WW Boats that changed the World

[Sir Adam]

You know, I'm guessing a converted Dancer would have been higher performance than the Sage - yes?

I find it enlightening that although the boats have changed radically, the sport really hasn't. Racers and still looking for the fastest, playboaters are still looking for THE boat that can do all the new tricks, and new sub-disciplines pop up now and again (Cquirt, Rodeo, etc...).

[Bob P]

The Dancer was a pretty good boat overall. Much smaller than the Sage, and it had a flatter bottom and more rocker than the Spectrum (which was a factory converted Quest. Bloody awful...) Still, the Gyramax was a more comfortable and appropriate C-boat, so I retired my Dancer to K1 heaven when it came out.

[kanusport]

This boat changed my world thats for sure. I think the size is the biggest factor. When I get in an ocoee or an outrage know they feel like tanks.. The phantom fits my size well, 160lbs, and has allowed me to progress as a paddler. I like that it will do anything from step creeks to big water. I just wish mine wasn't all worn out.

[Glenn MacGrady]

The discussion of the rotomolded Hollowform suggested to me that the first Royalex canoe would have to be a classified as canoe that dramatically changed the world. Where would recreational whitewater be without Royalex? Or tripping?

The first popular Royalex canoe I recall was the Old Town Tripper, which I discussed in my first post in this thread, but I did some Googling.

According to canoekayak.com, the first Royalex canoe was the Old Town Chipewyan 16 in 1972.

So there you have it: the "Eve" of the modern recreational whitewater genome.

Or maybe not. There is a reference on paddling.net to a book by Sue Audette that says the first Royalex canoe was marketed by the Thompson Boat Company of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, in 1964.

This is now getting shrouded in the mists of time.

My own theory is that Royalex is such a supernatural material that it may have been created by god on the eighth day for Cain to book out of Eden on one of its four rivers.

Hmmm ... if not god . . . .

[philcanoe]

if you think ABS in whitewater is ALL-THAT - wait till you get your first HDPE boat

[Craig Smerda]

if you think ABS in whitewater is ALL-THAT - wait till you get your first HDPE boat

Shhhhhh... we're keeping those a big secret.... remember?

[Glenn MacGrady]

if you think ABS in whitewater is ALL-THAT - wait till you get your first HDPE boat

If you are having difficulty with the historical relevance, feel free to substitute the term "thermoplastic" wherever I wrote "Royalex" -- which should be a generic enough noun to encompass Royalex, Oltonar, polyethylene, polycarbonate, Carbonlite, HDPE, and other plastic formulations.

Personally, I don't paddle plastic boats ... so there will be no waiting involved for me.

[Louie]

however what if they go to all plastic boats?

[Mr.DeadLegs]

I want a Birch Bark Encore.

[kaz]

Not to worry, they won't all go to plastic.
JKaz

[Mike W.]

Not to worry, they won't all go to plastic.
JKaz

Hey John, tell us about the Inferno. It looks hot. 21lbs OC!?! That's only one pound more than my Sith

[kaz]

Hi Mike,
That's just a guess. I expect them to weigh in under 20 lbs.
JK

[oopsiflipped]

How did the Atom change the WW World? As an example of what not to do? What the heck is it for anyway? I know if I paddle it, I'll become a better boater. Am I just not good enough to appreciate it? Seriously, I going to rip the seat out and put it in a creek boat so I can keep my Casccade in good shape for the Green Race. And maybe the Canoe Fairy will leave a roll under my pillow.