I found a Dagger Ocoee that is in my price range. Would this make a good beginner canoe? I plan on taking a whitewater clinic or two with Zoar Outdoors in the spring.
The canoes they use are Esquif Nitro. Is there that much of a difference between the two? Thanks.
Nitro vs Ocoee
JMHO but having paddled both, the Nitro is much more user friendly to the less experienced paddler. The Ocoee is a pretty hard chined boat and can be a bit of a handfull to start with. Strong eddy lines become much more exciting in the Ocoee. I am not saying the Ocoee is a bad boat, I just prefer the Nitro in every respect.
Hmm Nitro Vs Ocoee
Well I have a strong dislike for the Nitro at any level, beginner to expert. The Only thing I like about it is that it runs dry. Otherwise it’s slow and won’t hold a line. Might as well paddle a beachball. I like it’s little brother the Detonator much better.
As a beginner I found the Ocoee very edgy and challenging. If you are aggresive and can deal with a steep learning curve that might not be a problem. It’s an exellent intermediate to advanced boat.