Pete, cool, thanks.
I guess I wasn’t thinking about new whitewater designs and C1s, although I knew the L’Edge had been well received. I had heard of Blackfly canoes but never looked at them:
http://www.blackflycanoes.com/?page_id=6
Younger designer’s interest in whitewater hulls stands to reason; it seems that manufacturers of WW kayaks introduce new designs every year, and the used boats I see for sale on paddling club classifieds are predominately whatever WW kayak model was hot a few years ago.
Last year’s tripping or touring open canoe will suffice for years, but the competitive or ladder-climbing element in whitewater paddling call for the latest (pun intended) edge.
Much the same occurred in the heyday of American canoe racing.