Kevin wrote:


Could anyone please recommend to me a good all around boat for my
girlfrend (115lbs, 5"0)? She's currently paddling a Pyranha Prozone
225, but finds that it's too slow and too advanced for learning how to
roll. She wants to be able to do some beginner whitewater, but doesn't
want a super long boat that's too hard to turn. Any suggestions?

Kevin,

I know from experience that there is a bit of difference in how to roll
a planing hulled playboat in comparison to a displacement hull. The
displacement hull might make it feel easier at first, but IMO, if she
perseveres, she will be able to roll the Prozone as well.

If she's a decent paddler and it's the way she dislikes how the boat
behaves, maybe you can think about renting or borrowing a creekboat or
something slightly longer for a while. Different boats feel different to
different people, and maybe she's not the right person for the Prozone.

Then again, newbies tend to grom over the initial barrier quite quickly.
How much experience does she have paddling? If she's really just
beginning, I wouldn't get rid of the Prozone but try some other boats
for a while untill she gets better.

My (small) girlfriend had a (heavy) Necky Gliss that she used to love
for running rivers, untill I got her to play more. Then she missed
control and fine tuning, in essence being played with by the river. It
became sclear that she needed something that was more responsive (and
lighter :-) ). Now she paddles her Zelezny Igo everywhere (but I am
looking for a creekboat for her to take down steep stuff above class IV
:-) ).

Wilko

--
Wilko van den Bergh Wilkoa t)dse(d o tnl
Eindhoven The Netherlands Europe
Look at the possibilities, don't worry about the limitations.
http://wilko.webzone.ru/