C-Forum

Hi folks,
Has a anyone paddled both these boats? I paddle a Zoom and love it, I'd like a little more rocker to give the boat a looser feel. I wondered if the Maxim would give me this.
Any comments appreciated,
Kelvin.

From the Mohawk web page, Maxim specs :
Length Overall 8'10", Beam @ Gunwale 27", Beam @ 4" Waterline 25 1/8"
Beam Max 27 5/8", Weight (bare boat) 32 lbs. Weight (fully outfitted) 41 lbs. Rocker (symmetrical) 4 1/2", Depth at Center 15 1/2", Depth at Ends (symmetrical) 18"

I suppose Kelvin already found the mohawk website and the specs .

Though I think you're not really comparing similar boats. To start with the maxim is in royalite. Depending on what you want to do with it, roylayt might not be the way to go. I guess (never tried the maxim, and the zoom only in a pool) the maxim is more of a rodeo boat and it's not really suited for paddling creeks;

If you want more rocker, have a look at the prelude. I've been told the prelude (esquif) is a bit more stable then the zoom. But it has more rocker, a little softer chines, and it's made of PE, ready for abuse on creeks.

So I think it depends on what you want to do with the boat, and then you have a couple options.

I agree you should give the prelude a try if you are looking for a creeker. PE is really tough and if you are used to the tippy zoom that won't be a problem. Get a good fit in the boat and you are in business.

I also think the maxim looks like a rodeo boat that short... If you want to have fun on waves also forget about the maxim and convert a squirt boat! Or get a salsa from esquif. The skirt is a must for playing on waves, or start to shop for a pump!

but the Zoom is a hellva boat if you are a hellva boater.

I was pointing out that the Maxim is shorter, symmetrical, and has more rocker and therefore was probably a little looser. Although
personally, I have paddled neither, but own a Prelude, which is loose enough for me; but very stable when it counts.
I've always found symmetrical boats to be more predictable, especially when going backwards over drops.
I believe that the Maxim has been in production longer than either the Zoom or the Prelude and was designed as a technical creeker.
But, I could be full of large piles of stinking doo doo.
Oh, and R-84 is pretty tough, I've seen some Dagger Rivals take a licking and keep on ticking.

Cheers Folks,
Your right Louie, the Zoom's a great hull. The reason I posted is my girlfriend has ordered a Maxim as a river runner, She is small and light so it should suit nicely. The importer kindly ordered me one to 'try' I think I'm up for a good deal if I take two!
Happy paddling
Kelvin.

Prelude in action
http://www.vimeo.com/2667017

Zoom in action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vThbXLRYPFI

Watching that video of the Zoom brings back memories. I owned one for a couple of years, but rarely paddled it. It just did not have enough primary stability for my tastes. I noticed that the paddler in the video was also fighting it. I remember having to be ready to brace at any second and it seemed like anything I tried to do on my off-side put me in jeopardy. I also don't think that it rolled as easily as my Ocoee(s). At 200 pounds, I think that I was just too big for it. I know at least two women, however, who love theirs.

While watching the video of the Prelude, I noticed that the paddler didn't seem to be having any problem with primary stability. I've never paddled one, but would like to. It seems to be more "Ocoee-like". I've heard that the ones that have had the bottoms flattened do much better stability-wise. Qustion: Is Esquif producing the Prelude with the flat bottom now? Seems like I heard on this board that they were.

I paddled a Maxim for a couple of hours on the Nanty one day. It had even less primary stability than the Zoom. However, a smaller paddler might be okay in it.

My 2 cents worth.

T.Prater

Thoughts -

1. I think the Zoom's primary stability is very weight sensitive - I'm > 200 pounds and almost flipped it in an eddy. Smaller folks seem to take to it much better. But... there are exceptions, like "Big Al".

2. Note on the Prelude video - that is Dooley - don't take that as a representative example of how that boat will handle for the rest of us! I think the Prelude's top end weight is something under 200 (for optimum performance). However, I didn't think the Prelude felt as squirrelly as the Zoom, but it sure was slow - but that was based on only about a 15 minute test in class II.

Well Olivier Chatigny in the Zoom is a sick boater too. Yes Dooley is awesome so is eli so is paul mason blah blah blah but if you put in the time and effort you can get there too. That is the best thing about boating is it is mostly experiential based. The more you are out there the better you get. I am not trying to take away from the greats of our sport, but look at Kent Ford he is one of the sports best, but you won't see him hairboating cause it isn't his style. Sorry this is a rant I just don't like how some boaters get talked about like they are the greatest but i gaurantee that all those guys have put in their time and i bet they even sucked at one point too. no point really just a rant. I do think you can push a boat to its limits on class three as well as class 5. It is all about realizing what your strengths and weaknesses are. If you miss alot of boofs then get a boat with a lot of rocker etc....

[quote="xmas0c1c1k1"]Prelude in action
http://www.vimeo.com/2667017

Looks like Dooley paddle is too long

I have one of the round hulled Preludes that, after ~5 years of creeking and abusde nears end of live and I have one with a flattened hull as replacement sitting around. I have paddled them both, and I found the difference in handling between the rounded and flattened one very small. If the previous owner of the flattened one wouldn't have gone through the trouble of doing the work, I wouldn't have bothered doing it myself.

The Esquif version of the Prelude has a flatter bottom. Axccording to Mark Scriver this is not due to any mold changes, but simply the result of how the boat sits when it cools off after having been removed from the mold.

At some point early last spring I was up to ~198lbs (normally my target is ~180 lbs) and I noticed no detrimental effect on the boats handling. I guess it could definitely handle 210 lbs.

TGG!

TGG, thanks for filling me in on the Prelude. I think I have a friend in Arkansas who has one I could try out this year. What do ya think R.D.?

Terry

c1swim wrote:
I've always found symmetrical boats to be more predictable, especially when going backwards over drops.


why do you want more rocker... and more importantly... why are you going over drops backwards? is doing drops backwards the "new class V"?