New Swift Prospector 15 Solo - Specs?

[Moonman]

Guys,

I noticed a couple of new swift videos for some new upcoming boats…one of them being a 15’ solo prospector.

I imagine they could change things still, as the boat they were testing was the mold plug, but does anyone have any idea of the specs for it? In particular waterline beam and max beam.

Thanks in advance!

Moonman.

 

[Tryin']

In the video, Bill says they pretty much held the P14 beam specs.

 

[Moonman]

Thanks Tryin’,

I saw that but wasn’t sure they meant exactly….

Moonman.

 

[Tryin']

Thanks Tryin’,

I saw that but wasn’t sure they meant exactly….

Moonman.

Here is a little more detail for the P14:

 

[Moonman]

Thanks!

 

[NikonF5user]

I suspect this boat will be a game-changer of sorts for solo backcountry traveling - so many extended trippers use a turned-around 15' tandem prospector, this boat will be solo-optimized with a similar capacity and similar primary stability, able to handle big water and big portages as well as (or better than) something like an Esquif P15 or Nova Craft P15.

I paddled the previous prototype this past October, but they updated it a bit with this new plug - it has a bit more rocker and I think will be quite fun to paddle. I'm oddly excited about this boat...

 

[Tryin']

Well, for me, this boat was the biggest disappointment of the show. Its NOT a big man's solo, unless that man is a dedicated sitter, and a pack boat sitter at that.

The bench seat is about 6-7" off the floor, making it impossible to get my feet underneath, even in sneakers. Swift had a packseat track already set up inside to show the "dual use" nature of their seating options and the bench seat was touching the top of the packseat when it was slid under. Looks like they could *maybe* get 1.5" more height before the seat pods have to wrap around the interior shoulder.

Edit to add: in the paddle-the-plug video, they have the seat hung high and from the gunwale. The production model uses their pod system and is easily 3"+ lower. Maybe an option to get the full cherry trim and have the seat hung as high as it will go.

The shear line is all packboat or typical regular/small man solo. This is a regular dude and a massive dog boat, or a regular dude that is 80# overweight boat, not a linebacker boat. Unless you want a pack boat, in which case it is probably just about perfect. Bill Swift was great about it and said they would definitely put drops in that would raise the seat by 3/4", but that wont be enough. He seemed somewhat surprised that the fit was so poor, given that I was the "exact guy this boat was supposed to be for". I told him it WAS perfect, if a packboat was the goal.

Another almostbutnotquite. The quest continues.

My idea of a linebacker solo:
15'6"-16'6"-ish length.
2" front rocker, symmetrical or 1.5" rear.
28/29" gunwale width
30-32" max width
29" width 3" waterline
10"+ seat gap to floor
19"/14"/16" shear, bring it all up an inch if the shoulder needs lifted to get the seat high enough.
280-290# 3" waterline

Build the paddle station for a big guy and THEN work the hull shape around those parameters. You can put big people in small boats, but they have to sit on the floor. Sidebar on that: note that the tandem paddled backward retains the taller seat height of the original configuration. For some reason, manufactures seem to want to drop the seats down when they move to the center. If the seat needs to be at the gunwale to maintain a comfortable leg position, then do it. Reinforce the layup, rework the stability profile, whatever.

As another aside, I had a GREAT conversation with Charlie Wilson about the subject. Maybe Northstar will be the manufacturer that gets it right for next year. They already have a great hull to work from with their Polaris: shorten it by six inches to a foot, bring all the center widths in by 2", and raise the center shear by an inch. Make it in Blacklight HD, and bam, a great rivers and lakes tripping boat that fits men who are over 6' and 260# that like to do work in the gym.

 

[dutchlennart]

Sad to hear it does not work out.
I am bad in numbers i guess you have looked at the bell/swift/colden starfire and hemlock eaglet? Each boat is a compromise. Some work better then others. Gettting the seatheight right is crucial.

 

[Tryin']

Sad to hear it does not work out.
I am bad in numbers i guess you have looked at the bell/swift/colden starfire and hemlock eaglet? Each boat is a compromise. Some work better then others. Gettting the seatheight right is crucial.

The Starfire is a bit short/wide, definitely a tandem-turned-solo feel to it. Not a bad compromise, but very clearly a compromise. The Eaglet is the closest, if a bit shallow, looking at the specs. Unfortunately, I've never seen one in person.

 

[Rubbaboo]

Well, for me, this boat was the biggest disappointment of the show. Its NOT a big man's solo, unless that man is a dedicated sitter, and a pack boat sitter at that.

The bench seat is about 6-7" off the floor, making it impossible to get my feet underneath, even in sneakers. Swift had a packseat track already set up inside to show the "dual use" nature of their seating options and the bench seat was touching the top of the packseat when it was slid under. Looks like they could *maybe* get 1.5" more height before the seat pods have to wrap around the interior shoulder.

The shear line is all packboat or typical regular/small man solo. This is a regular dude and a massive dog boat, or a regular dude that is 80# overweight boat, not a linebacker boat. Unless you want a pack boat, in which case it is probably just about perfect. Bill Swift was great about it and said they would definitely put drops in that would raise the seat by 3/4", but that wont be enough. He seemed somewhat surprised that the fit was so poor, given that I was the "exact guy this boat was supposed to be for". I told him it WAS perfect, if a packboat was the goal.

Another almostbutnotquite. The quest continues.

My idea of a linebacker solo:
15'6"-16'6"-ish length.
2" front rocker, symmetrical or 1.5" rear.
28/29" gunwale width
30-32" max width
29" width 3" waterline
10"+ seat gap to floor
19"/14"/16" shear, bring it all up an inch if the shoulder needs lifted to get the seat high enough.
280-290# 3" waterline

Build the paddle station for a big guy and THEN work the hull shape around those parameters. You can put big people in small boats, but they have to sit on the floor. Sidebar on that: note that the tandem paddled backward retains the taller seat height of the original configuration. For some reason, manufactures seem to want to drop the seats down when they move to the center. If the seat needs to be at the gunwale to maintain a comfortable leg position, then do it. Reinforce the layup, rework the stability profile, whatever.

As another aside, I had a GREAT conversation with Charlie Wilson about the subject. Maybe Northstar will be the manufacturer that gets it right for next year. They already have a great hull to work from with their Polaris: shorten it by six inches to a foot, bring all the center widths in by 2", and raise the center shear by an inch. Make it in Blacklight HD, and bam, a great rivers and lakes tripping boat that fits men who are over 6' and 260# that like to do work in the gym.

Easy, Clipper Caribou S

 

[Tryin']

Easy, Clipper Caribou S

I am hoping to stop by their place on our big American road trip this September. I spent some time with them on the phone last year, but its another one I have yet to find in the wild. Great reminder though, because their specs are almost bang on what I think would be perfect, other than the weight.

 

[Alan Gage]

How does the Raven shape up to your criteria? Never seen or paddled one, just curious.

Alan

 

[Gamma1214]

That was my first thought:

My idea of a linebacker solo:
15'6"-16'6"-ish length.
2" front rocker, symmetrical or 1.5" rear.
28/29" gunwale width
30-32" max width
29" width 3" waterline
10"+ seat gap to floor
19"/14"/16" shear, bring it all up an inch if the shoulder needs lifted to get the seat high enough.
280-290# 3" waterline

I haven't taken actual measurements but it sounds like the Raven I built last year... Any interest in @Tryin' a stripper build?

 

[ABT]

My idea of a linebacker solo:
15'6"-16'6"-ish length.
2" front rocker, symmetrical or 1.5" rear.
28/29" gunwale width
30-32" max width
29" width 3" waterline
10"+ seat gap to floor
19"/14"/16" shear, bring it all up an inch if the shoulder needs lifted to get the seat high enough.
280-290# 3" waterline

Bell Northstar or Northstar Polaris are very very close to those specs. I know you’ve tried one and liked it I think, what’s kept you from pulling the trigger on one of those?

Also, if you’re committed to kneeling, why not an SRT? Doesn’t meet the specs but is very efficient, holds plenty of gear, and might meet your use cases.

The Starfire is a bit short/wide, definitely a tandem-turned-solo feel to it. Not a bad compromise, but very clearly a compromise

Have you paddled a Starfire or are you just going off the specs/looks? It would not be my first choice for lake tripping due to the rocker, but I’m shorter than you and the width is not an issue at all for me and I’m surprised it would be for you. I frankly can’t imagine it as a tandem even though I know that was its design - it’s just not big enough for that IMO. As a solo there’s room to move around and it’s my perfect Cadillac river solo for everything but going fast over long distances (it demands a perfect correction stroke which can be more tiring than other boats over long distances of flat water). That said, when paddled heeled over Canadian style it is much faster than you’d expect.

I actually liked the Swift P15 aesthetics better in person than in the videos. Swift might hang the seats from their aluminum gunwales if you are concerned with the cost of the cherry. But I’d get the cherry, they do it beautifully. I don’t care for their seating pods myself, I play with heights on mine too much so hung seats are the way to go for me.

 

[Tryin']

How does the Raven shape up to your criteria? Never seen or paddled one, just curious.

Alan

That was my first thought:

I haven't taken actual measurements but it sounds like the Raven I built last year... Any interest in @Tryin' a stripper build?

Ha! I couldn't figure out why we were recommending whitewater playboats, but Gamma set me straight with the stripper comment. I remember the build thread.

Raven I thought we were talking about:

Raven - Esquif

OUT OF STOCK *We regret that this product will not be available to ship in 2022. We hope to have them available again for the 2023 season. The Raven is a collaboration of world renowned paddler, teacher and canoe designer Bob Foote and Esquif owner and canoe designer Jacques Chasse. The complex...

www.esquif.com

I dont have the time or space for a build right now, but I've given it some thought. I really want to work up to a full DIY composite hull someday.

 

[Tryin']

Bell Northstar or Northstar Polaris are very very close to those specs. I know you’ve tried one and liked it I think, what’s kept you from pulling the trigger on one of those?

Also, if you’re committed to kneeling, why not an SRT? Doesn’t meet the specs but is very efficient, holds plenty of gear, and might meet your use cases.



Have you paddled a Starfire or are you just going off the specs/looks? It would not be my first choice for lake tripping due to the rocker, but I’m shorter than you and the width is not an issue at all for me and I’m surprised it would be for you. I frankly can’t imagine it as a tandem even though I know that was its design - it’s just not big enough for that IMO. As a solo there’s room to move around and it’s my perfect Cadillac river solo for everything but going fast over long distances (it demands a perfect correction stroke which can be more tiring than other boats over long distances of flat water). That said, when paddled heeled over Canadian style it is much faster than you’d expect.

I actually liked the Swift P15 aesthetics better in person than in the videos. Swift might hang the seats from their aluminum gunwales if you are concerned with the cost of the cherry. But I’d get the cherry, they do it beautifully. I don’t care for their seating pods myself, I play with heights on mine too much so hung seats are the way to go for me.

The Polaris IS very close, and maybe that should be good enough. I just wish it were *teeny* bit smaller. I know, wish in one hand.... I have not paddled a Starfire.

I dont kneel all the time, I flip back and forth as my knees and back prefer. Rivers are great for that: sit on the flats, kneel in the swifts. But i do the same thing on flat water: switching about every 30 minutes.

I got warned off of the SRT as "too lively for a guy your size". Maybe valid, maybe not, I haven't seen one in person.

A hung seat on cherry-railed Swift P15 solo would be a great boat to test. Maybe I can get Bill to bring one to the demo day at Rutabaga in May.

Reading all this makes me chuckle. A mere five years ago, I was using a Great Canadian chopper glass keeled Prospector for everything. My, how picky I've gotten. might be that $4-5k price tag on a lot of these new hulls...

Thanks to everyone for these model suggestions, more to look for on the used market.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

Easy, Clipper Caribou S

I've been thinking a lot about that, and I think you may be right. Disappointing about that Prospector 15. I'm not sure what to think about that though. When I paddled the P14, I thought it had plenty of seat hight for kneeling. But I'm only 5' 11", so maybe I'm more of a fit.

 

[memaquay]

I don't know where swift gets off calling that thing a prospector. The specs say "Cottage canoe". 12.5 for midship depth? 1 inch rocker?

My pal has the Caribou. He's a big fella, we carry heavy loads. He likes it quite a lot. Keep in mind that Clipper is not known for their lightweight layups. The last Raven I built comes in around 45 pounds, which is quite tolerable for me. I have always kept coming back to the Raven, too bad they never made a kevlar production of it. However, I'm thinking this latest adapted Chestnut Pal we are building could be the ultimate solo, it is looking very sweet.