Yesterday, which would be Sunday March 26 for future me to read, I paddled the Scorch M with the seat moved to the middle position. We went down the Upper and Lower Mulberry at 2.7 feet. It is class II with big waves at that level.
The previous weekend I had paddled the Scorch with the seat forward, and had posted about it feeling locked in a line. We were on the Locust at medium-low water, 3.5ish IIRC. Several times I had to stop myself from doing breaking strokes, something my instructors over the years have tried to help me correct. I ended up tweaking my left shoulder trying to muscle the boat around, and it was still tweaky yesterday. As a result I didn't do much surfing yesterday.
But still, yesterday I was able to get a sense of the boat with the seat in the middle, and I think it is much better for me. I didn't feel like the boat locked in lines, and I also started to feel like it was the right size for me if that makes any sense. I never had that feeling exactly about the Machno, definitely didn't about the Nirvana, but I did feel that way about my beloved Stomper 80. I am hoping that the Scorch M will continue to feel like it's made for someone my height and weight, while offering better tracking and more stern volume, two things I think the Stomper was lacking in. I'm also hoping the boofability feels better, there weren't really any boofs yesterday and I was being careful about my shoulder anyway. The Stomper's boofability was excellent.
I also felt that I now had room to shift my weight forward if I wanted, where as before I felt like I didn't have that. Again, if that makes sense. It's hard to describe these things.
I gave it a decent chance to backender me, by going through the main waves of Lunchstop, which had backendered my Antix 2 a few weeks ago at a similar level. The Scorch never felt like the stern grabbed. So far so good.
I still need to add seat shims to the back of the seat.
I asked Peggy to take a picture of me to assess the trim. I feel it's good.
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| Photo by Peggy Robertson |
I originally posted this review/update on FB and had some comments from my friend Tim R.
Tim R: The trim looks good. Some people might feel your bow light but the Scorch has SO much bow rocker I think it's about true trim. I never figured out the Scorch. My take, it had good speed but average quickness. In other words, average speed with 1 to 3 strokes but up to speed and fast at 5 strokes. It was quick to turn and sometimes the box got knocked off line if I was floating because the bow is so big. It was a boat that liked to be "driven". I am more of the semi floater till I need to make a move and then drive the boat. The Scorch seems to want to be driven all the time. It's extra length was no asset to me. I think it's best use would be cruising big rivers, not super technical eddy hopping. Your thoughts?
Me: I think you had an opposite experince to mine, you felt the bow was easy to get knocked off line while I felt the bow would get locked into line. You might have tried seat adjustment as well. I also think the extra length is a help for me as the Stomper 80 stern was small and would tend to backender.
Every creekboat I have had, has had the comment made that it likes to be driven. I found reviews about the Stomper that mentioned this as well. Which amused me as I tend to float then turn-and-burn. I think that's a bad habit honestly but whatever.
I haven't creeked with the Scorch except the Middle Tellico a couple weeks ago and it really was great. The bow goes up and over things instead of through them. And the seat was forward so I am hoping to give it a try with the seat in the middle soon.
Tim R: You're probably right, I never moved the seat forward to help lock in the bow. Your analogy of float and turn and burn is pretty much my style unless the water is big and you can see the line early. Example I float into double trouble on the Locust even at high water like 4 to 6 feet and then hit 4 or 5 good strokes to make the right to left move to hit the eddy between the drops and stay far away from the river right side rocks.
Me: That "float and turn and burn" is pretty much opposite what I have been taught by Jeff West and other instructors, Maybe it's us being old school? I don't know. I do know it has caused me some real carnage, a certain hole below Broken Nose on river left comes to mind in particular.
My 'philosophy' or 'game' I play these days is pretending I am in a canoe and looking for the Dry Line. It can make even a riffle into something of a puzzle.
Tim R: My float and turn/burn is just an evolution of aging, I charge when needed but if unsure I wait to see the move. It's better to drive the boat when you know the line. I find myself below some drops with too much speed and have to hit the brakes pretty hard in search of an eddy unless I knew where the eddy was from the top of the drop and I set up for it. I agree floating to long is a bad idea, causes you to focus on the place you don't want to go instead of working to the best line. I find most rapids need 5 to 10 strokes with purpose to get the "good line". You make me want to try the Scorch again and tweak the seat position. You're a bad influence. LOL
A new boater asked me to explain the word "Boofability". Here is my attempt:
Boofability - Meaning, seeing a pourover rock, heading up to it with speed and launching off the top of it. With the seat forward I would have trouble lining up for boofs. Also the ease of the launch. I could never get that boof stroke 'golden stroke' feeling because I wasn't lined up right. This was easy to do in the Stomper.
David S made a comment that I found to be exactly what I was feeling with the seat all the way forwards in the Scorch: Being bow heavy is the worst, it forces you to lean back into a less aggressive posture.
That comment is so spot-on I felt it deserved italics AND bolding.
