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Name: sonic

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I bought my Torrent back in 2004 and was my first WW boat. I have taken it down a number of Class II / III runs without any problem except for the occasional swim & it doesn’t side surf very well. It is a very nice platform for warm days, but doesn’t have the body contact / control of a standard kayak. I have found that I get a lot of newby friends wanting to use it since it’s a SOT, but when they get on the water it’s a problem. They can’t get it to track since it’s designed to turn. I like it for this reason, but I end up doing a vertical forward stroke paddling class for them. When / if they master this, it is good for their future paddling life. I like to use it when going with inexperienced groups so I can jump off to show them a technique. It is also a good platform for photography & to collect wildlife samples with. The thing I like most about it is I can rest my legs in may different positions, so no cramping like in a standard hull after many hours on a stream. I also added bungee line in the stern for a cooler & dry bag & an after market seat. It really needs this for back comfort. I have recently purchased a LL Coupe SOT (review to follow after I’ve had it out a few more times), but I will be keeping my Torrent since it is much more maneuverable.

Update of my review from this summer. Still love this boat, but I…

Update of my review from this summer.
Still love this boat, but I have 1 complaint - The hatch cover is very difficult to put on in cold weather. It took 2 of us some time and effort to get it closed again after a lunch break in near freezing weather.

I love this boat! This is the boat that I had hoped the Dagger Approach would be. This is the best crossover boat on the market if you want WW ability. It has lots of rocker unlike my Approach. It's reminiscent of a WW boat of days of yore, only much better. Better harder plastic, modern out-fitting and a hull that is really 3 configurations. In the Bow it is a very shallow V to divide the water when under way and to give some tracking stability. Mid ship is a narrow semi-flat hull for fast turning and surfing and the Stern is a somewhat flat displacement hull with rounded edges similar to a play/river runner for good carving and little grabbyness. Then you drop the skeg and it tracks very well.

Now I have only had this out on class 2 so far, but it is now my go to boat for those conditions. It has a feel reminiscent of my H3, but without grabby edges. On bunny waves it is a carving fiend and it punches through and over the medium waves I have put it through so far. There might be some comparison to Dagger's Green Boat, but I have never paddled that boat.

The only negative for me is the cockpit is slightly too small, but I am a large person (5'7" 275lbs) so a smaller person would do fine.

Well I’ve had this boat for 2 years now and I love it. I’ll stick with all of my earlier review, but will add like many boats it gets much more initial stability when loaded. My friend James had 2 young girls a cooler, dry bag, extra paddles and was towing a WW kayak and could still surf a Class I baby wave. On flat water you have to use a perfect (vertical) forward stroke to keep it tracking, but it’s not really suited to flats. In class I to III WW this boat is in its element. I have paddled quite a number of solo canoes and this is my favorite. The only negative I can find is it’s a little heavy.

I have had my Approach Kayak for 3 months and it has mostly preformed as advertised. It is a good kayak for mild WW and flat sections of rivers. It’s a bit of a tank, but that is to be expected. Like any crossover type boat it doesn’t perform best in either world. My Blackwater 11.5 tracks better and is more stable for new kayakers and my Pyranha H3 is much better at class III+ WW. For what I do most of the time, creeks with Class II and below rapids with considerable flats between them this boat is excellent. Like my Kids Pyranha Master TG the new type of flexible skeg is wonderful when working. I have had some problems with the skeg, but the boat I bought is a pre-production prototype that I got at a good discount, so assuming Dagger has fixed the problem with the skeg popping out of the slot, this is a nice boat. My only issue, besides the skeg, is that it’s a displacement hull. If Pyranha made a larger Master TG that I could fit into I would prefer it’s type of planning hull (both the Approach and the Master TG have the same type of skeg). The Approach has a nice little rear hatch that will store a small dry bag, or cooler and it doesn’t seem to throw it out of trim. It surfs OK, but don’t expect to do any tricks with it. If it were available 4 years ago I probably would have bought this over the Blackwater. This kayak is perfect for the easy Midwestern WW stream that I have near my home. Now that I have retro-fixed the skeg this is my favorite everyday kayak.

Bought this Boat at Canoecopia. I've only had it out 3 times and nothing above class II yet, but it's wonderful. Took a little getting used to the lack of primary stability, but it pays in spades in the WW. Surfs beautify and runs over large wave trains like a dream. Eddies great and with the rounded hull heeling over is almost instinctual. The only negative is it’s a little heavy, but it also tough as nails. I lowered the seat and added SOT type thigh straps (bad knee can’t kneel) and a Wenonah foot bar. A great cursing WW solo boat.

The Rogue is a truly wonderful WW boat for those of us that can't kneel for very long. Its ability to turn and surf alone make it a fun moving water boat, but it's also very dry. My buddy and I come in just under 500 lbs together and this boat handles it fine. Wenonah has done a great job in giving me a boat that I can take newbies down class III rapids without too much concern for their lack of boating skills.

When paddled by 2 experienced canoeists it handles very well indeed. You can even get some decent play in. As you would expect it doesn’t track or glide as well as a conventional canoe, but it’s not for that. For WW I prefer it to a prospector. The only boats that compare to it that I’ve tried are the Esquif Canyon, which is longer, but has more rocker and is better for carrying gear and the Mohawk XL15 with seats which I don’t like as well as the Rogue. For were I spend most of my time (Class I- III WW) the Rogue is the perfect boat for me.

I did have to lower the seats and I will put some thigh bracing in, but other than that it’s excellent.

After 2 years with my Spirit 2 (RX) I would have to say I agree with choire_dog. The oil canning is quite bothersome. When it's loaded with gear or kids, it's fine, but when unloaded it has no rocker at all. The RX is holding up very well though. For a big all around boat it still is one of the best. Thought I would check out a Bell Yellowstone Tandem. We put a center float bag I got very cheap at the death of Galyans sale and when over inflated this helps the oil canning some. Still a nice boat and very well made except for the oil canning.

Now take into account this was all done in a pool so no surfing or eddy turns etc.

I, as well as others, was very impressed with the Master TG. It was fast, tracked well (No Skeg), turned surprisingly well and was very comfortable, considering the minimal adjustability of the outfitting (nice foot pegs btw). It was just too darn small for my 265 lbs. A guy at around 190 lbs said it was perfect for him. I would say 225 lbs might be a good high end. I would have bought a Master TG on the spot if it were just bigger!

I hope you are coming out with a bigger one soon - like before spring.

IMO: it might be best boat out there for transitioning from Rec. boating to WW. I may end up getting this smaller version, with skeg, for my kids and as a buddy boat. If you are in this boats weight range I would strongly encourage you to buy one, but would strongly recommend a test-drive since it has minimal adjustability.

I have had my Royalex Spirit II for 1 year now and it is a wonderful do everything boat. From running class II+ rapids to cursing choppy waters on a big lake it dos great. It isn’t the fastest canoe on the flat water but it’s stable. I’ve even done some “wake jumping” when the powerboats got too thick. I am pretty tough on my boats and this one has come through just fine.