Why a Prelude?
Moderators: kenneth, sbroam, TheKrikkitWars, Mike W., Sir Adam, KNeal, PAC, adamin
Why a Prelude?
There aren't any Preludes in my neck of the woods to compare or demo.
Why do you like them?
Why don't you like them?
(Grade 3-4 paddler in a Viper 11)
Why do you like them?
Why don't you like them?
(Grade 3-4 paddler in a Viper 11)
- the great gonzo
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Tough, extremely responsive, excellent acceleration for its size, great secondary, fits in kayak-sized eddies, wonderful for surfing waves, decent for punching holes. I have an Ocoee, a Phantom, a Solito and an Outrage in the garage, but the Prelude is the boat I always take, high or low water level. Great to be free of Royalex.
Cons: No primary stability (I think that's actually an advantage in terms of responsiveness). People find it tippy initially--but if you stick with it, you'll learn to use that tippiness to your advantage. Not a great boat if you're over 200 pounds.
My wife paddles an Ocoee (somewhat like a Viper) all the time and has no trouble hopping into the Prelude. Good balance and quick hips are essential to both boats (Ocoee and Prelude), but more so the Prelude.
Cons: No primary stability (I think that's actually an advantage in terms of responsiveness). People find it tippy initially--but if you stick with it, you'll learn to use that tippiness to your advantage. Not a great boat if you're over 200 pounds.
My wife paddles an Ocoee (somewhat like a Viper) all the time and has no trouble hopping into the Prelude. Good balance and quick hips are essential to both boats (Ocoee and Prelude), but more so the Prelude.
Hi Einar,
Could be twitchy for a larger person, I'm 158lb and find mine fast and stable. Why not keep the Viper 11 as well? At least until you have made you mind up with regards to your new Prelude!
Oh and don't make the mistake I did and buy one of the old triple layer ones, it lasted 3 rivers!
Short boats are the way,
Have fun,
Kelvin.
Could be twitchy for a larger person, I'm 158lb and find mine fast and stable. Why not keep the Viper 11 as well? At least until you have made you mind up with regards to your new Prelude!
Oh and don't make the mistake I did and buy one of the old triple layer ones, it lasted 3 rivers!
Short boats are the way,
Have fun,
Kelvin.
http://www.sweet-skills.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
different strokes for different folksjakke wrote:Very responsive canoe, strong teacher!
Dry, especially compared to the viper11
PE, of course
As mentioned, accelerates very well for it's size.
For me personally, it adds challenge to easier water before hitting harder rivers in my viper11. it adds a new dimension.
This is not a slam against you, but I found the Prelude rather wet as opposed to a Viper11. Could very well - just be differences in (individual) paddling styles. As I've always considered the Viper-11 to be the crème de la crème of all Mohawk's offerings.
However (as others have stated) with the Prelude being polyethylene, it's a real winner.
Not only the "crème de la crème" from mohawk in my opinion. I think the Viper11 is the most versatile canoe I've paddled so far. Yes for almost every paddling area (creeking, slalom, volume rivers, ...), you probably can find a better model, but non from the ones I've tested, is performing rather good on almost every area.philcanoe wrote:different strokes for different folksjakke wrote:Very responsive canoe, strong teacher!
Dry, especially compared to the viper11
PE, of course
As mentioned, accelerates very well for it's size.
For me personally, it adds challenge to easier water before hitting harder rivers in my viper11. it adds a new dimension.
This is not a slam against you, but I found the Prelude rather wet as opposed to a Viper11. Could very well - just be differences in (individual) paddling styles. As I've always considered the Viper-11 to be the crème de la crème of all Mohawk's offerings.
However (as others have stated) with the Prelude being polyethylene, it's a real winner.
Dry, different styles, different weights, ... . For me the prelude does not dive as deep, and it's easier to boof, probably due to the length. But a great boat!
- TheKrikkitWars
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Depends how big, I'm around 190 lb, and find mine to be most excellent.Kelvin wrote:Could be twitchy for a larger person, I'm 158lb and find mine fast and stable. Why not keep the Viper 11 as well? At least until you have made you mind up with regards to your new Prelude!
My choice here would be the opposite, I'd choose the prelude every time to run the harder rapids.Jakke wrote:it adds challenge to easier water before hitting harder rivers in my viper11. it adds a new dimension.
Last edited by TheKrikkitWars on Wed Feb 16, 2011 12:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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More details
More details.
I have a roll.
I am 205 lbs
I am hard on boats, like creeking, or at least small rivers
I am thinking of moving my game more towards playing, surfing and harder rolling.
Correction= I am moving my game towards playing, surfing, and better rolling.
I have a roll.
I am 205 lbs
I am hard on boats, like creeking, or at least small rivers
I am thinking of moving my game more towards playing, surfing and harder rolling.
Correction= I am moving my game towards playing, surfing, and better rolling.
Last edited by Einar on Wed Feb 16, 2011 4:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- sbroam
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I'm about 215 (or was at the time)
Have a roll
End up on a lot of shallow rivers
I had a chance to try out a Prelude and a SF side by side on the same stretch of shallow river where I paddled upstream then back, through several small features. The Prelude was acceptably stable, more so for my son (9? at the time, 100#?), but impossibly slow going upstream, turned well, could be fun. The SF was markedly more stable and, surprisingly, a bit faster - that's what I decided to get.
I didn't get to compare them in "wet" conditions, but I would really be interested to see how dry the Prelude is at my weight as the SF can be pretty wet. I'd really like to spend more time in a Prelude...
Have a roll
End up on a lot of shallow rivers
I had a chance to try out a Prelude and a SF side by side on the same stretch of shallow river where I paddled upstream then back, through several small features. The Prelude was acceptably stable, more so for my son (9? at the time, 100#?), but impossibly slow going upstream, turned well, could be fun. The SF was markedly more stable and, surprisingly, a bit faster - that's what I decided to get.
I didn't get to compare them in "wet" conditions, but I would really be interested to see how dry the Prelude is at my weight as the SF can be pretty wet. I'd really like to spend more time in a Prelude...
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If I was over 200 pounds, I think I'd go for a L'edge, the Prelude for the bigger man. But then, it always surprises me how big some guys are that paddle Ocoees (I know one guy who is 265 and handles an Ocoee just fine). I really don't know what the weight limit is for a Prelude. I just know the boat will perform better for someone lighter.
- sbroam
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Oh, most definitely. I'd just like to try the Prelude again and get a better impression of it on bigger water than 450CFs of French Broad River at the bridge in Hot Springs.milkman wrote:If I was over 200 pounds, I think I'd go for a L'edge, the Prelude for the bigger man. ...
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