I’m thinking about replacing my Super Nova(RX)with the same model in RX-lite.
Would the RX-lite boat be as stiff, practically speaking, as the RX boat? That round bottom should be tough to distort.
I paddle empty most of the time, flat water - CLASS III.
Royalex Lite is available for that boat?
If you’ve already checked into this and know you can get it, great. In that case, you are probably right that the round bottom will make it pretty stiff, since the regular Royalex model is much stiffer than any other Roylax canoe I’ve seen, but that’s as much as I know. Someone else is bound to know more than that. I just didn’t think this option was even available. Maybe it’s new, or something you can get by special order.
lite
I just got a prospector 16 in the lite. I have experienced oil canning and when I shift my weight I can see ripples in the bottom. If I had it to do over I would stick to the regular. The prospector is much bigger though so with a smaller hull it might be just fine.
My. 02
When I demoed a pocket canyon by esquif I found it oil canned quite readily. It was a royalite hull, when I inquired I was told that was a sacrifice made for the lightweight but that it wouldnt affect performance. Im not sure how thats possible. However I dont portage and dont mind the extra weight to ensure the boat I paddle stays true to form. Also I LOVE my supernova and would still love it if it weight 20 pounds more.
Test paddle…
– Last Updated: Aug-11-12 10:42 AM EST –
Unless I could test paddle the Royalex Lite model to be sure I was satisfied with that layup; I'd keep the Royalex version. Most especially I'd keep it, if I were going to be doing some class III whitewater.
I had a Mohawk Solo 14 in their Royalex Lite layup.
I was not happy with it & got rid of it quick.
Have always been happy with Royalex Mohawks. I think I've owned at 10 of them over the years, and I currently, own 3.......Solo 13, Odyssey 14, and Probe 12.
A new, factory direct, Mohawk Odyssey 14, in Royalex cost 21 dollars more than the Royalite version. Do 5 miles on a boney section of class III. I'll bet you'll be glad you paid the extra 21 dollars for the Royalex version, or in your case kept yours.
The difference weights of the 2 Novacraft layups is what? How much portaging will you be doing?
Will weight difference make that much of a difference if you do minimal portaging?
Novacraft might be vastly different from Mohawk, but I doubt it.
Others opinions may vary.
BOB
Thanks
Thanks Everyone,
The SN has been available in RX-lite for sometime. Don’t know how many are out there.
Getting a test paddle in one probably is not in the cards, so barring bad reports over another month or two, once again probably I’ll get married online.
For me CLASS III is usually a brief, now and then thing on the way to somewhere else. The SN is the best I’ve tried in these passages.
In most of my places, though, the water is a lot more relaxed. I like the boat’s speed in the open and agility where it’s tight. Sometimes I get to drag and carry a lot, and so I have thought that losing 5-10 lbs of armor might be no bad thing.
SN in RX-lite owner report
A former SN(RX-lite) owner with SN(RX)experience told me recently that he did not notice softness in the lite version. In his opinion it’s the round cross section bottom, and he’s an experienced boater. I am encouraged.
Now I’m on the trail of a couple more lite owners and will post again if I can tree them too.
Thanks again to all for the thought provoking replies.
Two things. First, Royalex lite will
firm up a bit after a year or so, though the end result won’t be as stiff as aged Royalex. Second, outfitting with a minicell pedestal between the center thwart and the bottom of the boat will add a good bit of hull support, at the cost of a bit of added weight.
Smaller, rounder ww boats like the Esquif Spark will get by with lighter Royalex. No way a craft like the OT Tripper could be done in Royalex lite or anything like it. Same applies to other materials. Smaller, rounder, can allow a lighter “layup.”