Does anyone have any experience with the Colden Nomad solo canoe? Mainly interested in the quality of construction with the carbon kevlar rails and thwarts.I paddled the Colden Nomad a few years back, but I think it had the cherry rails. The boat handles very nicely. I had it in some waves and wind and also calm water on a large pond. Also had it on a stream where it turned predictably. I recommend you call Paul at Colden. He keeps in touch with past customers and asks for them for feedback. He takes a lot of pride in his canoes and is open to suggestions to make things better. I did paddle a Dragonfly with integrated rails and it was a piece of art. I am a big fan of wood rails, but the integrated rails have a lot of advantages.
Got a Colden WildFire and a Colden DragonFly… No need for a Nomad as I have an old Curtis Nomad.
None have infused gunwales but I do have a Placid BoatWorks RapidFire with the infused gunwales.
Paul is a perfectionist… Little things that we might not notice bothers him and he fixes them
The Nomad is quite wind friendly and predictable keeping a course even in a stern quartering wind. Rich Lockwood of Western NY I hope drops in. He got the Nomad with infused gunwales.
I have injured my infused gunwales by dropping ( accidentally) several hundred pounds on them. Very very easy fix. I went for wood gunwales because I have a detachable yoke that I though would not secure well to infused rails without cutting them Since then I have modified the yoke and would not hesitate to use it on infused rails. However I do like the hand feel of wood better.
Paul learned from the best about how to schedule layups for maximum strengh and minimal weight.