Short Boats - what is best
Got me a slingshot.
Tried the scimitar and liked it, but it is nowhere as easy to paddle as the slingshot, and though it turns quick, it isn't as quick as the slingshot. The slingshot is naturally sluggish on the flat, wheras the scimitar is a deamon on the straights. The force is nice, haven't tried the energy. Best try a bunch of boats and pick your favourite, they're all around the same price.
Tried the scimitar and liked it, but it is nowhere as easy to paddle as the slingshot, and though it turns quick, it isn't as quick as the slingshot. The slingshot is naturally sluggish on the flat, wheras the scimitar is a deamon on the straights. The force is nice, haven't tried the energy. Best try a bunch of boats and pick your favourite, they're all around the same price.
http://www.doubledutchuk.com/quick%20price%20guide.htm
I advise the E construction
its light and rigid, while alowing a little flex when you hit something hard (especialy after youve used it abit) instead of cracking. it also comes in the carbony outer layer which is cool.
As a div 3 paddler, you would be alot better with a scimitar as its better for flatter water use with a sliciar tail. the tuscan and slingshot I think have back ends tapered to a point which means they must be thicker to accomodate volume and would be hard to dip (as steve was basicly saying)
also take a look at the nomads. some amasing paddling happening from people using the energy and force
I advise the E construction
its light and rigid, while alowing a little flex when you hit something hard (especialy after youve used it abit) instead of cracking. it also comes in the carbony outer layer which is cool.
As a div 3 paddler, you would be alot better with a scimitar as its better for flatter water use with a sliciar tail. the tuscan and slingshot I think have back ends tapered to a point which means they must be thicker to accomodate volume and would be hard to dip (as steve was basicly saying)
also take a look at the nomads. some amasing paddling happening from people using the energy and force
At the end of the day,it depends on your paddling style. But then if your in Div 2 you mightn't have figured that out yet!
Generally, Mike Dalton's boats, such as the Force and Energy and before that the Midas and Retro suit small to medium weight paddlers and run quickly in a straight line, and squirt well out of ups, meaning you can keep your speed going exiting the ups. However, it is often said that they are not as good if you are off-line, as they are less forgiving.
Many of the other options out there, such as the Tuscan, 3.6.9. and others are taken from the Optima and therefore are not so quick in at running, but are very quick-turning and very stable, this means they are a good boats to "get out of trouble" as they are forgiving, also the quick turning speed is a bonus on the tight staggers you get now in courses. However on flatish water and courses with flat sprints, they mightn't be the best option.
What weight are you? This is quite important in deciding, as some of the boats out there mightn't suit you if you light etc.
Generally, Mike Dalton's boats, such as the Force and Energy and before that the Midas and Retro suit small to medium weight paddlers and run quickly in a straight line, and squirt well out of ups, meaning you can keep your speed going exiting the ups. However, it is often said that they are not as good if you are off-line, as they are less forgiving.
Many of the other options out there, such as the Tuscan, 3.6.9. and others are taken from the Optima and therefore are not so quick in at running, but are very quick-turning and very stable, this means they are a good boats to "get out of trouble" as they are forgiving, also the quick turning speed is a bonus on the tight staggers you get now in courses. However on flatish water and courses with flat sprints, they mightn't be the best option.
What weight are you? This is quite important in deciding, as some of the boats out there mightn't suit you if you light etc.
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noodle
Web site on the way soon, but if you need any information for now I operate in Nottingham on behalf of Nomad so feel free to give me a call or drop me an e-mail:
07713249677
teamfishi@hotmail.com
cheers
07713249677
teamfishi@hotmail.com
cheers
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k1
having seen the selection results it looks like the tuscan is definitley the best boat as far as the result show, the only boats that weren't selected who were paddling nomad boats were Nathan Stephenson and Lizzie Neave who could probably have won paddling Nomad Extras!
As far as the international competitors are concerned, the respectable makes such as double dutch, Vajda, Zigzag and Galasport are definitely more reliable when it comes to buying a boat which is built to last using the most up to date techniques in an environment suitable for use with composite materials.
It will be interesting to see how senior selection pans out with top class paddlers in a variety of boats, both long and short. Hopefully the courses they set will be fair for the 4m boats and the shorter boats.But when the results come down to aggregate scores, it will be interesting to see if the reputation that Nomad boats have for being unpredictable will prove detremental to any of the top guys or girls.
It will be interesting to see what the opinion of paddlers worldwide think regarding the optimum length of boats and also what they consider to be the best short boats so far
As far as the international competitors are concerned, the respectable makes such as double dutch, Vajda, Zigzag and Galasport are definitely more reliable when it comes to buying a boat which is built to last using the most up to date techniques in an environment suitable for use with composite materials.
It will be interesting to see how senior selection pans out with top class paddlers in a variety of boats, both long and short. Hopefully the courses they set will be fair for the 4m boats and the shorter boats.But when the results come down to aggregate scores, it will be interesting to see if the reputation that Nomad boats have for being unpredictable will prove detremental to any of the top guys or girls.
It will be interesting to see what the opinion of paddlers worldwide think regarding the optimum length of boats and also what they consider to be the best short boats so far
I think you can read too much into the results. As you hinted in your last sentence, it is more about the paddler than the boat, so the Tuscan paddlers didn't get good results because they were paddling Tuscans, it was far more to do with their abilities. Also, if you look at the Premier results as a whole, there are a lot more boats featured in the top positions other than Nomad and Vajda.
That is not to say that I think the Tuscan is a bad boat. It performs well, and Vajda boats are beautifully made and finished.
Nathan may have chosen his boat because of his long relationship with Nomad (but if it had been a dog, I'm sure he would have switched allegiences), but AFAIK Lizzie chose it on merit.
I think that a good way to choose a boat if you don't feel you have the experience to differentiate yourself, is to look at the top paddlers, and find someone who is a similar size and weight to yourself and paddles the way you want to paddle. Buy the same boat, and work until you can use it like your role model.
That is not to say that I think the Tuscan is a bad boat. It performs well, and Vajda boats are beautifully made and finished.
Nathan may have chosen his boat because of his long relationship with Nomad (but if it had been a dog, I'm sure he would have switched allegiences), but AFAIK Lizzie chose it on merit.
I think that a good way to choose a boat if you don't feel you have the experience to differentiate yourself, is to look at the top paddlers, and find someone who is a similar size and weight to yourself and paddles the way you want to paddle. Buy the same boat, and work until you can use it like your role model.
k1:
"But when the results come down to aggregate scores, it will be interesting to see if the reputation that Nomad boats have for being unpredictable will prove detremental to any of the top guys or girls."
Intrigued by the suggestion that a boat can be 'unpredictable' i'd be interested to see if anyone would agree with such a statement or even define it!
Paul Ratcliffe paddled Nomad designed boats for the majority of his paddling career so I would suggest he as a 'top' paddler certainly had no problems with the boats.
Aggregate runs last weekend at Bala certainly proved predictable for the top women, 5 out of the top 6 paddle Nomad boats and the other has got one on order!
All boats have their merits and everyone has an opinion, if you wish to criticise a boat then please do it technically so people can learn from it!
"But when the results come down to aggregate scores, it will be interesting to see if the reputation that Nomad boats have for being unpredictable will prove detremental to any of the top guys or girls."
Intrigued by the suggestion that a boat can be 'unpredictable' i'd be interested to see if anyone would agree with such a statement or even define it!
Paul Ratcliffe paddled Nomad designed boats for the majority of his paddling career so I would suggest he as a 'top' paddler certainly had no problems with the boats.
Aggregate runs last weekend at Bala certainly proved predictable for the top women, 5 out of the top 6 paddle Nomad boats and the other has got one on order!
All boats have their merits and everyone has an opinion, if you wish to criticise a boat then please do it technically so people can learn from it!
Deciding what boat to paddle is a personal thing - it depends mainly on size of paddler, paddling style, and possibly also the type of water you will be mainly racing on.
Unless you are pretty experienced (top end of div 1 or premier divisions), then you may not even notice any difference in feeling between different designs of a similar volume, hence it probably doesnt matter what you paddle.
If you want to judge a good boat from what the top paddlers are using, then for your information,
Fabien Lefevre (Mens K1 World Champion, Olympic Bronze)
Benoit Peschier (Mens K1 Olympic Champion)
Julien Billaut (Mens K1 European Champion)
Campbell Walsh (Mens K1 World Cup Champion, Olympic Silver)
are ALL paddling the ZigZag 3.6.9 !!
ZigZag's website
Cheers, campbell.
Unless you are pretty experienced (top end of div 1 or premier divisions), then you may not even notice any difference in feeling between different designs of a similar volume, hence it probably doesnt matter what you paddle.
If you want to judge a good boat from what the top paddlers are using, then for your information,
Fabien Lefevre (Mens K1 World Champion, Olympic Bronze)
Benoit Peschier (Mens K1 Olympic Champion)
Julien Billaut (Mens K1 European Champion)
Campbell Walsh (Mens K1 World Cup Champion, Olympic Silver)
are ALL paddling the ZigZag 3.6.9 !!
ZigZag's website
Cheers, campbell.
There aren't that many people paddling the tuscan are there? Its a good boat for sure, but it wouldn't say its been one of the most popular boats in Britain so far. And whats that about making courses fair for people paddling 4m boats! Your joking aren't you. The new rules have been in long enough for people going for senior selection to choose a short boat. The course designers shouldn't take 4m boats into account at all.
As for who is paddling what boat, it completly depends on the type and size of the paddler:
Campbell is good at coping with a very fast turning boat and he's small so he's gone for the 3.6.9. Myself and Huw have gone for the slingshot because its a quick turning boat for the bigger paddler. Euoin R has gone for a Schimitar because he likes how well the boat runs. As the for force and energy, it seems to be better for the smaller paddler who likes a quick running boat.
So as you can see, you can't really look at results and say what the best boat is because it totally depends on the paddler. I'm sure that the top paddlers could use any of the short boats and still be at the top, but they will choose a boat that they feel most comfortable with.
As for who is paddling what boat, it completly depends on the type and size of the paddler:
Campbell is good at coping with a very fast turning boat and he's small so he's gone for the 3.6.9. Myself and Huw have gone for the slingshot because its a quick turning boat for the bigger paddler. Euoin R has gone for a Schimitar because he likes how well the boat runs. As the for force and energy, it seems to be better for the smaller paddler who likes a quick running boat.
So as you can see, you can't really look at results and say what the best boat is because it totally depends on the paddler. I'm sure that the top paddlers could use any of the short boats and still be at the top, but they will choose a boat that they feel most comfortable with.