Baboosic

Great Boat! Graceful. Beautiful. Wonderful workmanship. I originally purchased a used Baboosic because I wanted to experiment with freestyle canoeing. This is a great boat for freestyle, and I have since bought a second one. That should tell you how highly I think of this boat. The Baboosic is considered a big boat by a lot of freestylers, but I am 6 feet and 180# and have no problem getting a vertical paddle, even with cross strokes. I am able to kneel transversely, which lets me get both knees near the gunnels comfortably. This boat exudes confidence at the rails. On edge, I can do stem-to-stem sweeps and literally turn on a dime. I can take it past the rails and let water slip in with confidence.

My first Baboosic had been used on rivers quite a bit and has a few scars to prove it. It is an excellent creek boat. I now use that boat on any river where I don’t expect to bash into rocks. Because of its maneuverability, you can work around the obstacles, negating the need of a Royalex boat. I would think it ideal for small twisty streams like the Pine Barrens, I just haven’t paddled them. It is fun for eddy turns and peel outs. I kept my Royalex Bell Wildfire (with air bags) for Class II and rocks. Otherwise, moving water is a great place for the Baboosic.

I had read the reviews about how the Baboosic was surprisingly fast on flat water. I was skeptical, but was also surprised the first time I took it out on the lake with a kayaker. No, it won't set any speed records, and it won't glide like a dedicated lake boat; but for a jack-of-all-trades it is fast. A good forward stroke will pay dividends.

So now I have two Baboosics. One for moving water, and one for freestyle and lakes. If you want a great turning boat that travels across flat water and can carry a load, the Baboosic fits the bill.

The visual impact of the Baboosic is almost palpable; such is the level of the craftsmanship evident in its construction. So much so, that I have even had non-canoeists comment on it. Once the boat is on the water, it becomes readily apparent that the same level of craftsmanship went into its design, as well. I can only echo the sentiment expressed in one of the previous reviews: this is the finest little boat I have ever paddled. Having said that, I add this caveat: no matter how much some readers may desire that these reviews be objective, there is always one large subjective variable --the individual paddler with their biases, their preferences, and their unique skill-level, all of which influence their objectivity. One paddler's hard-tracking boat that's easy to turn with a 'bit' of lean is another paddler's hard-tracker that resists turning unless leaned precariously, even if the degree of lean is the same for both paddlers.

The Baboosic is not a hard tracker, though it tracks, and glides, surprisingly well for a boat with 3 inches of rocker. It also is not difficult to hold into the wind. Nor does it weather cock in a following wind. If you're looking for a boat that carves graceful turns; the Baboosic is not it; the symetrical rocker causes the stern to 'skid' around in a turn. But the boat will turn on a dime. Some people characterize this boat as initially skittish. I do not. The Baboosic, as noted in other reviews, will lock to the rail when leaned. Even the slightest lean induces that feel of 'push-back', which increases the more one leans. Once one is aware of this, feelings of initial 'tenderness' become a moot point, and you find yourself not even thinking about it. The boat is 30 inches wide at the paddling station. Whether one likes that, or not, is a personal preference. It's not an issue for me. The seat, strung with extremely taut nylon cord, is the most comfortable canoe seat I've ever placed my derrierre on, upwards to 7 hours at a stretch. I've taken this boat on week long camping trips. It handled the load and various conditions encountered with aplomb.

Lastly, I have never paddled a boat like the Baboosic. It's so light and responsive on the water, it's like paddling a leaf. I feel like I am part of the experience; not an intruder. It's canoeing the way I think it should be.

Cool boat. Roomy. Some people think it's bit too wide - including myself. I still wouldn't mind owning one since it's beautiful, comfortable, and does many things very well (freestyle, carrying a big load, great for rivers, good for lakes). The boat does not cruise as efficiently as some solo boats. A Baboosic is an easy boat to fall in love with; if you find a good used one at a good price and you want a solo boat, this is a fine choice.

The Baboosic is a wonderfully responsive canoe for the solo, technical paddler. It does indeed make a grand Freestyle boat. It locks at the rail with confidence and provides stability that inspires the paddler to push the limits of ability----and fun! If Merrimac ever produces the boat in lightweight Kevlar or carbon fiber, I'm sure it will become even more popular than it already is! While best suited for the average to larger paddler, the Baboosic is a terrific boat for all paddlers who like room to use a variety of kneeling positions and a stable platform to execute advanced Freestyle maneuvers.