I am a larger paddler, and have been using a Dagger RPM Max, and think I would like to try a different kayak.  The one issue I have had with the RPM is the grabby stern - I knew this was one of the issues with it, when I bought it, but it has been a pretty good boat overall.  I am an occasional boater who has largely lost his roll, and so am a bit nervous about changing boats.

Hi Merril.

I'm not super familiar with the Diesel, but it should be way less "slicy" in the stern than the RPM Max. Bill Petty sometimes pops up on these forums, and he'd be an excellent person to ask. In fact, his user name is "RPM Max", which demonstrates his love for that boat. And it is a great design, still highly sought after.

What I've seen of the Diesel is that it would make a better creekboat than an RPM. With more of a blunt bow to lift up over holes rather than pierce them, you may find it resurfaces better when you do penetrate the surface in holes and off of drops. It has a more voluminous shape that will keep it on the surface more when you boof stuff. It is also much more of a contemporary design, for whatever that is worth.

Most notable about these "contemporary characteristics" is this: It is generally less rounded than the RPM, meaning it has a more "Planar" shape. There are more planes between the edges and chines all over the boat. Myself, I've come to look for that in a boat where I am concerned about retaining my stability and staying in control in challenging, turbulent class V.

You should find that these planes will contribute to more secondary, tertiary, and maybe quadrertiary (if such a level of stability exists! ) stability.

I'd invite some others to chime in if they have experience with either or both.

I paddled a Diesel for 3 years and loved it (still own it actually, just haven't paddled it in ages). Basically went from class 2 to class 4 in it. Really good boat. I started out in a Dagger Vertigo and when I jumped in my Diesel I immediately noticed the edges - eddies became super fun, primary and secondary stability were increased (which translated into more confidence running harder and harder stuff), rolling felt better. Loved that I could surf and carve waves like a playboat. Great all around boat. Only stopped paddling it because i moved to the teeny playboat/creeker combo and didn't feel comfortable with it on bigger steeper tighter stuff.

In response to your specific question, I think it would probably be MORE manuverable than the RPM because it has more of a playboat hull - won't track as well but it'll be snappier.

Yeah, maybe I'm wrong but it seems sometimes that people have trouble rolling wider boats with more verticle sidewalls.

Personally, I think that if you learn your roll properly and practice it till it's second nature, you should be able to roll a clawfoot bathtub (just take the clawfeet off first ). Still, it's true some boats are easier to roll than others.

WOW!! You guys are great!!  This is exactly what I needed to know. 

Does anyone know of a place where I could test drive a Diesel 80?  (Preferably in the South Sound area?)

Thanks again!
mrg