Recent content by MartinG

Canyon is by far the more capable ww boat. I much prefer the 17' Prospectuer to the 16'

That's is a very dramatic quote. Great write up of a really cool trip. Dustin had zero business being on that trip. His qualification for joining an exploratory trip down a very wild and challenging river was that he could take good pictures. Ken Macdiarmid was my instructor at MKC. He, on...

The Phoenix is the the Bell Wildfire reborn. Hence the name. I imagine the Swift Wildfire is based off the old Bell Wildfire mold. Maybe with a few tweaks.

If you are interested in a Phoenix but put off by the layup, wait to see what Swift comes out with. Word is they will be releasing a Wildfire soon.

The video I linked to above was an 8 day solo in a Firebird. I could do 2 weeks without any concern. On paper the Phoenix is a larger Firebird. Both are capable small water river boats. With the Phoenix able to carry a larger load. The Firebird is noticeably more nimble than the Phoenix.

I wish I got the wood gunnels! I find the Firebird to be far more manuverable than the Kestrel and quite a bit slower. I can not keep up to a tandem canoe in the Firebird but was frequently ahead in the Kestrel. I have the luxury of two solos but if you could only choose one the Kestrel is a...

I have a Firebird. Prior to that I paddled a Kestrel. I sold the Kestrel and replaced it with a Firebird and a Magic. My Magic is Starlight. It is for packing light, single carrying and travelling fast over lakes. I baby it because Starlight is not a durable layup. After a year and a half of...