Paddled a loaner Zoom for the first time for 2 days in straight 3 technical water
First 30 minutes produced flips in quick succession, but then got on it, got ahead of the brace game.
It's true, no 2nd'ary stability was to be had but once you got past that I grew to like it.
I'm a 200lb male and I found the boat very dry, downstream and upstream. It tended to really lock in the pocket on a well matched surf wave.
The con would be that it was tiring, there was no goofing off, drifting, relaxing and at the end of 2 days I moved onto a loaner Occoee for different issues.
I would consider the Zoom a pass-through boat, own one for a while to expand and broaden your game . Overall it was a lot of fun and dry, when it was upright.
Boat of the week experinece: Zoom
Moderators: kenneth, sbroam, TheKrikkitWars, Mike W., Sir Adam, KNeal, PAC, adamin
Boat of the week experinece: Zoom
Paddling is easy, organizing shuttles is hard.
Not misplacing all your crap in somebody else's car seems to be even harder
Not misplacing all your crap in somebody else's car seems to be even harder
Re: Boat of the week experinece: Zoom
I’m a similar weight and have been in the Zoom briefly. I have mostly been paddling in tight and low volume, but did one run on bigger water. The Zoom was smooth in the squirrellies, but I was surprised by getting stopped in a hole. I haven’t been flipping in “quick succession”, but found myself upside down when I was daydreaming.
It seems like the concept of stability needs to be explained by a boat designer. The Zoom has good secondary stability because of the flared sides. I tend to paddle it on the flats by leaning it over and riding that stability. It would have good primary stability, too, with its flat bottom except the chines are narrow.
I like the sportiness and especially light weight for an ABS boat. I’m still learning the boat and when I'm pushing my limits becoming cautious. I am hoping as I get more confident I can be aggressive consistently. I have been paddling for too long and don’t see myself getting another whitewater canoe except if I get tandem partner.
It seems like the concept of stability needs to be explained by a boat designer. The Zoom has good secondary stability because of the flared sides. I tend to paddle it on the flats by leaning it over and riding that stability. It would have good primary stability, too, with its flat bottom except the chines are narrow.
I like the sportiness and especially light weight for an ABS boat. I’m still learning the boat and when I'm pushing my limits becoming cautious. I am hoping as I get more confident I can be aggressive consistently. I have been paddling for too long and don’t see myself getting another whitewater canoe except if I get tandem partner.