Design recommendation

[bentg]

Jeff, I need a recommendation from you. I have a client who paddles a very nice, but somewhat heavy Impex Force Cat 4 right now which has decent speed and very good behavior in all-around conditions. The Impex is 18 feet long LOA. He is an older man but an excellent paddler with rolling skills. He doesn't race. He wants a lighter boat from me (Skin on Frame to the rescue!), and I'm trying to decide which of your designs to use. I'm leaning toward the Long Shot, partly because I want one myself. Is that the way I should go, or do you have another suggestion? Any other questions you need answered?

[Kudzu]

For an experienced paddler anything on my over 17 foot page of designs. My personal favorite is Long Shot or Firefly, very similar underwater profiles. I paddle a Long Shot 90% of the time and I REALLY want a Firefly but I just can't justify it, I just have too many boats right now.

Shad is a close second... or is that third? It's has a shorter waterline and it is a little slower, meaning in practical terms a little more resistance, but not by alot. It it is probably my best looking design and it paddles mighty good too. It's also a little lighter because of the single chine and it goes together faster.

If your client is going to be paddling in the ocean where you are talking some big wide spaced swells, I don't know for sure but I don't Long Shot is a good choice. I think it's fine entry would bury it nose instead of wanting to float over and that could be a liablity. But on our big lake it's not a problem because any big waves are closely spaced so there not much chance of burying the nose.

If I were to decide to sell a couple of boats I would build myself a Firefly in a heart beat! Every time this subject comes up I end up wanting to build me one.

[bentg]

Thanks, Jeff, I hadn't looked hard at the Firefly but I will now.

[Kudzu]

As I said, the hull shape is basically the same as Long Shot. It's a little longer so it's got a little more potential speed for the strong paddler. I built one for a local and was really impressed with the few times I have paddled it. Now you have wanting to build one for myself (again).