It sounds like perfectly normal behavior for a ww boat. The RPM actually tracks better than some of the shorter planing hulls.
The RPM was designed when stern squirts were considered a cool move, so there isn't much volume back there. If you do give it outside edge while leaning back at all it will slice under. That's normal for this boat. If you don't lean downcurrent it'll let you know...
As for paddling straight: you need to lean forward and keep your strokes as far forward and as close to the hull as possible. Every stroke is a small correction. After a while it becomes automatic. Your paddle may be making it more difficult -- most ww paddles are in the 190-200 range.
The only unassisted self-rescue that I've seen work with ww boats is a roll, or reenter & roll.
Don't blame the boat. Pay attention to what it's telling you, and it'll make you a better paddler.
It will help your foreward stroke Keep at it. Paddle at the front, Try to get a shorter paddle. It will never paddle like a sea kayak but it will let you see turning forces you are putting into your stroke without knowing it.
Should be good for bashing down shallow streams. I bought a 007 with the same idea but it really isn’t comfortable for me, even after I moved the seat back an inch and it’s really meant to be a play boat.
ummmmmm "That boat is NOT a short sea kayak it is more of a WW boat."
It is NOT “more” of a white water boat…IT IS ONE!!!
That is the Most popular whitewater boat ever sold/made…
it just happens to work great for rolling practice…it has a displacement hull-more like a sea kayak-rather than the now popular planing hull…it carves pretty well on a wave (we have had them up to 8’ seasin Newport sufing them)…but does not do any ‘new’ tricks…
believe it or not this thing tracks better than most of the other ww boats out there due to the hull shape…
Tracking BTW, my scratched up old Piedra is the easiest boat to roll…
No WW boat is intended to track quite in the way of a touring boat, as in the paddler providing most of the propulsion. They are intended to follow moving water, or be able to stand solidly on edge and ferry against it. Used this way they handle surf fine, though it may take more like 3 feet of it to really have that come out.
But the question on this boat is using it in slow rivers - while the RPM has more hull speed than the pure playboats, it still isn’t a prime candidate for moving on flat water unless you feel like giving yourself a workout. If that’s what you want to do with it it’ll work fine. But if you are just looking for a slow river boat that will handle very lightweight moving water, you may want to look for something like a high end rec or barely-touring boat.
The hull is fine and don't even think about adding a skeg to it. Like many folks above have stated, it's a whitewater boat which means it has a lot of natural spin momentum built into the hull. It may be initially difficult to keep straight but it's ridiculously easy to do correction strokes once it starts wandering. Keep at it and I'd recommend a shorter paddle and more vertical strokes to help it to go straight. The RPM is actually a "river-runner" so it's pretty darn easy to keep it tracking as long as your technique is good. Keep working on it and if you ever have a chance, take an introductory whitewater course.
As for long crossings, forget about it. It's not meant for it. Oh and get stern flotation bags for sure. With float bags you can cowboy scramble or reenter and roll if you have to but it will still be akin to paddling a submarine. Without float bags... you're screwed.
cool doc is the new troll king!! Seriously, a buddy of mine does 12 mile river runs in a 5'9" Dagger and goes straighter than I do in my 13' Dagger Encore. I think it's just their canoes that veer off course, though my son would disagree, as his Reflection goes like an arrow.
A Prijon white water boat will paddle like a sea kayak - straight and fast, hold a week's worth of gear, and still turn on a dime. Prijon ww boats are also known for nearly sculling and rolling themselves and yet stable up to class IV. And, don't forget that Prijon has got the best plastic on the market.
That's what you get when you leave the cult, it's pure disappointment. You of all should understand that. ;)
Float bags You need more buoyancy in the front as well if you put float bags in the back. I’ve seen what happens to an RPM with just the float bags in the back and it ended up bow down with the tail in the air before the paddler could get back in.
They’ll help you out with equipment/outfitting and some basic instruction and you can practice with them at Dead Carp Drop on the Sangamon over by Springfield.