Pueo 2 vs. Ehukai vs. ?
Ok, so lets get this long standing debate under way.
Here in California, our waters are different than Hawaii, which many canoes were designed for. So based on our conditions here, what is the fastest canoe for our waters?
Personally I have paddled an Ehukai in pretty mellow conditions, but found it to find the bumps better than the Pueo, but harder to stay in the. Conversely, the Pueo 2 required me to be more alert and assertive in picking my lines, but once in a bump, stayed in longer.
Flat water, did not notice much difference other than the Ehukai quicker to get on plane, but less forgiving if I slack off. Pueo was slower to get hull speed up, but more likely to stay up on plane even if I slack off for a stroke or two with technique.
-CP
Here in California, our waters are different than Hawaii, which many canoes were designed for. So based on our conditions here, what is the fastest canoe for our waters?
Personally I have paddled an Ehukai in pretty mellow conditions, but found it to find the bumps better than the Pueo, but harder to stay in the. Conversely, the Pueo 2 required me to be more alert and assertive in picking my lines, but once in a bump, stayed in longer.
Flat water, did not notice much difference other than the Ehukai quicker to get on plane, but less forgiving if I slack off. Pueo was slower to get hull speed up, but more likely to stay up on plane even if I slack off for a stroke or two with technique.
-CP
Comments
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Wish I could say I've tried either, but I haven'tThat said .... STINGRAYS FOR LIFE!
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Why no let me delete post? -
Having Paddled both I can certainly say they both have their unique attributes....Johnny Puakea put it best "Some days you want to drive the Cadillac other days you want to drive the Ferrari both are great to drive...just a matter as to what's your preference" Being the man who designed both hulls, he was right. To Note: Everything I say here is in no way the end all be all it is all based on my own experience.I have had more trigger time in the Pueo II and I will say comfort wise (for me) hands down the pueo is better. I am sure some would argue but again it's about preference. I have found that the Pueo is a bit more particular when it comes finding that sweet spot to find your balance but once you find it it's locked in and you never forget. It is a great on the down swell and responds pretty good on the flat. One thing I have noticed is that once you have reached your maximum hull speed the pueo has a little more give in respects to missing a stroke.My first experience with the ehukai I did not like it. I was coming from the "I paddle and love my pueo" frame of thought and was biased. It reminded me of other type of canoes I cared little for (I won't allude to what ones those are b/c again it's about preference) and it just didn't seem to talk to me like the pueo did. That said after a good hour on a ehukai I was flying the ama like a champ and really was getting some really amazing rides out of it on the down swell. (First experience on a ehukai was during a Pogue Sports clinic out in Kailua HI)I was really impressed on how quickly it reached maxed speed (flat and surf)...unlike the pueo the ehukai just fires off...but unlike the pueo there is very little wiggle room when you miss a stroke. So as long as you can stay consistent the ehukai is in my opinion a faster canoe...but not by much and if you have two very accomplished paddlers on both a pueo and ehukai the fact they are in different hulls in my opinion would have little to no impact as to how they perform.I would say though that the ehukai has a better learning curve then the pueo in that you can fly the ama relatively easy on the flat and the down swell...it's so misleading every time I jump back on my pueo it's huli city for me until I fight that sweet spot...that or my Pueo is obviously upset with me for cheating on it. I have also noticed that the ehukai has a bit of a higher water line which seems to be more forgiving to those who participate in sprints i.e. sprint regattas and those who want to use an OC-1 to train in for sprints i.e. Dragon boat paddlers.All in all both canoes are fantastic(I should know I will soon own both)...I would say though that the ehukai has a better reach as far as accommodating different skillsets of paddlers i.e. novice to advanced, where as the pueo is more inclined for intermediate to advanced paddlers. Again this is just my experience...if someone was looking to buy a brand new canoe and has little to no OC experience I would recommend an ehukai over a pueo...but again physiology comes into play and all in all it's about the engine not the hull that makes the canoe go forward. When it comes to choice for me it would be like this Marathon = Pueo8-10 Mile races and sprints = Ehukai
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