RapidFire

After paddling a Mad River Malecite with a third [middle] seat solo for some time, I decided to buy a dedicated solo canoe. After researching the field, I ordered my PBW_Rapidfire late autumn/early winter 2012. Due to a very serious illness, I was forced to delay taking possession until sometime in the summer of 2013.

Strangely enough, the boat gave me something to look forward to and has subsequently been a fundamental part of my life since it arrived [Joe Moore was incredibly gracious about my need to delay accepting the canoe]. I have traveled rather extensively with it and paddlers often remark on how great it looks --- It IS a thing of beauty: reptilian green [my term!] with no maintenance, carbon fiber gunnels with a nice 'checkerboaard' pattern... ...all of which is fine. >>>HOWEVER<<< Of far greater significance is the seaworthiness, responsiveness and agility of the canoe - absolutely out of this world! The creator of the boat, places a pedestal seat [with clever height options] resulting in a really stable paddling sensation. There is no doubt in my mind that, on more than one occasion, upon finding myself in some rather awkward situation the Rapidfire was THE difference between avoiding a bad outcome and experiencing a learning opportunity. I trust the boat a great deal.

Some time after my illness, a family reunion took me to New York state, not far from the operation -- I stopped in with a few questions and he could not have been more gracious about answering questions, giving me a tour of his shop and even demonstrating the touching up of a ding. After seven years of regular use, I am so happy I bought the Rapidfire from him -- I simply cannot imagine another canoe I would prefer.

Long time flatwater kayaker, I've owned 20+ sea and touring kayaks. Knee and back issues have left me struggling with getting in and out of a standard kayak cockpit, as well as being unable to move my legs much while seated. While I was vaguely aware of the pack/solo canoes, in all honesty I had largely dismissed them as I thought they would be slow and track poorly. Boy, was I wrong! The Rapidfire is just a joy to paddle! Fast, very stable, comfortable, easy to get in and out of, tracks great, and handles flat calm and wind and waves with equal ability. I usually paddle with a double-bladed paddle, and the Rapidfire responds quite well. Quick acceleration, very nimble, and I even enjoy taking her out on rougher days and surfing on the waves. Super light (mine is 26lbs with the gorgeous cherry wood gunwales) and has a 450lb load capacity which is more than I'd ever need. (and I'm a big guy t 6'3", 265lbs) I love the seat and backband combination, as well, very comfortable. Stretching out and changing leg/knee positions is fantastic--something I literally can't do in a closed deck kayak. It's true that it does not track as well as my favorite 17-18' touring kayaks, but, it is FAR more nimble and easy to turn, and it's tracks 90% as well as my longer kayaks--which can sometimes be a chore to turn in tight quarters or high winds--unlike the Rapidfire. I also owned a Wenonah Prism solo canoe, but found that I really like sitting in the bottom of the boat instead of higher up on a tractor seat and rails like the Prism. I also found the Prism to more squirrely in wind and waves, and really need to be trimmed more often by sliding the seat back or forward, and/or adding a couple gallons of water in the bow or stern. When I load the Rapidfire I usually put most of my gear right behind me, and I do carry an empty one gallon jug in case in need the extra weight up in the bow to trim her out, but I rarely need that.

All in all a GREAT boat that I really enjoy paddling, and at the end of the day I get I big smile on my face when I pick her up on load her onto the car racks when she's so light and easy to manage. :)

When you visit Placid Boatworks, Joe makes you feel like family. I was able to see one of the boats being made, and had a tour of the new shop. I had the opportunity to test paddle a Rapidfire to pick out the seat and paddle combination that was best for me in the adjoining pond.

My previous boat weighed in at over 60 lbs, and wasn't so fun to put on the top of my Yukon by myself at the end of a long day of paddling. With the Rapidfire, I know I will spend more time on the water because it is just so easy to manage. That is worth a lot to me.

I love the speed and feel of the Rapidfire. Joe was more than willing to answer a few of my questions during my visit since is my 3rd season paddling (I'm 51). My friend who grew up in the Adirondacks and is an experienced paddler absolutely loved the R apidfire when he paddled mine last week.

I am also happy that I was able to support a small business that actually makes a superior product right here in the USA! The workmanship and design is great, and I could not be more pleased with my purchase.

Easy to shoulder, at 25#, to launch and talk about responsive in the water! In a short time the craft almost reads your mind as to what you want to do. In rapids as well as pretty big waves on the lakes, it just eats them up! The tumblehome configuration really works. The incredible design responds easily to edging, etc. allowing terrific maneuverability.

And it's tough! On my first paddle in rapids on the Verde river in AZ, my unplanned "river bank relocation project" left the RapidFire none-the worse for the experience. In a word, it is a GREAT solo canoe!

In three seasons of use, I have only had one problem. I backed up into a sharp edge on a stump and made a very tiny crack on the side of the boat in the clear gelcoat. The repair was easily fixed with the materials and instructions supplied by Joe. I use the boat primarily for long hours of fishing. Each trip is usually around 10-15 miles and I spend around 50 days a year on the water. The boat gets a lot of use and it still looks great! The bottom scratch coat surface has very few scratches and that is amazing considering I go over logs and stumps every time I go out. This spring I will probably re-coat the gunwales for the first time. I could just do a couple of small areas where I have worn the finish down, but I figure after 3 years of use why not do it all. My paddle of choice is a 47" bent Gillespie with a powersurge blade. I can get 3-4 stokes per side and just sit and switch effortlessly.

I would definitely buy another boat from Joe. The folks at Placid Boatworks make a quality product and they are great to deal with.

But back to the 90... and there were several Rapidfires entered, along with a couple of Spitfires. Joe Moore of Placid Boatworks was in his new tandem. there was also the "red tigershark" rf... since this was my first 90 I entered the open touring divison and took off on the first wave. On the second day I was about boat #8 to make it to the bridge and in the top 25 towards the end of the lake and that's when all the multi engined boats started catching up to me, including the war canoes. I had my gps with me which really helped keep me up to speed but it's really tough for a little'ol solo pack boat to keep up with these greyhounds. when I stopped paddling for a drink, gu, etc I came to a stop while the multi engined boats would pass me up, ug. but as long as my motor has some steam in it, the rf would do a pretty fine job of moving along, especially at the end of each day where I somehow managed to fire the afterburner miles before the finish and pass quite a few other boats, much to my astonishment! at the end of day two a k2 had just nosed me out at the line but I bet they were really working for it cause I was on full afterburners and doing over 6ish mph for quite awhile! Now if I had the motor of the red tigershark, well, things would have been a whole lot different! I was able to paddle with the tiger a bit and learned about strokes but it wasn't for long.

All in all, I'm quite proud of what I did in the Rapidfire, I finished as the top solo boat in the open touring division but not nearly as fast as the other Rapidfires racing in their class. the rf can be a fast boat but it can also go the distance. I can't wait to take it for some serious camping next summer!

Lately , I have been using a Zaveral racing paddle more and more, but for speed and in windy conditions, the kayak paddle stays available. Because it is a narrow boat, I had the kayak paddle shortened from 240 to 230 and it works fine.

I have a chronically bad lower back and this is the most comfortable boat I have ever owned and that includes 4 kayaks and 3 canoes. I can paddle all day in the Rapidfire with no backache at all.

Pluses:
Fast, darn fast. No problem keeping up with my partners in seventeen foot sea kayaks.
Can exit from the boat onto anything. Its easier get out of the RF and climb dock ladders than it is from a sea kayak.
Rides over waves really well. The bow is quite light.
Maneuverable even with an abeam wind and sea. Can change direction in any sea.

Minuses: there is just one. The bow is so light without a load that the boat tends to pancake hard over the back of a three foot wave. I would advise always having a pack in the boat. This is after all a pack boat.

Spend a little extra and get the spray cover. It will keep you warm and cozy, which is about the only advantage I can find in a kayak.

The wind and tidal current where I usually paddle have let me try the RapidFire in waves up to three feet (measured peak to trough). Deep-water waves haven't been a problem. In shallow water, where the waves get steeper, I often take on water. I have the canoe rigged with whitewater-style flotation, so taking on a couple gallons doesn't worry me much (and has surprisingly little effect on stability). I have practiced sea-kayak-style assisted rescues and had no problems getting back in the boat. I haven't tried the RapidFire in whitewater.

As to speed, the canoe is noticeably faster than my previous solo (a WildFire). I don't have any useful empirical measurements, since tidal currents taint the numbers.

Negatives: My boat had a minor wood-finishing problem that I fixed myself, after consulting with the helpful folks at Pb (they offered to repair it for me, but it was easier to add some polyurethane myself). The laminate on my hull isn't stiff enough for the way I use the canoe (I weigh just over 200 pounds, and much of my weight is on the rails rather than the floor, since I kneel, and that lets the floor flex a little); Placid Boatworks tell me they have fixed this problem in current kneeling hulls. I wish it turned easier (by design, the stern sits a little lower than the bow, to aid tracking, at the expense of nimbleness). I wish it had a deck to cut down wind effects and keep out the steep waves (Pb now offers a fabric deck -- haven't tried it yet). And while I'm dreaming, it would be nice to have a height-adjustable seat.

But over all, after 11 months, I'm very happy with my RapidFire. I rated it 10 out of 10 because nearly everybody gives a 10 on this site, so the ratings are content-free. Because of the negatives I mentioned above, I actually think of the RapidFire as a 7 out of 10 (tough grader), but I don't know of any production canoe out there that would be higher than a 7 for my needs, so I think I've gotten the best I can get. The RapidFire provides speed, seaworthiness, and comfort for me to do long trips with my sea-kayaking friends and usually keep up with the front of the group.

That said, I'll try to be as objective as possible. The Rapidfire is a 15 foot solo boat designed by Dave Yost. While it may look like a canoe at first glance, it is truly an open topped kayak. It was intended to be paddled from a very low seating position utilizing a double-bladed paddle. It has minimal rocker, significant tumblehome and an exceptionally long waterline for its length. The combination of light weight (comfortably under 30 pounds), large volume and an open top make it an ideal pack canoe (a kayak with enclosed storage compartments is a serious pain when pond-hopping) for the larger paddler.

The design is executed in carbon/kevlar using a vacuum bagging process. Cherry rails were standard when I bought mine, though it is possible that a graphite rail system will be available soon. End caps and thwarts are constructed of a laminated product called dymondwood - chosen for its strength and water resistance (according to the Placid Boatworks web-site). My personal opinion is that it may be an exceptional material for the purpose, but that it is ugly as sin.

It is seaworthy, tracks well and is very responsive to leaned turns. And, above all, it is flat out fast. The tumblehome allows for a pretty efficient paddle stroke - certainly much more so than the other boats in this class that I have paddled. All in all, it is a wonderful execution of a craft designed for a very specific purpose. And that is both its virtue and its vice. As long as you stay within the design parameters, it is a great boat. That's where we need to go back to the beginning of this review.

I am a canoe paddler and make no mistake - this is not a canoe. The seating position is simply not conducive to efficient paddling with a single-bladed stick. It could be modified by installing a seat with enough rise to allow an efficient paddle stroke with a single bladed paddle, but that begins to mess with the stability inherent in the design. Accept it for what it is and you won't find a better boat in the class. Try to make it something it isn't and you probably will not be happy.

Rating - 10 out of 10 if you sit and use a double-bladed paddle.