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I'm your size exactly and have creeked in a Micro 230...
... almost exclusively for a decade. I had a Java for a brief while...but went back to the Micro. I switched to a Small Burn very recently.
For the southeast, the 230 gave me everything I needed on low-volume creeks...or so I thought. The cons of the 230 are: it does not track well, it has trouble punching ledge holes, and it SUCKS in big water. The pros are: it is easy to turn, it rolls easy, and its easy to boof with little or no speed.
After breaking a couple 230's, and being too stubborn to get used to the Java, I sold it and bought yet another Micro 230. I felt like it was my security blanket...and for several years, my creekboating stayed at one level. I ran the Tellico mostly, my Green runs tapered way off and I never ran Gorilla. I was not comfortable on anything with volume in it, and anytime I had to punch a hole or wet-boof over a big one... I had little or no confidence that I could do it. I ran a few hard steeps like the Bear and Suck Creek in it, but only low volume class 5.
I recently took a leap of faith and bought a small Burn. This is what I've been missing. My creeking is better already...the boat inspires confidence. I'm getting stronger boofs and keeping up with the boys better because I'm finally in a boat that is fast enough and tracks. Honestly, it isn't easier to paddle than the 230...but it makes me more aggressive and I like the style. I'm finally ready to start going faster and stepping it up. Took long enough, huh?
Based on all the boats I tried, I think the best creeker to START with for a small person is the Jackson Punk Rocker. It is like a better Micro 230. Its really narrow, but in the early creeking days, this won't matter. Its a very good boat. I just refused to get a smaller boat than I already had, so I kept looking.
If you want to run the super gnar, I think the small Nomad is bomber for chicks that can handle it. Its bigger, and I almost got it instead of the small Burn...but its quite heavy!
The small Mamba is like an even smaller version of the small Burn, so its a river runner/creeker. Its so short that its easy to handle and light, but I felt like I wanted something bigger for those big punches, slides, ect. Small Burn is right in between small Nomad and Mamba...so I went with it.
Lots of good boats out there nowadays, but I am really glad I listened to Andria and got the small Burn. There may even be some racing in my future.
Way back when I got a Java, I should have given it a better chance. Changing boats requires patience and determination. Moving on from your first creeker is hard because you learned to trust it. When your boat doesn't react the way you think it should, you feel lost/pissed/ect. But believe me, you will be a better paddler if you learn to paddle that H3 well. Try to concentrate on the good lines, and don't compare your bad lines in the new creeker to your good ones in the old creeker. Learn the advantages to paddling the new creeker, and use them! If you believe in the boat...you will paddle it well. Good luck and have fun!
BTW- I still have the Micro 230...I rub it for good luck before I go creeking in the Burn. LOL
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