The boat is fully bagged up to front and back of the saddle and the switch and battery is located in the front of the saddle so it can be turned on easily when needed. My 1600 gph pump will pump a brimming full boat (w/ me in it) dry in about 60 seconds, however when hole surfing I will just let it fill up and use the pump when I terminate the surf or it terminates me. When river running I just crank it on when needed. Saves alot of time pulling over and dumping.

Mine is outfitted like Nessmucks w/ the thwart to thwart saddle and mohawk strap.

Check your pm.

Send a pm and I can send you pics if interested.

Jan_dettmer · Post by **Jan_dettmer** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 4:50 pm

I had a Quake and loved it. It is a good creek boat. Boofs very easy and excels on steep stuff. Soft chines make it forgiving on pushier sections.

Cheers, Jan

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 9:41 pm

Spanish Fly... hands down.

the great gonzo · Post by **the great gonzo** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 12:04 am

Personally, I'd go for a Prelude instead of a Skeeter. The hull shape is essentially the same (maybe some small tweaks, not sure never really looked at them side by side), but the Prelude has higher ends(traditional canoe style), and is thus dryer. It's not the easiest boat to roll though, you need good technique and can't be sloppy.

As far as Quake or Spanish fly is concerned, I personally would, if the main use was creekeing, definitely go with the Quake. It felt a bit faster to me, and the dry (or better wetness

) seemed to be about the same.
It also felt a bit more forgiving, due to the softer chines, less likelyness to trip over rocks.
Plastic deck plates going all the way back to the thwarts definitely seems to help dryness (at least as far as I have seen last weekend when Scott C brought his Quake with newly fitted plates out).
The Quake is also by far the easiest rolling open boat I have ever been in.

But if you plan on using the boat for playboating , too, then there is no question, the Spanish Fly is the boat to have.

Just my 2cents to confuse you more...

...

martin a.k.a. the great gonzo!

Open Gate · Post by **Open Gate** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 5:34 pm

I love my quake !

Has great strenghts( initial stability, flat bottom ) great for creeking or low volume runs !

Slow, yes, but has blazing speed compared to CU Fly

High volume runs...well not so good. This is where the speed thing affects it the most, and the same for the other small boats.
I found the skeeter faster then the Quake(both are slow anyways) but more tippy.
Both can play relatively well but are ions away from CU Fly playability.

Never tried the Spanish fly but would love to !

philcanoe · Post by **philcanoe** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 3:08 am

wasn't the quake the canoe that was so wet, it's butt end was lower than the front so water would run out !!!!!!!!!

or was that version I,II, III, IV (Hey Louie: didn't know there was versions)???

Post by **sbroam** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 12:06 pm

Can't speak for the Fly or Skeeter, but I must be one "nay" vote for the Quake - hated it. Slow, wet, and it would get hung up on it's off side and I couldn't roll it. Made a nice sled when it snowed, though.

Louie · Post by **Louie** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 1:36 pm

both had a hellva cut down stern maybe three inch lower than the fron wasn't worth a large steaming pile of dog doo. Version III didn't have the cut down rear end but was such a dog. I don't know of any that still exist. We finally got it right with version IV but our all knowing design Eng. had to try one more time. Joe got back in town and said no more. So number five went into production. We used version IV for the catolog shot and I ended up with it. Bailey swears that the version IV is so much better than V except for being three inchshorter I didn't see a big difference. I sold my V keep the IV in case Esquif ever goes under ( ain't goin to happen) and I keep the version I, just to be able to show people what one looked like.

C-Forum

Quake v Skeeter v Spanish Fly

Quake v Skeeter v Spanish Fly

Great creeker

Version I & II