I've recently started paddling, well seriously anyway and I'm looking to get myself a boat. I'm trying to decide if I should get a creek boat, thinking either a Jefe or Nomad or if I should go for a more of a river runner with creeking ability like the Mamba. I'll probably be sticking to Gr 3 with some Gr 4 in the next year or so but wont really want to go looking for a new boat come time to start hitting Gr 4+ in a couple of years....hoping I get to that level. Will I still be able to have a bit of a surf and a play in something like the Jefe, which I can get for a reasonable price and seems to suit my weight a little better than the Nomad range? Price is also playing a role in my desision, if I go for the Jefe the difference between that and the Mamba will allow me to get a paddle etc. I'm also worried that the creek boat could be too forgiving for my ability level...or if I'm finding I can negotiate most things in the creek boat is it time to step up to some bigger or steeper water? Oh, at the moment I've been borrowing a CFS which I'm pretty comfortable in, bit slow and cork like though.

Where in Australia are you paddling. everything down south needs good snow melt to come up and there normaly pretty fast flowing. most of our all year round stuff is in North Queensland like the Barron, Russle, North johnson and of course the Tully non of which require a creeker per say. the way kayaking is going now days ya realy do need a couple of boats if you want to injoy all parts of the sport. i paddle a Disel 75 and a EZG60 both on good solid grade 4. the diesel is far more forgiving and is very similar to a mamba. they also both have planing hulls which allow you to turn quicker on a rapid. displacment hulls like the jefe make for soft landings off of drops but they are a bit more of a mule to turn and although they are supposed to be easer to roll i often find there just as easy to put you over. if you are going to go for a creeker try the wave sport habitat its like a gunned up version of a diesel and has a step out center pillar for if you have a nasty pin.

I'm in Tassie

Franklin it up brother! i'll be down your way at christmass for the exped. we run the Franklin in diesels. the last 32k is fucked but no boat is going to make that bit fun.

Yeah one day..... being up to that level is a while off