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Name: paddler237113
Most Recent Reviews
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. :)
13' long, 32" wide, carrying capacity of 450 lbs, and my kevlar version weighs only 32 lbs.! Super lightweight, very easy to load/unload, portage, etc. I paddle it with a 240cm Aqua-bound Manta Ray full carbon kayak paddle, and I'm constantly amazed at how well the Scout paddles and tracks. Super fast, very nimble, and yet very stable. The wide curved gunwhales make getting in an out super easy, and I'm happily surprised with how stable it is. It comes with bow and stern floatation bags, and a very comfortable cane/ash seat that is not attached to the hull. I must admit I thought the seat would slide all over the place, but I can paddle the Scout HARD and fast and the seat stays in one place. I'm still learning where to place the seat (and thus myself) for maximum speed and tracking.
There are a few small issues: 1. I just now figuring out how to load the Scout to get a good straight glide, it wants to turn to weather when gliding. When paddling, it goes straight as an arrow--it tracks better than some of my larger canoes. Just today I found a good position/placement for the seat and was gliding nice and straight, so I may have this problem solved.
The second small issue is while the wide/curved/molded gunwhales are nice and sturdy, they make bailing out any water difficult--you can't just turn it on its side to empty the water you need a sponge or a bailer. Not a real big deal, but it is very different than any other boat I've owned.
When you compare the price and specs of the Scout 13 to ANY of the top-rated solo canoes out there today, you really get a LOT of bang for your buck with the Easy Rider Scout. I've owned at least 14+ paddle boats over the years, and without a doubt this is the best canoe/kayak type boat I've ever owned!