I am 6' 200 with a size 13 foot and currently have a Project 62 that I feel like I am swimming in its like paddling a bath tub. I dont fit in the 52 so thats out. What are your thoughts I can only afford two boats and my other one is a creeker so I wanted a playboat that handled bigger water well.
Well as everyone will tell you. Try them both first before you make a decision. But it sounds like you would probably like the agent better, if I was to make an assumption. I took the agent 6.2 to the pool the other night (I'm 6' 175 lbs. and size 10.5 shoes) I think this boat is an amazing all round play boat. I think it will excel in so many different situations! Even in flat water you can tell the boat is fast (I'm paddling a really beat up project). The edges feel like they will make this boat surf like a champ, and after watching Alex paddle the proto's last fall i know this thing is a great wave boat. The distribution of volume, and speed will make this a great river running boat. The Ronin looks like it will be a killer hole boat! It is more of a spud boat, it will fly!!! It appears to be a bit of a throw back to the space cadet which was a sweet boat! I love the fact that the small ronin and the big ronin are the same length! A great thing for playing in shallow Colorado holes! It being a spud boat makes me believe that the agent will be better at more things, but the ronin will excel at exactly what it is designed for! After all of that blah blah blah, the truth is you need to try them and make the decision for yourself
I sat in a Ronin yesterday. I 5'10" 32" inseam size 10.5 feet. There was still plenty of room. Size 13 maybe an issue. It is definately going to be a great, very fast, wave boat as well as a hole boat. the rocker is right near the ends and the footage looks very fast. http://liquidlogicronin.blogspot.com/
Mine is on the way and I will report out later.
The Ronin looks like it will be a killer hole boat! It is more of a spud boat, it will fly!!! It appears to be a bit of a throw back to the space cadet which was a sweet boat!
As someone who is also trying all these boats out as well, the more of them I try, the more I notice they are not that different. Take out discrepancies in measuring volume, look at all the pics or put all of these boats side by side, and the Ronin/Agent are not that different in volume distribution. A lot will come down to outfitting which gives you personally a better fit, how much or little volume you want, and bias toward a company. Not saying there are no differences, but I have a hard time believing that 1" difference between the Agent and Ronin is going to make one a "river runner" and one a "spud boat".
I have a 62 project, 6.3 kingpin, and a pyrahna 420.
Go with the 420 - best big boat I have ever paddled - runs down river well and plays with the best of em. The 62 project is still in perfect shape - she did not go out that much last year.
Also I am 6'5" tall with a 13 foot and I fit comfy in the 420, but I paddled squirts and sins for a long time - so I can cram into almost anything.
[GrooveNinja] What qualifies as a spud boat now adays? 1"?...they are not that different [/GrooveNinja]
The are many things that you a forgetting in making your assumption. You think these companies spend a whole year sometimes years, and all that money to come out with the same design. Measurements tell you very little about how a boat will preform. Even in all your measurements you speak of there are two key things that you have left out. Deck height , and rocker. These make bigger differences in the way a boat cartwheels and initiates. Yes there are many other factors now with all of the different tricks. But these two measurements affect 70%ish of the people who buy play boats in a given year. The agent 6.2 is harder to cartwheel then the project 52. Why? Because of the rocker and the more blunt edges on the agent, shouldn't the agent be easier? It has less volume, and the volume is distributed over a longer distance. Yes more people who just looked at the stats would make that assumption. But it's not true. The gradual deck rise of the project makes it slice through the water with less effort. but that takes away foot room in the boat. There are lots of very intricate things with in boat design that only a few people such as Robert Pearson, snowy, and Shane Benedict understand. Fluid dynamics are incredibly complicated. There are so many factors in boat design we don't understand. So I ask all of you to really investigate the boat market. It is much more complex then you think. Please don't make too many assumptions from the measurements of a boat. Often times then are inaccurate anyway. Lots of time effort and money go into progressing our sport, please respect that, and when you see a designer who's work you like, thank them! Because there blood, sweat, and constant thinking and re-thinking went into trying to give you the best possible experience on the water. Believe me they don't do it for the money. It's the love! So show some love.
Back to the point of why I hate buyer's guide issues in paddling rags. They only list worthless boat specs and never tell you anything about the boat.
J90210, get a new screen name. Just kidding the one you have is so memerable now. Of the Ronin and Agent, what did you think when you sat in them or tried them out? One problem you might be finding now is that you are asking about boats that most folks have not paddled. And, the ones who have most likely work for the company that built the boats. So, you are going to get mixed reviews with a LITTLE company bias.
Lets look at the replys:
Hobie: works for Dagger and his heart in in the Agent
Peter: his brother is Shane the designer of the Ronin
TheKid: is trying to get a job with Dagger/ Wavesport
GH: Only paddles Pyranha boats (buy a Burn!) I think he most get a commission for every Burn that sells in the state. Or, at least a kickback from the company. Throw a dog a freak'en bone.
Groove: reads too much into specs
Me: tired had a long weekend.
Give it a few more weeks and you might get un-biased reviews, but right now you're only going to hear from the company folks. Or, worse you'll get a one time review from someone undersized or oversized, tried in a pool, didn't take the time to trim the boat- first and only opinion. You never know what you're going to get on the net.
Best bet is to try them for yourself and make up your own mind.
__________________
I love to dance, but who needs the music- It throws me off.
Linear Mode
