C1 Questions and Recommendations Please

[AJ]

My Taureau with combing (C1) has died and I can’t afford to spend the $$$ they want for another Taureau with such a limited life span, 70 days. I think a new one is $1,800.00! Overall, i enjoyed paddling it.

So I am now paddling my Skeeter, wet, heavy, and can not hit the meat with out feeling like your diggin in, paddling a sunkin log and dumping all of the time. I know, take the dry line, but that does not seem near as much fun to me as hitting the meat, been there and done that. So I want to find a kayak to convert to a C1, if I can find a good fit.

What I liked about the Taureau: 8' long 27" wide, dry/skirt, felt nimble/light, 7.75” saddle and I could bash through holes and meat and keep on paddling dry.

What I did not like: felt a little top heavy, hard to roll, on occasion tricky edge and hard to fairy on my offside. These issues maybe due to my lack of skill, but everyone I paddle with had no interest in paddling my Taureau for some reason.

I paddle class III/IV- rivers, creeks, and a little surfing. I prefer creekier levels and runs. I am not a play boater. I want a C1 that I can learn to be a better paddler, like learning to boof. I rarely boofed in my Taureau as it seemed flimsy and I did not want to damage it. Heck, it wore through the chine without me trying to boof stuff.

In researching hulls, it looks like a Super Hero or Mamba 8.5 seem to be good hull design, length, width, and volume choices for an all round C1 for me 5’9” 190lbs. These boats seem similiar to my Taureau dimensions, hull designs, and hopefully easier to roll, being lower profile.

Besides the hull shape, the key for me is going to be how high a saddle that I can use. My last saddle was 7.75” high and I had ankle blocks that were 2.5”. I could sit lower by lowering ankle blocks and stretching, but I really do not know how low I can go, bad knees from many years of tele skiing.

I would welcome your comments and opinions on the following:

- Boat recommendations

-What is the highest saddle do you think I can get away with?

-Also, I really think I want to go with a bulk head versus straps for easy exit and entry.

- If I find a kayak with similiar charcteristics as the Taureau will there be a big learning curve?

Thanks

[jim gross]

Buy my Godzilla C-1. $375.00. Already outfitted with bulkhead. I am now over 240# so I am too heavy. This was once the preeminent creek boat. Great shape, comes with my old Cruise Control Mountain Surf Kevlar skirt.

Sincerely
Jim Gross
Meridians Recovery
703 434 9009
jim@meridiansrecovery.org
www.meridiansrecovery.org

[Paddle Power]

I would welcome your comments and opinions on the following:

- Boat recommendations

-What is the highest saddle do you think I can get away with?

-Also, I really think I want to go with a bulk head versus straps for easy exit and entry.

- If I find a kayak with similiar charcteristics as the Taureau will there be a big learning curve?

saddle height, 7 could be work.
some use bulkheads although I think straps are more common in C1s
a good manageable learning curve

[Jon Serfas]

Sent ya a pm.

[AYockey]

Saddle height really depends on the hull. I'm going to try and get away with an almost 8 inch saddle in my fluid Spice until I get back into shape. It's a game between being tippy and being comfortable. Start high and chop it down.

Bulkheads are the best (for me anyways). I had straps in my first boat, but have gone to the bulkhead.

I'm not familiar with the Taureau so I can't really help you with the other stuff.

[Sir Adam]

Why not get a finkenmeister?

Used ones do seem to appear occasionally...and there was a rumor of another shipment of new ones....

[the great gonzo]

I agree with Adam, try to find a Finkenmeister. Stable , fast, maneuvrable, boofs well, resurfaces well.
Just make sure you change the outfitting, i.e. loose the factory hip pads and add thing straps.

TGG!

[cheajack]

In all my current and past C-1 conversions my saddle height was 7 1/2" at the back and 7" at the front. These have included Wave Sport X and Z, Dagger GT 8.0, Prijon Rockit, Savage Skreem, Robson Moonster. The only one I had to get lower was the Perception OverFlow X and it didn't get stable until under 6".

[cadster]

I guess Eric is reselling your Taureau:
http://www.mountainbuzz.com/swap/showpr ... 148&cat=22

The wider the boat the higher the saddle can be. A planning hull works better, too, in allowing more spread of the knees for more stability. You've got to watch how the cockpit closes in the front in that it doesn't squeeze your thighs. Removable hip pads are a plus.

For what you paddle, shorter would be better. You'd learn more and have more fun. Any kayak conversion will require quicker reactions than what you've been paddling.

[Eric Nyre]

Yep, stories of Al's boat being dead are seriously exaggerated.

Took 4 small welds to seal the gouges he was using as an excuse to try and get a new boat, and now his old Taureau is good to go!

[Larry Horne]

I'know I'm a broken record...H3255 or a Large Burn or an Everest make THE PERFECT C1.

[phreon]

Whaddabout a Remix conversion?

Phreon

[marclamenace]

The Remix is a great boat. Look at my last post here about my new remix 69. The 79 might be a better fit for you though...

http://www.cboats.net/cforum/viewtopic.php?t=7960296

My saddle is 7.5 and I may chop it down to 7 later but for now I feel very at ease in it. These saddle, as everybody knows, gives you comfort and ease of wet exit.

Oh and the total price for me was about a 1000$ (700 boat + 250 saddle +tx, in CAN$)