9' 5"
Length
25"
Width (in)
MSRP

Prelude Description

The Prelude is a canoe brought to you by Esquif Canoes. Read Prelude reviews or submit your own review to share with the paddling community. Check out a few other canoe recommendations below or explore all canoes to find the perfect one for you!

Prelude Specs and Features

  • Structure: Rigid / Hard Shell
  • Seating Configuration: Solo
  • Ideal Paddler Size: Smaller Adult/Child, Average Adult, Larger Adult
  • Skill Level: Intermediate, Advanced
  • Ideal Paddler Size: Smaller Adult/Child, Average Adult, Larger Adult
  • Skill Level: Intermediate, Advanced

Learn More

Esquif Canoes
Prelude Reviews

Read reviews for the Prelude by Esquif Canoes as submitted by your fellow paddlers. All of the reviews are created and written by paddlers like you, so be sure to submit your own review and be part of the community!

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5

I've now been paddling the…

Submitted by: mscantlebury on 8/8/2013
I've now been paddling the Prelude for four years and am increasing my rating of it to a 10. I now like the bulkhead system better than any other seating system I've had in a canoe. It's comfortable, secure, and yet very easy and fast to get in and out of.

The Prelude's chines actually soften over time as the bottom of the boat begins to round a little. This actually makes it even easier to surf--you can recover more easily from a dropped edge. The boat has held up well from 50+ days of paddling a year. The hull has lots of scratches and nicks, but is sound. There is some oil canning under the seat, but it doesn't seem to hurt performance.

I'm so sold on the boat, I already have a spare tucked up in the rafters of my garage in case I crack the hull at some point.

4

The Prelude is a great boat.…

Submitted by: mscantlebury on 4/3/2009
The Prelude is a great boat. Very responsive — it leans very quick to either side and has excellent secondary. It accelerates fast for a canoe its size. The boat's narrowness (26" at the top of the gunwhales) makes for good vertical forward strokes. Hard chines enable precise carving for eddy catching and peel outs. On waves, it's a surf machine. It's reasonably stable when full of water.

This boat is rotomolded and made of polyethylene, the same plastic they use for whitewater kayaks. This makes it tougher than Royalex boats and allows it to slide more easily on rocks. It comes with an already installed foam bulkhead saddle. The seat is 10" high, too high for such a short, narrow canoe. I carved the seat down to less than 8" high.

I'd give the boat a 10 if they could find some way to offer it with adjustable thigh straps instead of the foam bulkhead. Overall, I'm very happy with the Prelude.