Thanks to all for their comments. Obviously if I buy used I am going to
learn in it, and then I will know better what I really want.

What I most want to avoid is a boat that is designed for use by experts,
and would be difficult for me to learn to use. My paddling instructor
advised against the Ocoee, for example, even though he had one he wanted
to sell.

I will say that my personal inclination is probably to bigger water in
bigger streams, rather than difficult technical small streams. I am
more oriented to tripping than class IV, in terms of my paddling goals.
I may think that I need to paddle some class IV to improve my skills,
so that class III wilderness rivers will not seem so tough. The short
playboats, that look like kayak playboats, seem bizarre to me, but maybe
that is an aesthetic consideration.

I am probably learning bad habits paddling my big boat. The boat has so
much volume it tends to cruise through larger waves, and so stable that
I don't depend as much on bracing for stability. A lot of what I hear
about whitewater paddling doesn't even seem to apply to me in my big
boat. I am expecting to have to climb a learning cliff with almost any
whitewater boat.

Richard



Oci-One Kanubi wrote:

Whereas, I'd vote AGAINST the XL series if the OP is expecting to
continue as a serious whitewater paddler. The XL series is obsolete
and it would be a matter of a short length of time before he would want
to sell it for something more current. Buying a used, and slightly
obsolete boat is probably a good idea until he knows exactly what he
wants, but buying something as primitive as an XL is probably a false
economy.

The Probe 14 is a much better suggestion, but if you (OP) check
Mohawk's website (I'm too lazy to do it for you) I'll bet you will find
that your weight is within the range of some of the Probe 12 series. A
great long whitewater boat (with a rabid cult following) is the
Bluehole Sunburst, but there will be a bidding war if one comes on the
market, since Bluehole is again out of production. Another good
big-guy boat that has been around long enough to show up on the
used-boat market is the Outrage X. Two years ago I would have killed
for a used Rival; then I got my Prodigy X!

But if you spring for the price of a new Bell Prodigy X you will want
to kiss me when we meet on the river one day; the expensive Prodigy X
is one schweeeeeeet whitewater canoe!

Generally speaking, you should consider what kind of whitewater you
like best: if you like big water you could get one of the longer boats
suggested here, but if you like (as I do) tight, technical streams then
you should go for a shorter boat that is rated to carry your weight.
Something in the 12' to 13' (I think my Prodigy X is 12'4") range
should make a pretty good all-rounder for someone of your size (and
mine -- 200 and a variable bit) that will be able to handle technical
streams.

-Richard, His Kanubic Travesty
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