Thoughts on the Dragonfly 15

[BurkeJ]

That's really helpful information.

Another aside - I installed thigh straps in my MR Guide, mostly to keep me from sliding forward in the rough. I soon learned that lifting a knee with the strap works so much better than weighting the other knee, so I installed the same in my Wildfire.

Oh! How would you describe D15's handling downwind in a long fetch?

like most boats it wants to point into the wind. Last trip I seemed to have an easier time keeping course down wind and with quartering winds than friends in YSsolo’s

 

[BurkeJ]

Inquiring minds want to know - in what situations do you choose one over the other? I am a WildFIRE fanatic but have never paddled an OG Dragonfly. That being said, I certainly know what I like in canoes, and I know the reputation of the Dragonfly - and it's certainly an alluring boat. Having recently splurged on a very nice WildFIRE, I suddenly find myself debating adding a D-fly to the fleet - but these two boats would seem to fill a similar niche...

Inquiring minds want to know - in what situations do you choose one over the other? I am a WildFIRE fanatic but have never paddled an OG Dragonfly. That being said, I certainly know what I like in canoes, and I know the reputation of the Dragonfly - and it's certainly an alluring boat. Having recently splurged on a very nice WildFIRE, I suddenly find myself debating adding a D-fly to the fleet - but these two boats would seem to fill a niche

 

[BurkeJ]

in short,
WF flat water
DF moving water

Both will do both well, just do it a little differently.
WF more easily responds to freestyle techniques, bit more room to move about in front of the seat. Handles easy rapids without problems but definitely not as dry of a boat.
DF handles wind, waves, rapids with much dryer ride. Paddle it more with knees locked into the chines but, you can move about a bit. I do find it easier to heel than the WF.

Lots of portages, WF is #8 lighter.
Waves/rapids: DF is deeper, dryer and already has more scratches.

Love them both.
WF was my ‘first’, paddling flat water when I got into canoeing. Never really considered lake trippers; I like to explore shorelines and coves.
Evolving towards rivers, DF has a bit of a leg up..