YOU just said the smartest thing said so far.... try as many as possible...
you need to get what's best for you, not me, or any of the rest of us.... that first boat may be the most important choice you'll make in the near future, it'll likely determine whether you'll want a round bottom or a flatter-edgier hull, and consequently the style of paddler you'll become... while a rounder (shallow arch) hull is typically faster, you have to keep paddling them everywhere... and with edges you get to use them... it's up to you, however i urge you to get the hottest boat that you can currently paddle, and not let the boat hold you back.
that said...
in my view a round bottom boat would not be in the interest of any aspiring whitewater boater... look around at the boaters you'd like to emulate, and see what they are using (flat ?,round ?, edges ?)... now perhaps more importantly - look at the boaters you'd like to NOT LOOK LIKE, and see what the have in common (flat ?,round ?, edges ?)
good luck... and remember the cheapest boat, may not be the best value
I totally agree on the trying part. But on the other hand, there is so much to try.
I also try to paddle every boat I get the chance to if I exagerate it a bit. But by trying you discover there are so many good boats. And most importantly, after a while you realize there is not 1 boat to do it all.
Getting to choose a boat is hard. I only have mine for a year, and I already want a second and a tirth one! (I have a viper11, and I want a prelude and a short tandem without saddle)
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Great, you have the boat I own (viper11) and the boat I might be willing to get (prelude). I have to try it first though.
Can you tell me more about the prelude, how it paddles compared with the viper11? The prelude is said to be kind of unstable, but I've heard other people say it's more stable then the esquif zoom.
Thanks!
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