Review of The Ares OC1
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- Опубліковано 16 гру 2020
- I'm a 47 year old paddler who loves to hit downwind runs and the Ares is the perfect OC1 for me. I am 5'10 (177.8 cm) and I weigh 172 lbs (78 kgs). I purchased this canoe from Jeff at Paddle Dynamics 6 months ago and I weighed 196 lbs (88.9 kgs) at that time. Paddling combined with using "My Fitness Pal" for calorie tracking has helped me hit a much healthier weight. I mention this because the Ares had plenty of volume at my heavier weight. I suspect if you are more than 6 feet and more than 200 lbs, you would want to paddle the Ares, Antares, Volare, and Kahe Kai before making a decision. Now, more on the Ares OC1.
The Ares surfs higher up on the face of the wave and allows me to connect ocean bumps easier. The Ares was designed by Kai Bartlett and manufactured by Mike and Wendy Giblin of Ozone Canoes. Kai's first thought was to make this canoe excel in the ocean bumps but he also wanted it to excel in the flats, and upwind/crosswind conditions. I think he nailed it. I'm not a team rider and I'm not getting paid to make this video. I just love to paddle and I love this canoe.
Key words: Outrigger canoe, one man, one-man, wa'a, va'a, OC-1, surfing, surf, downwinder, down winding, outrigger zone, Ozone, Kai Wa'a, bumps, swells, - Спорт
I paddle the Vega, the surfski version of the Ares, and agree with everything you mentioned! Thanks for a great video.
Thanks Greg! You surf the Vega really well in the bumps! I understand that Kai took a lot of the Ares design characteristics and used them in the Vega.
Thank you for the comment Greg. The Vega and Vega Flex look like great Surfski designs. Rod and I look forward to paddling them one day soon. Do you prefer the Vega or the Vega Flex for certain conditions? Would love to hear your thoughts on that topic!
One thing I really love about the canoe is that when the nose does bury, although rare, it pops back up very quickly. I find that if I put a few really hard strokes in while the nose is popping up, then once it pops all the way, the boat shoots forward like a rocket and accelerates right over the bump and into the next one ahead. Super awesome feeling when it happens.
Thank you for this Tony. I have noticed the nose pops back very quickly. I will try your suggestion for sure.
Love this canoe. I am 5’10, 172 lbs and I am stoked on this design. I used to weight 196lbs and it floated me perfectly fine then. 6 months later and I’m down to a healthy weight b/c if paddling and “My Fitness Pal” to monitor calorie intake.
So yes, this canoe will float big guys and all other sizes. Check this canoe out on the Ozone website. Thanks for watching and please like the video and subscribe to our channel.
ARES is the "it girl" in our region. Absolutely the best in medium sized 2 to 3 foot down wind conditions. Love my Ares pro
Nice! Where do you live/paddle?
Agree!
@@barryblackburn5910 Island of Kauai
I grew up staying with my dad summers in Wrightsville Beach ⛱ . Surfed there. Awesome. I'm also 47. Raced oc6 in Hawaii the last 5 years... until covid hit.
WB is a great place to paddle! Hopefully the OC6 racing will be back soon...
I've only ever gotten to paddle the Ares in flat water. It was the boat that Kai Bartlett paddled in the extremely frigid year of Chattajack. I really wish I could have tried it in some nice bumps. Great video BTW!
Thank you!! You will like the Ares in the bumps I am sure.
Thanks for the kind words. You will love the Ares in the ocean. If you are ever in the Wilmington, NC area please message us. You can paddle the Ares!
Pleasantly surprised how fast this canoe is in the flats! And yes, Ares is awesome in the bumps.
NICE BOAT!!!
Thank you John. Really stoked on this canoe. Didn’t you just buy an Ares?
@@barryblackburn5910 Yep, coming in January. Looking forward to figuring it out! :)
@@hope4surf we're looking forward to seeing your new boat! It will be interesting to hear your thoughts on how it surfs and where it likes to sit in the bump. Barry has discovered that if he over reaches with his paddle stroke that he actually slows down. This might be true of every canoe. He has discovered that if he uses correct technique but simply puts the paddle in the water at a natural reach point (not over reaching) his speed is better and catches more bumps. I know experts have discussed this, i.e. Johnny Puakea who is an excellent teacher. I think the Ares has been "teaching" Barry to simply put the paddle in near his feet and get a good catch. Like many of us, his default has been to "reach dammit" out too far and waste lots of energy.
@@ThePaddleChannel Thanks SO MUCH for this info! I was wondering about what he meant about adjusting his stroke. I tend to overreach a lot, so this is great to know! Much appreciated!
P.S. Forgot about leg drive for a while now, but working on it again thanks to your channel. Keep up the great work!
Great video and commentary, but what I find lacking in most surfski and OC reviews is the height and weight of the paddler/reviewer. Talk to Kai or Johnny and they'll say the OC's perform optimally within a certain paddler weight range. Paddler weight to OC volume is a significant factor. I'm 6'4" and a fit 275 lbs and well out of that range. Demo'd the Kaiwaa and Puakea OC's and ultimately went with the Kahe Kai, due to it's higher volume.
Looking forward to your next video. Keep up the good work!
I have two buddies who are your size and they absolutely love the Antares. But I agree the KaheKai is an excellent choice for you as well. I am 5’10” 172lbs and the Ares is just right.
Thank you for the kind words. I should have mentioned my height and weight of 5'10" and 172 lbs or 177.8 cm and 78 kg. I have had this canoe for 6 months and I weighed 196 lbs (88.9 kgs) when I first got the canoe. It had plenty of volume for me at that weight. Since then, I have paddled more and used "My Fitness Pal" to track my calories and I feel much better at 172 lbs.
After reading your comment about height and weight I added this information to the video description. I have two friends who are 6'3, 220+lbs and 6'4, 240+lbs and they both love the Antares. I think you are right to go with the Kahe Kai due to the volume it provides. Other bigger volume canoes like the Antares or Volare could be options as well. Thank you again for your comment.
@@barryblackburn5910 You're right in that perfect range. To shave off some weight, I paid for the pro build. I like to think it makes a difference. Clocked 11 mph on boat wake, last week. So, can't complain.
Nice! Where do you paddle? West coast? East coast?
@@barryblackburn5910 Southern California. OC1's have become very popular, here. While the OC6 clubs are essentially locked down, these days, folks can still hop on their OC1's and OC2's.
How do you feel about the Ares compared to the Volare, if you've paddled in one?
Neither of us has seat time in the Volare. We have talked to folks who have spent a lot of time in both, and they like both. Apparently they surf very differently, but we haven't been able to pin anyone (who has spent equal time in both) down to say they prefer one over the other. The response is always, "They're really different, and I like them both." The theme we seem to hear from different paddlers is that in the Volare, you surf really fast and you don't know it. It is a smooth ride and you don't realize how fast you're going. In the Ares, surfing is more "playful", you surf really fast, and you know it.
Maybe somebody else who has time in both both boats can tune in!
It doesn't hurt your lower back? Most oc1s and oc2s hurt my low back but oc4 or oc6 never do. But I've heard the Ares is better on your back because it sits a bit lower? Do you agree?
I had left hip pain in my last OC1. The Ares is more comfortable than other OC1's I have had. We had an OC2 (Tempest) for a while and it bothered my left hip some. Once in a great while my left hip will talk to me with the Ares but that is rare and usually when I have put over 6 hours on it in a week. When I get to this point (which is very rare on the Ares) I hit the Surfski for a few sessions and my body feels better.
The other suggestion is to play with the seat position and Ama settings on the Ares. It is the most comfortable OC1 I have paddled. I really enjoy mixing in the Surfski.
One of the keys to reducing lower back pain is having your feet as low as possible in relation to your butt. OC4 and OC6 have a greater distance between feet height and butt height, OC1 and OC2 not so much. The footwell in the Ares is nice and deep relative to the seat tho (compared to other canoes) and I find it really nice - even as a big guy.
@@flipperboy68 thanks for this info.
How does the Ares compare to the Scorpius XS?
We haven't had a chance to compare the two -- if you do, circle back to us and let us know what you find!
how is it compared to puakea Kahele?
I had a Kehele for about a year. Some positive things about the Kehele: great for small bumps because it is a shorter canoe and fits in the trough of the small bumps very well. It is fast upwind because of the plumb bow and it is easy to carry on land and store in the garage because it is shorter. I think my 18 year old daughter at 5’4 and 120 lbs would love the Ehukai or Kehele. Excellent ozone company construction.
I prefer the Ares. Also produced by Ozone. I’m 5’10” and 172-173 lbs. The Ares surfs the downwind bumps really well. It’s my favorite canoe so far.
Ultimately, you need to paddle both canoes and think about the conditions you paddle in most of the time. Any OC1 made by Ozone will be light, strong and fast.
Have you talked with others who have paddled other OC1s along with the Ares? Curious if they have similar impressions to mine.
I’m still loving the Ares! Have you paddled one yet?