what can you tell me about a prelude?

[ncdavid]

I vastly prefer the Prelude to the Maxim. Better design, better material, better speed, etc.
Different boats for different folks.

[agrestal]

what do you think is better about the prelude design?

[OC1er]

Prelude sure is better looking boat maxim . Only boat uglier than the Maxim is the Paradigm...

[ncdavid]

what do you think is better about the prelude design?

Frankie.

[milkman]

The only thing I wish the Prelude had was a littlle more edge--a little bit sharper chine. I know you can put one in yourself, but it isn't that important to me. The boat still carves when you lean it and perhaps is more forgiving overall. But for the harder chine,, the Maxim looks interesting and so does the L'edge. The latter particularly interests me because it will be made of PE.

[ncdavid]

I like the lines of the Prelude. It looks like a canoe to my eye. Now I just have to learn to paddle it better.

[philcanoe]

thinking about buying a prelude and want some input. boating class 3-4 for several years and paddled mostly a detonator. always wanted a prelude. any info would be helpful. ive done the research, i know its rep for low initial stability. how does it compare to detonator, and how does it handle bigger water like the new river gorge or lower gauley? thanks a lot


matt hagan

First thing is it's not Royalex, so it'll hang around through years of abuse... and can be readily repaired by lot's of people with a plastic welder.

A Prelude would be a perfectly fine boat for the New or the Gauley (upper or lower). In fact there are those who reserve their Prelude for big water runs, Dooley comes to mind immediately, but not the only one.

....and did I say, it's polyethylene!

[kslund]

I'm 5'10", 200-210 lbs.(depending on how many microbrews I've had in the last month or so) and have been paddling the prelude on class III and IV- for about a season now. I really like the prelude so far. Can't compare it to the Det for ya since I've never paddled one for any reasonable amount of time but I'll at least give a basic review.

Primary stability isn't so good, but the secondary is great. You can lean it over to the gunnel and just hang out. Once you're used to the boat, you don't notice the lack of primary that much.

The boat accelerates quick enough, but as others have said, you need to drive from the front as the boat deccelarates just as quick. Top speed isn't so good, but that doesn't bother me too much - most of the harder stuff we paddle here in Colorado are small rivers or creeks, where speed isn't really a huge advantage.

The boat is definitely dry - first thing I noticed about it. Much drier than the previous short boat I was paddling (phantom).

Rolling, ahh rolling - now that's another story. I've had alot of trouble getting my roll down in the lude. Alot of that was due to poor outfitting at first, and at this point, I'm pretty sure most of it is mental due to my early fails with this boat. I can hit a hundred pool rolls in a row in this boat, but on the river it's a different story - and that's all I'll say about that I have a bulkhead+strap setup now because I just couldn't stay in the boat with the bulkhead alone.

Overall, if you're looking for a PE canoe with more traditional lines, I think the prelude is a great choice - even in my weight range. FYI - my saddle height is around 8 in. and I have pretty tight hippads in this boat.

[insolence]

I like the prelude so far, I'm 1,65m and 116 pounds. Quick reactions, relatively fast - I only wish it was a bit faster and bit more precise. So I probably would rather go for a spark, but before decision I'd paddle both in direct comparison

The Prelude has passed my examination. Given my incredibly high demands on hull speed and responsivity - I'm used to decked slalom boats wich are the peak of speed, elegance and precision - it is not a perfect, but still really good boat

[jakke]

I've been paddling the prelude since a few weeks 1.85m, 85kg. And I must say I just love that boat. my other boat is a viper11.
Primary stability is relative, I now think it's quite ok, but a year ago I tipped over it at the time of getting in.
Now I think it's just a happy snappy boat . It turns amazingly fast, but you really have to J-lean, especially for offside moves.
The prelude really demands to be driven up front. Before you realise it, you're carving.
Acceleration is quite ok, it comes up to speed in 2 trokes. Top speed is not that great though. But the most important on whitewater I think is that you can accelerate it fairly good.
But then after all, the Franky Hubert designs I've paddled I all loved...

[mr ray]

I've been paddling the prelude since a few weeks 1.85m, 85kg. And I must say I just love that boat. my other boat is a viper11.
Primary stability is relative, I now think it's quite ok, but a year ago I tipped over it at the time of getting in.
Now I think it's just a happy snappy boat . It turns amazingly fast, but you really have to J-lean, especially for offside moves.
The prelude really demands to be driven up front. Before you realise it, you're carving.
Acceleration is quite ok, it comes up to speed in 2 trokes. Top speed is not that great though. But the most important on whitewater I think is that you can accelerate it fairly good.
But then after all, the Franky Hubert designs I've paddled I all loved...

Hey Jakke,
Feel like that Viper11 is redundant / obsolete now? I may be in the same situation soon. Paddling (and loving) a viper11 right now, but the poor thing is not taking a beating very happily.
-Ray

[milkman]

I disagree with the comment that the Prelude "demands to be driven up front." It's not a C1, nor is it so short that stern strokes are ineffective. The boat responds well to stern strokes. In fact, because of the rocker and short length, it responds amazingly well to them. So that comment might simply be a matter of paddling preference.

[jakke]

I disagree with the comment that the Prelude "demands to be driven up front." It's not a C1, nor is it so short that stern strokes are ineffective. The boat responds well to stern strokes. In fact, because of the rocker and short length, it responds amazingly well to them. So that comment might simply be a matter of paddling preference.

Demands to be paddling in front is maybe a little too strong, but it tends to be carving really fast, which is an advantage when you paddle up front. I've been mostly paddling at the stern with my viper, so it's not like I have a clear bow preference. Yes, stern corrections are really effective too. Maybe I should have stated that the prelude is easier to drive up front .

Hey Jakke,
Feel like that Viper11 is redundant / obsolete now? I may be in the same situation soon. Paddling (and loving) a viper11 right now, but the poor thing is not taking a beating very happily.
-Ray

My viper11 is also suffering broken foam at the chines from paddling belgian rocky rivers... . There is of course overlap and similarity. I think I'll be paddling the prelude mostly on narrow, rocky rivers, including the Belgian rivers because they mostly don't have that much water. I don't know yet how the prelude paddles on bigger volume rivers.
I will definetely be paddling the viper when paddling with less experienced paddlers, probably also on really high volume rivers (since the viper is faster).
For everything in between it will probably be the choice between more "cruising" (viper) or more "playfull" with the prelude. I'm not saying you can not paddle playfull in a viper or cruise in a prelude. I just have the feeling I have to work a little harder in a prelude then in the viper.
I also noticed that there are moments that a longer boat is an advantage. I guess from now on I have to take 2 boats when I go paddling .
But since I fell in love with the prelude I think it's normal to be paddling that boat a little more at the moment

[OC1er]

I paddled a prelude for about a year, sold it last year...I thought it was a good boat...mine was one of the pyranhas, so it was well used by the time I got ahold of it. I did mostly 3/4 rivers with it, Noli, New...bit of easy creeking on WhiteTop. The one thing that bothered me about it was the round (ish) edges. Like I said, boat was pretty old and the bottom profile had gotten pretty round. But I found I had to start any given move much earlier than in something with good hard edges...like the zoom..

The zoom...IMHO the finest open boat on the market, if only it could be plastic! I've switched pretty much exclusivly to decked boats and the zoom is the only open boat I miss. That b!tch is bad@ss! Snappy doesn't begin to describe eddy turns, and carving! It'll slice your paddle in two if it gets in the way! Immediate acceleration, and you can really use the edges to follow the flows.

[mr ray]

Thanks Jakke!