Can the l'Edge be used as a tripping boat?

[leclercraven]

Can the l'Edge be used as a tripping boat? Four to seven day whitewater tripping style. My Esquif Raven is outfitted with anchors underneath the airbags and I can attach all my 50lbs+ of camping stuff in it and the boat is still manageable even with me weighing 187 lbs. It's a great boat for this kind of thing. The thing is, I would like to get into creeking as well, nothing too extreme, class II - III, but I think that my 11' rolayex boat is too long for this and will get banged up too much. I can only afford one boat since these canoes are so expensive. (By the way, why is it that whitewater boats like the l'Edge are sooo expensive ??? A good creeker kayak made with as much, if not more material is half the price!!)

I could also just "rent" a l'Edge for when I need it I guess, but I think I would prefer having one boat that I could use for everything.

...Anyway, has anybody out there done some whitewater river tripping in a l'Edge?

[milkman]

I think you're going to have to take a second job and simply earn enough money for a second canoe. The Raven is an excellent choice for a tripping canoe. The L'edge is an excellent choice for a creeker. The L'edge would be a lousy tripper, IMHO, because in the moving water sections of a multi-day trip it will be a dog to paddle, particularly with you and about 50 more pounds in it. You'd be much happier in the Raven. On a creeking run, you'll love the L'edge. The joys of a short boat made of PE are countless in rocky, steep runs. Perhaps a way to prove you don't want to go down to a single boat is pack 50 pounds into a L'edge on a day trip that has some moving water sections in it and see what you think.

[DougB]

As a L'edge owner and an avid whitewater tripper I say it would end up being a pretty crappy trip. My tripping boat is a Vertige. I really like my L'edge but if I had to paddle it on a river trip I probably wouldn't go.

I would suggest keeping your Raven and wait until you can afford to own a second boat.

[leclercraven]

I think you're going to have to take a second job and simply earn enough money for a second canoe. The Raven is an excellent choice for a tripping canoe. The L'edge is an excellent choice for a creeker. The L'edge would be a lousy tripper, IMHO, because in the moving water sections of a multi-day trip it will be a dog to paddle, particularly with you and about 50 more pounds in it. You'd be much happier in the Raven. On a creeking run, you'll love the L'edge. The joys of a short boat made of PE are countless in rocky, steep runs. Perhaps a way to prove you don't want to go down to a single boat is pack 50 pounds into a L'edge on a day trip that has some moving water sections in it and see what you think.

Thanks. My initial thoughts were that it was too small but I've never tried a l'Edge so I didn't know for sure. I could always rent one for a couple of days this spring to try it out on a creek.

[leclercraven]

As a L'edge owner and an avid whitewater tripper I say it would end up being a pretty crappy trip. My tripping boat is a Vertige. I really like my L'edge but if I had to paddle it on a river trip I probably wouldn't go.

I would suggest keeping your Raven and wait until you can afford to own a second boat.

Thanks.

[Craig Smerda]

If the entire trip has an average gradient of about 100 feet per mile... then yes... a short PE canoe would be perfect.

[Shep]

If the entire trip has an average gradient of about 100 feet per mile... then yes... a short PE canoe would be perfect.

Paddle Denali!!!

[leclercraven]

If the entire trip has an average gradient of about 100 feet per mile... then yes... a short PE canoe would be perfect.

I do 90 km on average on a 4 to 7 day trip. The Dumoine, the Black, Pettawawa, Gatineau River from Mercier Dam to Bouchette, Gens de Terre etc....

[drrpm]

When I think of creeking it generally involves solid class 3 and up. The Raven looks like it would handle creeking better than tripping. My tripper was a Mad River Royalex Explorer. Paddling 90 km in a whitewater canoe wouls seem like punishment to me.

[leclercraven]

When I think of creeking it generally involves solid class 3 and up. The Raven looks like it would handle creeking better than tripping. My tripper was a Mad River Royalex Explorer. Paddling 90 km in a whitewater canoe wouls seem like punishment to me.

The rivers I have mentioned a filled with countless class II to class IV-V, ledges, falls etc..... Of course there are some stretch of flat water.

[leclercraven]

If the entire trip has an average gradient of about 100 feet per mile... then yes... a short PE canoe would be perfect.

When I know that there will be long stretches of flat water, big lakes etc. I use a two piece kayaking paddle, I know it's not pure and quite unorthodox but it get's the job done. I don't use this in rapids, only to get me to where I want to go. My Raven just cruises like a missile. Faster than my buddies in OC2 and creeking kayaks! I suppose that if the l'Edge has sufficient tracking it would react the same.

What I really wanted to know sir is if the l'Edge could handle my weight of 187 lbs, plus approx. 50 lbs to 60 lbs of camping/food/clothes and still be manageable in whitewater?

[TonyB]

well Im 240 plus pump and battery and ithandles me fine.

[ian123]

Well, when you re canoe tripping in your l'edge and you want to blow you brains just remember that you asked and then ignored everyone's advice.

[drrpm]

When I think of creeking it generally involves solid class 3 and up. The Raven looks like it would handle creeking better than tripping. My tripper was a Mad River Royalex Explorer. Paddling 90 km in a whitewater canoe wouls seem like punishment to me.

The rivers I have mentioned a filled with countless class II to class IV-V, ledges, falls etc..... Of course there are some stretch of flat water.

In your original post you mention class II-III creeking. I'm not familiar with the rivers you mention. Generally when I think of tripping its class III and down vs creeking which is usually class III and up. Either way I don't think a L'edge would perform at its best with an extra heavy load.

[Walsh]

I'm pretty sure I've seen some very "safe" Southeastern canoeists tripping in their L'Edges on more than one occasion.