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Main
Date: 18 Jan 2005 15:40:33
From: Scouter
Subject: Advice for 2nd canoe - Mohawk Probe 14?
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After years of flat and easy downriver canoeing in my Old Town
Discovery 164, I'd like to pick up a second boat that would be used
primariy solo on moderate western whitewater (Class 1-II with occasion
Class III). A local shop is selling a new Probe 14 for $700 without
seats, etc but I'm wondering if this represents too much of a playboat
for my needs.
Ideally, I'm looking for:
- lower weight (for solo loading on my full-sized van)
- dry and manueverable
- sufficient bouyancy for a 6',200lb solo paddler with weekend camping
gear
- sufficient size for an occasional youth tandem configuration (I'm a
Scout paddle trip leader)
Any advice cheerfully accepted.
Bill
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Date: 20 Jan 2005 09:04:13
From: Michael Hearn Anna Houpt
Subject: Re: Advice for 2nd canoe - Mohawk Probe 14?
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If you want to push into class three than you want more of a "playboat". I
really wouldn't consider a probe 14 to be a cutting edge playboat. (I'm
thinking Ocoee or Mohawk"s 10' rodeo. The 14 would be a good choice. You
want the volumn for camping. My wife and I have done week long trips on
class 3+ water fully self contained with a Whitesell 14 and a Mad River ME
(15') (Middle fork Salmon. Klamath, Rogue, Etc.
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Date: 20 Jan 2005 14:36:11
From: riverman
Subject: Re: Advice for 2nd canoe - Mohawk Probe 14?
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"Michael Hearn Anna Houpt" <mikeannahh@worldnet.att.net > wrote in message
news:huKHd.53232$w62.51782@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> If you want to push into class three than you want more of a "playboat".
> I
> really wouldn't consider a probe 14 to be a cutting edge playboat. (I'm
> thinking Ocoee or Mohawk"s 10' rodeo. The 14 would be a good choice. You
> want the volumn for camping. My wife and I have done week long trips on
> class 3+ water fully self contained with a Whitesell 14 and a Mad River ME
> (15') (Middle fork Salmon. Klamath, Rogue, Etc.
>
Yeah, but not everyone is going to be comfortable in a playboat. Something
unstable like a Whitesell or an ME is only suitable for a self-contained
class 3+ run because of your skills. For most learners, I think they'd want
to get into whitewater in a tripping boat, rather than trip in a whitewater
boat.
I also have done plenty of class 3 self-contained camping, but of a
different nature; flat rivers with intermittent class 3 rapids, with sneak
routes or single obstacles to work through to avoid portaging (Lower
Canyon-Rio Grande, San Juan, East Branch Penobscot...) and I find that the
flat streches between the rapids would be torturous in a playboat. Even a
Canyon trip is very doable in a tripper, if rigged right. Remember, the
earliest 'playboats' were BlueHole OCAs and 17As, which are flat bottomed,
low rocker barges by today's standards. That being said, I ran my BH17A down
the Kennebec gorge, and it handled fine. It wasn't loaded, but I think I
could have managed Magic Falls even with gear in those days.
--riverman
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Date: 18 Jan 2005 21:45:23
From: pmhilton
Subject: Re: Advice for 2nd canoe - Mohawk Probe 14?
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Scouter wrote:
>After years of flat and easy downriver canoeing in my Old Town
>Discovery 164, I'd like to pick up a second boat that would be used
>primariy solo on moderate western whitewater (Class 1-II with occasion
>Class III). A local shop is selling a new Probe 14 for $700 without
>seats, etc but I'm wondering if this represents too much of a playboat
>for my needs.
>Ideally, I'm looking for:
>- lower weight (for solo loading on my full-sized van)
>- dry and manueverable
>- sufficient bouyancy for a 6',200lb solo paddler with weekend camping
>gear
>- sufficient size for an occasional youth tandem configuration (I'm a
>Scout paddle trip leader)
>
>Any advice cheerfully accepted.
>
>Bill
>
>
>
my 1st choice for your situation would be an Old Town regular Tripper
17'2" which is just one size down from the prime workhorse of northern
New England outfitters, the XL-Tripper (20'). There are many hairs that
one could split. But beating the XL-20 is not easily done on paper on on
water - especially quick water; the smaller version is fine in many
respects but still the full-sized Tripper is beyond compare. (I have no
ties w/ Old Town other than ownership.) I've had many canoes & the XL-20
is The King. It will haul 1700# in all but the very worst conditions;
under a light load it's like a cockle shell. Except for specialty
situations - read here the mindless jerks who need a series of jerks to
know thy've been canoeing - I can think of no sturdier a workhorse
that's responsive to one paddler or two (or even two pollers if you know
what that's about).
Pete Hilton (Reg. Me. Guide) aka The Ent
--
Either everyone has rights or some have privileges.
It's really that simple.
Walt Kelly
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