The Shearwater is a fine sitting boat
and works well.
I feel I am hitting myself on the head but any mass produced boat is going to have features that appeal to the masses.
A sliding seat takes care of kneelers and sitters as it can be adjusted and sliders allow for various pack weights.
A kneeling boat has a fixed seat in my mind. Because I dont have to move the seat to make the boat trim once I get a placement I can bolt the seat in place and throw out the additional hardware.
I would like my friend to bring his Shearwater down to the Glades with a double paddle…Sitting probably and kneeling and the sliding seat will make water jug management as the water levels lower easier.
But he decided to use points fly for free and rent kayak.
Interesting claim from a company not
prone to exaggerated claims. The hardest exterior is done with S-glass, and E-glass is next. So offhand, I don’t know what they’re up to, unless they’re grinding up basalt and mixing it with the resin!
I finally got to paddle a Prism
yesterday in Vero Beach. The only demo model they had was a graphite boat with a sliding seat. I’ll admit that the lightness of the boat was impressive. I found it to be just a tad tippier than I thought it would be, but it cruised along quite easily with both a kayak paddle and my Voyageur bent-shaft paddle. I can see that getting used to the Prism would be easy, and it’d surely hold plenty of gear.
I’m still mulling the Clipper Solitude over in the back of my mind though. I suppose I should take another look at the Shearwater too. Are there many (if any) notable differences in the Solitude and Shearwater…anyone?
How long did you paddle the Prism
and did you like it? If it feels a little tippy, in my mind its a good fit. You will get used to it in a day or so.
OTOH if you felt exacty comfortable next week you might not like the boat.
What we really need is a central pnet testing facility where one of every solo is stored!
I hope this doesnt become a project like “Say Yes to the Dress”.
Paddle on…I never see a Clipper around here except from Alberta.
When I had a Prism
it felt like a swim platform! I think after some seat time you’re going to find it very stable.
I sure do appreciate
the recommendations and personal opinions on this thread and the emails I’ve received from several paddlers. I’ll hopefully be paddling a second Prism this week. The top contender is still the Clipper Solitude and that’s based on workmanship quality, length, and reviews from owners. The Prism is definitely in the running, as is the Swift Shearwater if there’s a way to get one shipped. It’s interesting that, of the three canoes at the top of my list when I started this thread…the Souris River Tranquility, Bell Magic, and Wenonah Prism…only one is still being considered. Drat…and I really really liked the looks of that Tranquility a lot. The Bell Magic too. But, as everyone here knows, looks can be deceiving.
The Tranquility is a very slow
boat. I was disappointed. And it did not want to turn even when heeled to the rail.
Never buy a canoe for its looks. Well try not to. In the water they look quite different anyway.
I own both the Magic and Prism…
– Last Updated: Jan-24-10 8:52 AM EST –
Had I bought the Magic first, I wouldn't have gotten the Prism. I've never paddled Florida waters, but for big inland water or rivers, to me, the Magic is a more "fun" boat. Turns better, paddles easier, and with a little seat time, is very stable. Like someone else said, the Prism is almost too stable...that's my "bring the dog along with me boat". I do some camping out of my canoes and I like to bring the kitchen sink. Both boats have been adequate for those times. I just think the Magic makes a better "day" boat than the Prism. My Prism is kevlar with no gel coat and my Magic is "blushing" white gold....
Tranquilty
is slow and a real pig in my opinion.I owned one for about a month and can honestly say that it was a bore to padddle. My favorite all around solo is the Swift Osprey which is the little brother of the Shearwater. Swift has been a great company for me to deal with having also owned their kayaks. Would the Wilderness by Wenonah work for you? Also Swift will ship you a Shearwater direct if you wish. Swifts flared designs are very seaworthy, a factor you may appreciate on areas such as Florida or Whitewater bay.
For myself I am down to Placid Flashfire and a Hemlock Kestrel. All my paddling is day trips with water, lunch and binoculars for birding with some fishing thrown in. Good luck on the search.
Shame the Magic fell off
In my opinion it a much more playful boat and in discussions with a couple well known “boat guys” it will hold at least as much gear as the Prism if not more (has to do with the cross section if I remember right). And to paraphrase a respected individual he “prefers the Magic because that Prism just doesn’t feel like it has a soul”.
If you haven’t spent time in both you’ll never understand that statement. Anyway that is one less Magic being taken from the used market so I will be able to stockpile one or two more to ensure I always have my favorite northwoods tripping boat.
Randy
may I make another suggestion?
A favorite boat of mine that will carry all the gear you want, is maneuverable and sea worthy is the Mad River Explorer…in kevlar. It’s a tandem tripping boat, but you could mount a center seat. Your arm length may be such that paddling from a-midships might work for you. I have two bell boats, so I am familiar with most models. See if you can an Explorer to test paddle. They aren’t rare, but the kevlar might be a bit hard to find. Good luck!
Prism - Magic
My size, weight is very close to yours and just a tad younger. I picked up a Kevlar Prism off of Craigslist to primarily freshwater tour and fish from. I fly fish with no problem out of it in the seated position. It is a tracker and a sit and switch hull. In big winds and waves it can be difficult to make it go to all points of the compass.
My friend has the Magic and it is faster and easier to turn. Although it might feel a little tippier then the Prism, I had no problem casting or fly fishing out of it. You can single side paddle it, but it probably is at its’ best operated as a sit and switch boat. If the Magic had also been on Craigslist at the same time as the Prism, I probably would have gone for it first.
I also demoed a Swift Shearwater once, but thought it felt big and was a further reach to the side for the paddle. Tripping, probably fine, but day use it seemed a little big for me.
Echoing Pyker’s comments
Again, I heard them from the same highly knowlegable individual. Fullness in the ends allows heavier loading than the Prism. And I also heard the same comment about “soul”.
Jim