I can add to this, having both Clippers and a foot larger version of the NC.
Short whitewater trips, the 14’ Clipper gets the nod. It would be tough to fit more than 2 weeks in this boat and still be confidently manoeuvrable. I run and play class 3 demi-charged without blinking. This boat is my main whitewater play boat because of its speed on the flats compared to the real dedicated ww solos and it does everything I ask it to in the foamy stuff. On the flats, the double blade helps alot. Ive nothing terrible to say about Duraflex, a touch heavy? Maybe, but it makes for a very tough, ridgid hull. I got it for a ww play boat that wouldn’t be a dog on the flats. It’s a very fun boat! If you are looking for more manoeuvrable, this is the boat.
The NC prospector I have is a 16’. My first boat and it’s been soloed more than it’s been tandemed. I’ve test paddled the 15’ before I purchased the other 2 clippers and it was too much like its bigger sibling that I couldn’t consider it. It’s a BIG person solo tripping boat and needs a load. Wind loves the thing and can be a handful on windy days. The double blade does help but it’s no where near as effective as the other boats, it’s just too wide and sitting bow turned backwards there’s a lot of correction going on. It bounces through standing waves and big ww way better than the other 2 but doesn’t play as well as the 14’ Clipper. If an old Royalex one came up, I’d probably buy it, but I’m just not sold on the tough stuff gel coat thing. The 15’ Esquif would be my choice over the NC.
My favourite solo boat by far is the Caribou (that might change now having a Monarch). I like long downriver trips and this boat has it all. Volume, speed, better than decent manoeuvrability and a bulletproof layup. This boat loves a load as well. It will do 6 weeks no problem. I’m 6’, 170 lbs. Two 60l barrels and 2 large packs easily and fit under the spray deck and with a full jag it’s very stable and still runs and handles class 2 water well. I’ve yet to bounce off anything after several thousand km and it makes the necessary moves when asked, though it’s definitely a point and shoot boat compared to the other 2. I’ve messed around in bigger ww stuff empty with it, fun but definitely not my first choice. Its speed is why I love this boat and it does very well with a double blade. It keeps up no problem with tandem prospector style boats even in rolling headwind waters and in some pretty big “situations” I’ve yet to feel uncomfortable in it and am confident I can put in big miles easily. Again, its a Duraflex as well, and I have zero problems carrying a 52 lb boat (a touch over 60 fully outfitted). Its comparables like the SRT and Phoenix come in at lower weights, but until there is some sort of scientific evidence that their layups are as tough as the clippers, I’ll take the proven Duraflex.
As primarily a tripper, and if I could only have one boat, the Caribou would be my choice hands down.