Bell Rockstar

Mihun09 · Aug 20, 2014

memaquay said:
Thanks for all the suggestions guys. However, just to throw a fly in the ointment, I think I will build a Jack's Special this year, (thanks Robin). Apparently it has similar lines to the Chum. I just measured the plans, and it's around 30 inches to the outside of the planking. I'm developing a strong preference for symmetrical canoes with the same rocker for and aft. If I can get it down around 45 pounds I will be happy. Goin to go look for some spruce for the gunwales today.

Can we convince you to build it as w/c?

That boat has some pretty high ends, the sheer sweeps up fairly high, could be a bit dodgy in the wind. On the Carrying Place Website, the photo's of the Bob's is above it and sheer is much lower than the Jacks.

Guest · Aug 23, 2014

Check your pm. I may have found your dream boat.

Gpmaloy · Jun 27, 2023

charlie wilson said:
The above two pages include several "inoperative" statements as Nixon described one of his office's claims in 1973. Way more hopes than facts.

Kee 15 is narrower than Osprey, hence a smaller boat. Nomad is narrower than the Kee 15, not larger, and no sentient individual would "tweek" a Nomad to resemble Peregrine, which was splashed from Nomad. Pheonix has differential rocker. It is not a larger version of WildFire which is symmetrically rockered and much loosed in the stern.

Vacuum formed hulls are sucked into female molds with lots of vacuum pipe running around the outside to vent holes; generally upwards ever since a MRC guy dropped his Zippo into a downsuck mold.

Quantification often helps. When we start measuring items it clarifies our thinking, we can discern differences, so....

Colden DragonFly 14.5'l X 28.5"w, 25.5" wl, 2/2" rocker
Hemlock SRT 15' l X28.5"w, 26" wl, 2.5/1.5" rocker
Colden Nomad 15'4" l X28.5"w, 26" wl, 1.5/1" rocker
Hemlock Peregrine 15'9" l X28.5"w, 26.5" wl, 1.8/1/3" rocker
Swift Keewaydin 15 15' l X29.5"w, 26.5" wl, 2/1" rocker
Swift Osprey 15' l X 29.5"w, 27.5"wl 1.5/1" rocker
NthStar NthStar Solo 15.5" l X 30" w, 26.5"wl 2/1" rocker
NorthStar Phoenix 14.5' l X30"w, 26.5" wl, 2.5/1" rocker
WeNoNah Wilderness 15' 4"l X30.5"w, 30"wl, 1.3/1.3" rocker
Bell RockStar 15.5' l X 31"w 28" wl, 2.5/1.5" rocker
Swift ShearWater 16'2" l X 31"w, 28" wl, 1.5/1" rocker
Swift Raven 15' 3" l X 32" w, 29"wl, 3/2.5" rocker

Notes:
1. excessive stem layout increases overall length w/o changing waterline length, [Peregrine, Wilderness.] For most hulls figure wl L is 9" less than overall.
2. rocker doesn't compare between manufacturers or designers. Peregrine and Wilderness have almost none. Osprey by Winters has more than Kee 15 [Yost]. RockStar and ShearWater have similar rocker although the numbers differ???
3. For stability, look at waterline width.
4. Seakindlyness is approximated by the difference between max beam and waterline width, more being better.
5. The narrowness of SRT and DragonFly, combined with their rounder bottoms make them questionable for larger guys looking for a stable platform.

At 5' 8.5", 170 lbs, I need to move my offside knee to cross heel Osprey, ShearWater, RockStar or Wilderness. They seem huge to me, but I'm a compact guy. Larger folks with wider shoulders and knee spread will find them a better fit than the several 28.5"/29" hulls with ~26.5 waterlines. So it goes.

Phoenix is listed as symmetrical rocker - 2 1/2” bow and stern on Northstar website

Keeled Over · Jul 2, 2023

Well, I just got roped into reading another centuries old thread due to the Rockstar topic - when will I learn.

Here is all I know about the Rockstar. However many years ago I was at lunch when a industry friend told me Royalex was a goner. Just prior to this, through folks on this site, it was determined a Rockstar would be good for my Clydesdale glass frame. Once I heard the news I called Oak Orchard to check inventory. The had 2 left - 1 red and 1 green. I hurled my credit card numbers at them and got the green one. THEN, I called Chick and said "Royalex is going away - ok if I buy a Rockstar?", to which she said yes. Happy wife....

Fast forward to today. I have used this boat twice - purchased others along the way and it is getting dusty. I toy with the idea of selling it once in while, but for now it sits in my garage on a rack as it has since day one.

I make a solemn promise that if I do decide to sell it, I will post it here first.

yellowcanoe · Jul 2, 2023

Keeled Over said:
Well, I just got roped into reading another centuries old thread due to the Rockstar topic - when will I learn.

Here is all I know about the Rockstar. However many years ago I was at lunch when a industry friend told me Royalex was a goner. Just prior to this, through folks on this site, it was determined a Rockstar would be good for my Clydesdale glass frame. Once I heard the news I called Oak Orchard to check inventory. The had 2 left - 1 red and 1 green. I hurled my credit card numbers at them and got the green one. THEN, I called Chick and said "Royalex is going away - ok if I buy a Rockstar?", to which she said yes. Happy wife....

Fast forward to today. I have used this boat twice - purchased others along the way and it is getting dusty. I toy with the idea of selling it once in while, but for now it sits in my garage on a rack as it has since day one.

I make a solemn promise that if I do decide to sell it, I will post it here first.

hey I read it too. It is pouring rain. Either that or binge watch Jury Duty

Glenn MacGrady · Jul 2, 2023

Keeled Over said:
I have used this boat twice

Why?

Keeled Over · Jul 2, 2023

I love the boat.

Since I purchased the RS I have purchased 3 more canoes. Out here in the Rochester NY area I have a bunch of flatwater, fun rivers not so much so it just sits. I did back the screws out for the gunnels first, cleaned it up and there it sits.

As I move back to northern Michigan is a couple of years it will be more applicable, but I get on tangents sometimes and think about selling, primarily to grow my ATV collection. Chick tells me if I sell it, I will regret it, so I have that to consider.

NikonF5user · Jan 24, 2025

Thought I would revive an old thread (yet again) to air my thoughts about the RockSTAR. I am very torn about it at the moment, and keep vacillating back and forth between keeping and trading. I will say that paddling the RockSTAR has been fantastic; it is quite deep in the midship, making for easy kneeling for a long-legged paddler. It is faster to heel than I would have thought given the size of the boat, feels much more like the SRT than I predicted it would before I paddled the RockSTAR, and it locks in more solidly than does the SRT when heeled. I still think the SRT is a bit more "efficient", it is slightly shorter but more narrow, and accelerates accordingly. I have yet to paddle with a full tripping load, but my guess is the RockSTAR will carry a bit more than the SRT, but I think the SRT is slightly more full in the bow, and will probably be a slightly dryer ride (although I think the RockSTAR will do just fine, especially compared to my Merlin and the StarFIRE I paddled this past summer).

The only reason I am not yet fully in love with my RockSTAR is some damage I inflicted on the boat this past autumn (I think I discussed it in another thread). The "Redfeather Red" layup features basalt innegra on both the inner and outer surfaces, so I was hoping it would be up for some serious remote river tripping, able to deflect off rocks and basically take a serious beating. It may still be able to do so, but it has more flex than does the similar Expedition Kevlar layup from Swift and FAR more flex than the IXP layup from Northstar. I suppose this flex could actually be an advantage, the hull may warp around a rock a bit, reducing the likelihood of puncture damage. But that would be more potential gel coat damage with that flex for sure. As of now I am planning on doing the Big Salmon this summer in my RockSTAR - although if somebody came along with a compelling SRT trade I would exceedingly tempted.

All of that being said, the paddling characteristics of the RockSTAR would seem to make it a top-notch solo wilderness tripping canoe, perhaps the top contender in that category with respect to load-carrying capability until the new Swift Prospector 15 solo comes out...

Bell Rockstar

Mihun09

Guest

Guest

Gpmaloy

Keeled Over

yellowcanoe

Glenn MacGrady

Administrator

Keeled Over

NikonF5user

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