Canoe Review: Abitibi Saugeen 16.6

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October 27, 2020

Woman on a bike shuttling a Bluewater Saugeen canoe

Many paddlers will remember the loss of venerable canoe brands Scott Canoe and Bluewater Canoe when parent company Mid-Canada Fiberglass went belly up and closed its doors in 2013. Well, Bluewater’s Saugeen fleet lives again in the Abitibi Saugeen canoe.

Abitibi Saugeen 16.6 Specs

Length: 16’6”

Width: 35”

Weight: 50 lbs

Capacity: 350-550 lbs

MSRP: $3,299 CAD

In early 2015, a pair of young Quebecois men, Guillaume LeBlanc and JD Petite, purchased the precious Mid-Canada moulds and assets—including the Saugeen—and formed the new Abitibi & Co. canoe company. Now entering its third year of operation, Abitibi & Co. is re-issuing classic designs from Bluewater and Scott with a modern flair—and they look better than ever.

Taking the Saugeen for a spin

Last fall, I had the opportunity to test a shiny new 16.5-foot Abitibi Saugeen, the mid-size version of the three Saugeens available once again.

Unable to travel far from home on a sunny September weekend, my partner, Geoff, and I added a bike shuttle twist to a local lazy river we’ve paddled a dozen times.

For the first 20 kilometers of our adventure, our sunny Saugeen was simply baggage, cradled gently by a canoe cart on loan from Wike Trailers.

[ Also read: The Ultimate Canoe & Bike Shuttle Rig ]

The Saugeen trundled along behind us without complaint, our paddles gently ratatat-ing against its interior.

Ferry a heavy load

Midday found us riverside, disassembling our bikes and Tetris-ing them into the hull, taking care with derailleurs, and trying to slide frames under thwart or yoke. We were pleased to find two paddlers, two touring bikes, panniers, canoe cart and a backpack could fit inside the Saugeen’s beamy 35-inch wide hull just fine. On the water, the combined weight of paddlers and gear must have been approaching the Saugeen’s recommended max carrying capacity of 540 pounds.

With some of our awkward load riding high above the gunwales, we were always stable—even in swifts. An inch of rocker in the Saugeen’s profile creates enough maneuverability for tracing sharp bends in the shoreline and avoiding the odd downed tree, while maintaining excellent tracking.

At the end of 30 kilometers of twists and turns, I was sold.

Tandem or solo, the Saugeen 16.6 does both

The Abitibi Saugeen offers great versatility in an all-round package. I can understand why the design was one of Bluewater’s most popular traditionally shaped boats. The Saugeen is ideal for someone who does a little bit of a lot different things on the water, including wanting a tandem canoe offering solid solo performance.

I put this theory to the test a few weeks later on a solo, meandering creek excursion. Then we took the Saugeen out on a portage-heavy weekend trip, and on Christmas Day for a merry spin on a frigid ice-choked lake. It’s a friendly boat. Even on the 1000-meter-long portage from my house to the lake, the Saugeen’s 50 pounds rode easy thanks to a deep-dish ash yoke, which balanced well on my shoulders.

[ Also read: 4 Tips For Painless Portaging ]

The cheery canary yellow exterior looks smart paired with the standard black anodized aluminum gunwales. Webbed seats, ash carry handles and thwarts, and protective composite skid plates round out the package. Vinyl and ash are trim options Abitibi & Co. also offers.

True to the original design, our Saugeen features a keel. The keel is primarily to protect the canoe against grounding, according to Abitibi & Co. “On a flat-bottomed boat, a keel will be damaged first and protect the rest,” adds LeBlanc.

Canadian-made with style and flair

Our Saugeen came to us straight from the manufacturing headquarters in Rouyn Noranda, Quebec, just inside the Quebec-Ontario border. Five years ago Guillaume LeBlanc was a paddling enthusiast and mechanical engineer looking for a career change. When he contacted Mid-Canada Fiberglass he was hoping to assist with reinvigorating their failing canoe brands. Instead he wound up purchasing their assets and molds with business partner and marketer JD Petit.

Marketing flair is visible in Abitibi & Co.’s attention to aesthetic in its boats, website and catalogs. Their moody and evocative images drip Instagram fame. The brand also produces an outdoor lifestyle magazine, Beside, and manufactures a line of heritage-inspired hand-painted canoes in collaboration with Montreal-based paddle maker Norquay.

“People talk about the features of a canoe—the weight and length—but they buy one because of the feeling they want to get in it,” says LeBlanc.

From products to digital properties, the Abitibi & Co. strategy is to stir up our wanderlust, transmuting what were utilitarian and purpose-driven canoe designs in the hands of Bluewater and Scott into art and inspiration on water. It’s kind of their thing.

When we took over production, we changed
the branding, layups, colors, finish and design

From the 100 or so Mid-Canada Fiberglass molds available when LeBlanc and Petit purchased the assets, Abitibi & Co. is now only manufacturing three-dozen canoe designs, including Bluewater’s Scout and Tripper, as well as 16-foot versions of the Peterborough and Prospector.

Abitibi & Co. bring start-up energy to the Saugeen

Despite building on the decades-long history of the canoe moulds and the Bluewater and Scott brand names, LeBlanc says Abitibi & Co. still feels a lot like a start-up.

“When we took over production, we changed the branding, layups, colors, finish and design,” says LeBlanc. The brands had 50 years of production behind them, but they were stagnant over the last 10 years, and so there was 10 years of catch-up to do while taking back production.

Color schemes have been updated and are more varied. Abitibi & Co’s construction process reflects sustainable and environmentally-friendly best practices. Like Bluewater before them, Abitibi & Co. offers the Saugeens in a Kevlar layup. Resin is infused into the fabric via vacuum bagging, then a gelcoat is applied.

“Without the gelcoat, you have a light boat but there is no repairability. We always want to be able to repair, so all our boats have gelcoat,” says LeBlanc. At 50 pounds and 16.5 feet, our loaner Abitibi Saugeen is not the heaviest or the lightest Kevlar canoe on the market. “We’re hoping to hit a sweet spot and make boats which will last for forever,” says LeBlanc.

Mike Ranta Shows You How To Whittle A Canoe

By

David Jackson

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October 27, 2020

miniature whittled canoes — Feature Photo: David Jackson

Imagine this. There’s a roar approaching and a storm is near. Waves hammer the side of your boat—time to get to shore. Light a fire, eat some food, drink a tea, and stare at the towering waves. The squall lasts long enough that you’ve finished your book. Now what? To pass the time we suggest you partake in a time-honored skill and learn how to whittle a canoe.

[ Plan your next adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]

When canoe tripping, every extra luxury means added weight and space used. For Mike Ranta, Canada’s cross-continental voyageur, being pinned to a shore on some of the world’s biggest lakes means an opportunity to whittle away time by crafting his signature tiny canoes.

To whittle these tiny canoes, Ranta uses a Flexcut Carvin’ Jackknife. Any wood will do—from willow on the Saskatchewan River to a chunk of oak from Lake Winnipeg’s south basin. Here’s Ranta’s advice on how to make your own wood canoe in 60 minutes or less.

How to whittle a canoe in 6 steps

1. Select your stick

Using a hand saw, cut a portion of a small branch so it sits nicely in your palm. The bigger the piece, the more whittling necessary; start small and hone your skills.

Mike Ranta marks the bow and stern on his whittled canoe — Second step. | Photo: David Jackson

2. Make your marks

With your knife blade, notch the wood where the bow and stern positions should be.

Mike Ranta shapes the exterior of his whittled canoe — Third step. | Photo: David Jackson

3. Shape the exterior

Ranta first flattens the bottom of the hull, then carves away at the bow and stern until he’s achieved as close as he can to a symmetrical line.

Using a flat blade, he carves what will become the inside of the boat, from bow to stern, revealing the first look of a pint-sized canoe.

Mike Ranta hollows out the interior of his whittled canoe — Fourth step. | Photo: David Jackson

4. Hollow out the interior

Once the line seems just right, Ranta switches to his digging blade and begins shaping the inside of the canoe. The trick is to make the hull as thin as possible, but not puncture through the wood and ruin the little creation.

Mike Ranta holds his whittled canoe up to the sun to check for thin spots — Fifth step. | Photo: David Jackson

5. Look to the sky

A great way to check if your walls are getting too thin is to hold the canoe up to the sky and see if there are any spots where the sun bleeds through the wood. This means the walls are getting too thin.

6. Finishing touches

When the canoe is dug out, make some final touches to fine-tune the design and fix any blemishes.

Mike Ranta adds tiny paddles, thwarts, seats, and voyageur sacks out of fur and hide — Extra steps. | Photo: David Jackson

Whittling a canoe: Extra steps

Ranta goes one step further and crafts miniature paddles, a thwart and seats, which he glues into position. When time permits, he adds little voyageur sacks, finished with tiny pieces of rabbit fur and lashed with hide.

When the waves have subsided, in your hand is a beautiful little piece of art for a mantle, or a tiny toy for a child dreaming of flowing rivers and sprawling lakes.

Safety first

Beware, whittling knives are exceptionally sharp, and a slip can lead to deep gashes. It’s imperative to be patient and have a first aid kit. Consider going one step further and purchasing a whittling glove. The last thing anyone wants is to be evacuated because of a carving accident.

This article was first published in Issue 55 of Paddling Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.

Video: The Mystery of Squirt Boating

By

Paddling Magazine Staff

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October 27, 2020

There’s a subculture of kayaking known by few and understood by fewer. The paddlers don diving goggles and neoprene and slide into thin, uncomfortable boats not meant to float but designed to sink. Below the waterline, their goal is to stay underwater as long as they can. This is squirt boating.

[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: View all rafting gear ]

After squirt boating’s heyday in the early 1990s, the scene has all but disappeared. But when it comes to the history of squirt boating, the legend starts with Jim Synder. The Mystery offers a rare glimpse into this obscure sport and the dedicated few who continue to keep the tradition alive.

Whitewater Technology Launches Debut Paddle Range

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Whitewater Technology PRESS RELEASE

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October 27, 2020

Whitewater Technology launches it’s debut paddle range featuring high performance paddles made with recycled carbon fiber & 5 year warranty. | Photo: Whitewater Technology

Greenville, SC – October 28th 2021 – Whitewater Technology, a new entrant to the high performance paddlesports market launches its first 100% made-in-USA, recycled carbon fiber paddle range with an exclusive pre-sale on whitewater-technology.com.

The range which features paddles for all disciplines had been designed by leading advanced materials engineer and whitewater kayaker Ollie Wainwright. Using his composites background in the motorsports industry, WT’s first paddles are the result of 2 years of intensive R&D into the use of recycled carbon fiber in high performance outdoor & sporting goods.

“As both a serious paddler and materials engineer I had grown frustrated with the lack of a sustainable high performance paddle option. We’re out there in nature every weekend using a product that ultimately ends up in landfill.. So a few years ago we set out to try and change this.”

“We’re really pleased with the results and what we’ve been able to accomplish in designing a more sustainable paddle that performs and we’re stoked to share this with the paddling community”

WT’s paddles utilize a custom made, high impact, non-woven composite that combines 40% recycled carbon fiber with a thermoplastic resin system and an aramid puncture resistant layer. The result is a high performance paddle with identical weight, strength and stiffness properties to a non recycled product.

Available initially as a pre-order via the WT website in addition to specialty retailers, the range includes paddles for; Whitewater, touring, fishing, SUP, rafting and canoe with a variety of adjustable length and shaped shafts.

Pre-sale pricing starts at $240 including free shipping, 5 year warranty and crash replacement.

Boat Review: Zephyr 160 Pro by Wilderness Systems

By

Tim Shuff

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October 27, 2020

Person paddling a Zephyr 160 Pro kayak from Wilderness Systems — Feature Photo: Tim Shuff

Derived from the name of the Latin and Greek gods of the west wind, in English “zephyr” means “a gentle breeze from the west.” The Zephyr 160 Pro from Wilderness Systems adopts the name to suggest that this kayak, while sizeable, provides a light and airy ride for medium- to large-sized paddlers.

Wilderness Systems Zephyr 160 Pro Specs

Length: 16’

Width: 23”

Depth: 17”

Weight: 54 lbs

Capacity: 300 lbs

MSRP: $3,150 USD / $3,700 CAD

The Zephyr 160 is indeed light, being composite, and is airy in substance—like its namesake it can be everywhere at once and refuses to be nailed down on the spectrum of kayak performance. No kayak can do everything, but the Zephyr comes close to a quiver-of-one.

The Zephyr 160 is a big‑time performer

Its 16-foot length puts the Zephyr smack between day-touring and expedition classes, offering a mix of nimbleness for tootling about and storage capacity for ambitious trips. Similarly, the 23-inch width makes it neither torpedo nor tanker, swinging the needle just slightly to the side of playfulness by presenting a more rockered profile on edge. This tubby belly with a taste for rock-garden mischief spins like a dervish on a steep edge and makes room for paddler and gear.

Plenty of room to spare

The Zephyr’s cockpit is cavernous and welcomes rec kayakers making the transition to a high-performance boat. A six-foot-two paddler had the foot pegs four to five notches back from max and could barely toe the bulkhead. But there’s no sacrificing a snug fit, even for medium-sized seamen, thanks to the adjustable outfitting.

Smaller testers found the 17-inch deck a bit high, however, confirming that this is a performance punt for paddlers on the large side. We noticed that the cockpit opening seemed poorly positioned relative to the seat, or vice versa, with several inches of space behind the seat back making it harder to get a sprayskirt on.

On the go, the hull tracks straight on an even keel and holds its own, speed-wise, amidst a fleet of expedition boats. On a tilt, there’s a direct relationship between degree of edging and willingness to turn. The point-of-no-return is a point of mega-turns, providing you have a handy brace. Initial stability is more solid than its sister ship the Tempest, while secondary on this softer chine is less defined: the Zephyr 160 is friendlier to beginners, but its edging less precise.

Ride like the wind

Years ago, Wilderness Systems’ adjustable outfitting migrated over from its whitewater designs to sea kayaks and has been improving ever since, providing lickety-split customization of thigh brace position, hip pad width, and leg support height. We like.

Shallow-V hull and soft chine make for good initial stability and soft secondary—increasing degrees of edge give greater turning speed with no obvious point of resistance. When deployed, the plastic skeg felt loose and could be heard wiggling when rocking from edge to edge. Oddly, the Zephyr is available in Kevlar for the same price as fiberglass.

Attractive deck layout with generous bungee tie-downs and three waterproof rubber Kajak Sport hatches. The 10-inch bow hatch is less convenient to pack than an oval hatch, but provides greater security in rough seas. A compass mount is recessed ahead of the front hatch.

Ride like the wind with the Zephyr 160 Pro

On the Greek theme, the Zephyr 160 sticks to Aristotle’s golden mean in both capacity and performance. Also available in rugged plastic and a sportier 15.5 length suited to smaller paddlers, the Zephyr succeeds as the do-it-all high-performance kayak that Wilderness Systems claims it to be.

This article was first published in the Spring 2009 issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.

Boat Review: Necky Chatham 16 Kayak

By

Tim Shuff

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October 27, 2020

The Chatham 16 sea kayak from Necky Kayaks sits on a rocky beach — Feature Photo: Tim Shuff

A few new things going down at Necky this year: The introduction of a new layup process called “resin infusion” that makes its composite boats lighter, and the surprising move to drop its Kevlar line entirely in favour of carbon. The venerable kayak builder has also joined the latest North American trend and put out a British-inspired boat, the Necky Chatham 16.

Necky Chatham 16 Specs

Length: 16’5”

Width: 22”

Cockpit: 31” × 15”

Weight:
58 lbs (polyethylene)
49 lbs (fiberglass)
44 lbs (carbon)

MSRP:
$1,449 USD / $1,999 CAD (polyethylene)
$2,699 USD / $3,399 CAD (fiberglass)
$3,199 USD / $3,999 CAD (carbon)

Necky’s Chatham 16 is no fad

The Chatham 16 comes complete with a skeg, gracefully upswept “Greenland style” bow and stern, a playful rocker, steep chines, a low, streamlined deck and whitewater-inspired outfitting. This so-called British trend is a lot like low-carb dieting: some say it’s just a silly fad that’s sure to pass, while others say it’s a sign that North Americans are finally smartening up.

[ Plan your next adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]

Paddle the Necky Chatham 16 and you’re likely to side with the latter. The Chatham is simply a joy to paddle in wind and waves and poking around in tight places. At 16 feet, she truly fits her billing as more of an ocean playboat than a long-distance tourer. Although our poly test model did not feel especially fast, it excelled in agility. On edge we could spin in place or carve 90-degree turns with one or two well-placed strokes.

The Chatham’s initial stability feels moderate; secondary stability is remarkably consistent in any degree of lean through to a complete roll, thus the Chatham is remarkable for practicing fancy sculling and rolling, almost as much fun underwater as above.

Shedding pounds and dollars

The composite Chatham that we didn’t test is likely all the more nimble at 49 pounds. Necky’s new layup technology goes a step beyond traditional vacuum-bagging to suck air out of the mould first, before injecting resin into the fabric. Necky claims there is significantly less resin in the finished product than with their old hand layups, arriving closer to an optimum resin-to-cloth ratio without the extra weight or strength-sapping brittleness of excess resin.

Amazingly, Necky’s fiberglass boats now weigh about the same as last year’s Kevlar. Prices have also slimmed across the board. Take the Tahsis, which this year dropped five pounds and about $200. Customers still happy to pay the Kevlar price can opt for the new carbon layup instead—allegedly lighter, stronger and longer lasting than Kevlar ever was.

Detail photos of the Chatham 16 sea kayak from Necky Kayaks

The Necky Chatham 16 is made for play

Necky’s robust outfitting suits the “ocean playboat” theme. The seat of fabric-covered minicell foam is very comfortable and easy to customize. Hip pads attach to the aluminium stays on either side of the seat. The slim 15-inch-wide cockpit is the Chatham’s limiting factor for larger paddlers. There is, however, plenty of room for long legs. Padded aluminium thigh braces provide secure contact and are easy to adjust in multiple directions. Ski boot-type ratchets on each thigh brace wrap around to micro-adjust the backband—oodles o’ hardware, but it does the trick. A smooth aluminium slider beside the cockpit controls the lifting and lowering of the skeg.

All three storage compartments stayed dry beneath the rubber hatches by Valley Canoe Products. Necky provided the unique advantage of a front hatch that’s as big as the 16-inch-long rear—much easier to pack than a standard eight- or nine-inch round British bow hatch. A low, flat deck and high bow show off Greenland provenance. A sunken compass mount graces the deck fore of the bow hatch. Comfortably moulded hand toggles hang loose according to the traditional British prescription that they be easy for a swimmer in rough seas to grab and to hold, even while the paddler performs a roll.

The Chatham 16 is outfitted with a plastic skeg that can be fully or partially deployed to aid tracking in following/quartering seas. Ours wagged a bit and sent a very slight vibration through the boat at certain speeds. But the skeg was quite effective at preventing weathercocking, which was noticeable in a crosswind if the skeg was not down. The paddler’s feet are free to be securely braced on the aluminium foot pegs.

[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See all sea kayaks with skegs ]

Go all day in the Chatham 16

For smaller to medium-sized folks who fit into it, intrepid beginners or energetic experts, the Necky Chatham 16 is a slim and sporty choice for most types of serious sea kayak play, from day trips to medium-length tours.

This article was first published in the Summer 2004 issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.

Build Your Own Battery-Operated Kayak Bilge Pump

By

Doug Alderson

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October 27, 2020

Having a hands-free means of pumping out a flooded cockpit has great advantages and I have always outfitted my kayaks with a foot-operated bilge pump. However, in the back of my mind has always lingered the desire to build my own battery-operated kayak bilge pump.

Recently I took on the challenge. My first limitation was a personal rule that all my kayaking electronics are powered by AA NiMH rechargeable batteries. Second on my list was a simple design and third was a modest budget. This pump setup uses parts that should all be readily available at an electronics or marine supply store for about $100.

The system has exceeded my expectations on all accounts. Most notably the battery power has proven to be more than adequate. Eight times I sat in the cockpit flooded so that the water level was over my thighs and eight times the pump cleared the water in about four minutes.

I learned that I did not need any fancy switching on deck. Held under the deck by two snug bungies, the switch on the battery box can be toggled left or right (on or off) by means of my shin.

The basic system is easily adapted to various locations for the pump and the battery box.

Instructions for your battery‑operated kayak bilge pump

DIY Bilge Pump Assembly

The fully submersible pump, 600 gal/hr (38 L/min), is connected to the battery box with the wire provided with the pump. This pump came with an alternate 90-degree elbow. The rubber tricuspid one-way valve provided with the pump was of poor quality and was replaced with a new 3/4-inch one-way valve shown near the end of the clear plastic tubing. The toggle switch is covered with a rubber protective sleeve.

DIY Bilge Pump Wiring

Twelve 2500 mA, 1.2-volt NiMH batteries are held in a combination of one eight-cell and one four-cell battery holder wired in series to produce a maximum of 14.4 volts—well within the tolerance of the 12-volt pump.

An optional 2.5-amp fuse and a simple toggle switch are wired into place. The wires and toggle switch have been fitted snugly through holes drilled through the case. Inside the case the wires have been tied in a knot to prevent any tension on the internal wiring. The toggle switch is fitted with a supplemental rubber cover from the marine supply store.

Waterproof the holes drilled into the case with some seam seal or marine caulking. Wires can be connected with solderless connectors, or soldered and then insulated with shrink wrap. A small piece of foam sits on top of the batteries to keep them in place when the box is closed. The battery holders come out of the box easily by unsnapping the connector.

Parts List For Your Battery-Operated Kayak Bilge Pump

Pump, $25
Plastic box, $13
Toggle switch, connectors, fuse holder (optional), battery holders,  waterproof case, $25
One-way valve, $12
3/4-inch tubing, hose clamps,  wire connectors, through-hull fitting $10

Note: Through-hull fittings vary greatly in cost. I use inexpensive nylon fittings that cost about $2.

Boat Review: Current Designs Squall GTS Kayak

By

Virginia Marshall

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October 27, 2020

Sharing many of the winning design attributes of the best-selling Solstice GT and its plastic counterpart, the Storm, the Current Designs Squall has been a reliable workhorse for outfitters and small- to mid-sized paddlers since its 1997 debut. Redesigned for 2012, the new Squall GTS is seven inches shorter yet actually accommodates a larger range of paddlers. Along with a larger cockpit and updates to the deck, the CD design team says the new hull “offers increased efficiency.”

Current Designs Squall GTS Specs

Length: 15’11”

Width: 22”

Weight: 55 lbs

Dry storage volume: 186 L

MSRP: $1,549 USD

www.cdkayak.com

[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See all sea kayaks for smaller adults ]

The Squall GTS is no slouch

When it comes to defining efficiency, CD’s designers evidently focused on speed over maneuverability. Despite being just shy of 16 feet, the Squall’s waterline carries the cruising speed of a longer hull thanks to minimal rocker in the bow and almost no rocker in the stern. On calm water, the miles slip past effortlessly. In rougher seas, expect a wet ride.

Consistent, reliable performance

Tracking is excellent, making the rudder unnecessary even with a tricky quartering tailwind. Which is just as well, given the challenges our testers had with CD’s SmartTrack foot braces. Taken on their own, the foot braces are a clever compromise between stability and ease of use. However, pair them with the leg position imposed by the molded-in thigh braces of the Squall GTS (more on that later), and it’s all but impossible to achieve the toe extension required to work the pedals. Those who enjoy using their rudder to aid steering may want to consider retrofitting adjustment plates available from CD.

The shallow V hull is nearly flat at the cockpit, but once again looks can be deceiving. Combined with a slender, 22-inch beam and rounded chines, the hull cross section results in a stability profile better suited to confident beginners and intermediate paddlers. Moderate initial stability leads smoothly into consistent secondary stability. Roll the Squall onto its side for more nimble turning and spinning.

Limber up your toes

Discriminating bottoms are well supported by an elongated seat and plush, fully adjustable back rest. CD also redesigned the keyhole cockpit to improve accessibility and fit. Large thigh braces are placed low to enhance boat control for edging and rolling, allowing smaller paddlers to lock in while providing the length and foot room needed by larger folks. On longer tours, however, this configuration triggered leg cramps that had us wishing we hadn’t skipped yoga that week.

Current Designs’ new SmartTrack foot braces are designed to provide the stability of a fixed peg while facilitating rudder control. Elongated slider arms make on-the-fly adjustments a snap, but the toe pedals challenge all but the most dexterous feet.

The two-lid system in the Squall GTS does more than look good. The rubber hatch provides a more watertight seal than earlier models’ neoprene covers, while a polyethylene lid protects against UV damage.

The 2012 redesign includes hidden rudder haul cables and updated lines that do away with the old Squall’s distinctive peaked decks.

The Squall GTS has room for adventure

Current Designs bills the Squall GTS as a “sporty tripping kayak capable of extended tours.” Indeed, if you can’t fit all your gear and the collapsible kitchen sink in this 16-footer’s two voluminous hatches, then you should consider downsizing your kit, not upsizing your boat. A consistent performer with heavy loads or empty hatches, the new Squall is a predictable, all-purpose companion on longer tours and after-work jaunts.

[ Plan your next adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]

This article was first published in the Summer/Fall 2012 issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.

Video review of the Current Designs Squall GTS Kayak:

Boat Review: Otto Vallinga Vuntut 10 Canoe

By

Paddling Magazine Staff

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October 26, 2020

Woman paddling the Vallinga Vuntut 10 solo pack canoe — Feature Photo: Alyssa Lloyd

As a toddler Otto Vallinga would take his toy boats down to the nearby St. Clair River for impromptu buoyancy testing. Thanks to his boat designer father there was always a canoe around. Vallinga’s own canoeing career began to germinate at just twelve years of age when he and a pal embarked on their very first weekend canoe trip. Now a prolific boat designer himself, Vallinga releases the Vuntut 10 pack canoe.

The Vuntut 10 is a labor of love

Following a short stint as a foreman for one of the chemical plants near his home in Sarnia, Ontario, closures led him to pursue his real passion imprinted on him so long ago—watercraft.

After studying design at the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology, Vallinga went on to work for a commercial powerboat manufacturer. After more than ten years designing and building custom sail and powerboats, Vallinga reverted to his labor of love designing canoes and kayaks.

Vallinga has an impressive boat designing record under his gunwale, with three dozen documented designs and numerous others under contract, not including standup paddleboards.

A dream to paddle and portage

Close-up of the Vuntut 10 pack canoe — You can get the entire kit for $919, including all of the cedar needed to complete this intricate little pack boat. Have some fun with patterns, as Vallinga urges in his book. | Photo: Alyssa Lloyd

The Vuntut 10 is an impressively short and sweet boat for all the right reasons. It’s the newest and smallest in Vallinga’s popular Vuntut series of solo pack canoes that also includes 12-foot and 14-foot versions. He specifically designed the 10-foot for ease of just about everything.

Portaging? Nailed it. Pack canoes were born in the Adirondacks where early explorers and today’s adventurers need lightweight crafts they can effortlessly carry from small lake to small lake, ideally in one trip. Our epoxied cedar Vuntut 10 weighs just 26 pounds and is easily carried. As soon as I flipped the boat onto my shoulder, I realized I was eternally ruined for portaging. This is just too easy.

Paddling? Admirable. The boat’s maneuverability is that of a bicycle. You can essentially tilt to steer and if you didn’t need forward motion, your thoughts could practically propel this boat.

Transporting? Check. My first experience with loading the Vuntut 10 caught me with no canoe racks on my newly capped truck. So what did I do? All 10 feet of it fit on an angle in my six-foot, six-inch truck bed with only the bow laying on top of my closed tailgate. Less than a foot was overhanging—no red flag required. Try that with a 16-footer.

Go with the flow

The key to enjoying this 10-foot canoe, we learned, is minimizing all but the subtlest movements.

Typical solo canoeing strokes cause the Vuntut 10 to be squirrelly—like overcorrecting a vehicle that’s been sucked onto a soft gravel shoulder. Slow everything down and enjoy the view. Small strokes generate more than enough correction. I told you once already, thought control would almost work best.

Close-up of the stern on the Vuntut 10 pack canoe — The stern allows for ample space for a solo backcountry night or lightly packed weekend trip. | Photo: Alyssa Lloyd

Best of both worlds

Those used to kneeling for solo paddling will find the sitting position in the Vuntut 10 foreign and awkward, like in a kayak. Pack canoes can also be paddled with both a canoe paddle and a kayak paddle.

Why design a canoe that is best paddled like a kayak miles from the region where it’s normal to do so? Vallinga wanted to accommodate those who have mulled over the idea of a kayak only to realize they would rather not get in and out of a cockpit. The Vuntut 10 is a great compromise between the two. Kayaks are great at many things but portaging is not one of them. The Vuntut 10 is a win for those of us always trying to convert kayakers into backcountry canoeists.

Choose your own adventure

Building the Vuntut 10 Pack Canoe book by Otto Vallinga — Vallinga created an entire series of books, not just of designs, but details to help you every step of the way throughout your canoe-building journey. | Photo: Alyssa Lloyd

So far you’ve been reading about the Vuntut 10 as if it comes like any other pack canoe. But this clever designer has made his canoe and kayak designs available in their own publications. Building the Vuntut 10 written by Otto Vallinga is 192 pages detailing the construction of this wood strip and epoxy canoe so that you can build your own. Want to build a pack canoe but don’t have the time to source all the materials yourself? The Vuntut 10, and 12 and 14 for that matter, are available as a complete kit requiring only tools and time.

If you feel less inclined to channel your inner Otto Vallinga, you can get the Vuntut 10 by ordering the finished boat directly from Vallinga himself, like we did.

The Vuntut 10 is small but mighty

No matter how you get one, don’t be distracted by the novelty of such a small canoe. The Vuntut 10 pack canoe is no gimmick. It will allow you to access more places by being so light and nimble adding versatility to your solo adventures that you never dreamed possible.

This article originally appeared in Canoeroots Early Summer 2017 issue.

Subscribe to Paddling Magazine and get 25 years of digital magazine archives including our legacy titles: Rapid, Adventure Kayak and Canoeroots.

Boat Review: Boreal Design Epsilon C200

By

Steve Ruskay

-

October 26, 2020

A man paddling the Boreal Designs Epsilon kayak — Feature Photo: Gabriel Rivett-Carnac

I have been a fan of Boreal Design kayaks for a long time. I used their Inukshuk expedition kayaks while taking students on several month-long, self-supported expeditions trips on the coast of Labrador. Years later while guiding in Antarctica I paddled their Epsilon series. The mother ships we travelled on had fleets of Epsilons and believe me, those plastic models took plenty of abuse. Now the updated Boreal Design Epsilon arrives to join the fleet.

Boreal Design Epsilon C200 Specs

Length: 17’

Width: 23.5”

Weight: 54 lbs

MSRP: $3,499

www.borealdesign.com

[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See all expedition sea kayaks ]

Which Epsilon is for you?

The Epsilon series includes three different materials: HDPE, which stands for high-density polyethylene; thermoformed ABS plastic; and the C-series, C meaning composite. The composite series is available in three different lay-ups including fiberglass, Kevlar and carbon. And in these five materials you have three different sizes ranging from 16’6” to 17’6”. Confused yet? From the fifteen different possible options we tracked down a C200, the middle-sized 17-footer in fiberglass for some early spring testing.

Straight as an arrow

What I first noticed about the Epsilon C200 was a shallow V hull and very little rocker. With a long waterline, the C200 tracks like an arrow and maintains fast hull speed over long distances.

With 23.5 inches at the beam primary stability of the C200 is excellent. The low shear line and low-profile bow allows for good handling in wind and waves. The Epsilon has soft, rounded chines. I’d say it has consistent edging performance.

It makes sense why this is such a popular boat with outfitters and tour operators. It’s a boat that people feel good about in the right way. Just for fun, I paddled the C200 to a small surf wave and it offered responsive edging control. When I blew off the wave it was a blast to jet ferry back across the current to the eddy for another round.

Closeup of cockpit on the Boreal Design Epsilon C200 touring sea kayak — The keyhole design is shaped for easy entry and exit. An adjustable back-band and foot braces accomodate a wide range of paddler sizes. The molded knee braces are padded and comfortable to slip in and out of. | Photo: Gabriel Rivett-Carnac

Fitting into the Boreal Design Epsilon

Let’s talk cockpits. For a guy who is six-foot-two and needs to be able to dive in and out of a kayak, I was pleasantly surprised. The opening is not exaggerated at 31 inches long and 16 inches wide. It really is big. The seat system consists of a pre-formed, hinged back rest and is comfortable. The adjustable back band seemed high and initially I wondered if it would be a problem for cockpit re-entry. Self-rescues can be performed easily on the low-profiled stern deck with no concern of back band interference. I think the back band just looks high because the stern deck is so low. I didn’t even think of it as I was dropping back down in the seat.

Bow and stern deck rigging on the Boreal Design Epsilon is the standard you would expect of a touring sea kayak these days. One thing of note however is the rear cockpit deck bungees only cover one half of the deck to allow for the day hatch. In the event of a scramble self-rescue when you use a paddle float and paddle it may be more difficult to slide the paddle under the stiff deckline on the opposing side. It would be worth practicing beforehand so you know what to expect.

Expedition-ready steering and stowage

To the back right of the cockpit is the pull-cord to raise and lower the rudder system. The cord is easy to access and the rudder steers with the adjustable foot braces. I didn’t need the rudder during our testing of the C200, but clients love it.

Boreal Design Epsilon C200 touring kayak, closeup of Feathercraft rudder — Boreal Designs uses Feathercraft rudders that are stern, deck-mounted. The dependable design is simple to use and easy to fix in the event of a mishap. | Photo: Gabriel Rivett-Carnac

The large oval openings of the bow and stern hatches easily facilitate the stowing and retrieval of tent poles, tripods, bulky bags and awkward gear. Throw in the round day hatch and the Epsilon C200 is suitable for both short expeditions, as well as day use. According to Boreal Design, even with the low stern deck, the C200 is capable of a 295-pound load capacity and boasts a total volume of 415 liters. More than enough storage for everything you would need for a day trip, overnight or short expedition.

[ Plan your next adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]

I know it’s common practice to always dry bag everything you store for a kayak trip. Some will say determining whether hatches are waterproof is just being picky. Personally, I am a freak about water in my boats and always check to see just how waterproof my hatches really are. I loaded the bow and stern hatches of our Boreal Design Epsilon with gear and performed several maneuvers including sculling braces, rolls and in-water re-entries. After a morning of playing around inspecting the hatches revealed maybe a bottoms-up of Jack Daniels between all three compartments.

For those interested in cold-weather paddling, it is worth noting that cold makes all the plastic hatch covers stiffer. And when they are stiff they are more difficult to hammer on and peel off, especially with paddling mitts and numb fingers. They need to be this way to be tight and dry when they are warm and supple.

Epsilon goes to the ends of the Earth

Dragging the kayak through the leftover snow and launching off ice shelves seems to be what I do in Epsilons. It’s what lots of people could do in the Boreal Design Epsilon C200, an enjoyable-to-paddle and expedition-ready sea kayak. And if 15 different models isn’t enough for you to ponder, each one is available in a variety of color schemes. You do the math. That’s a lot of great boats to choose from.

This article originally appeared in Adventure Kayak Early Summer 2017 issue.

Subscribe to Paddling Magazine and get 25 years of digital magazine archives including our legacy titles: Rapid, Adventure Kayak and Canoeroots.

Abitibi Saugeen 16.6 Specs

Length: 16’6”

Width: 35”

Weight: 50 lbs

Capacity: 350-550 lbs

MSRP: $3,299 CAD

Taking the Saugeen for a spin

Ferry a heavy load

Tandem or solo, the Saugeen 16.6 does both

Canadian-made with style and flair

Abitibi & Co. bring start-up energy to the Saugeen

How to whittle a canoe in 6 steps

1. Select your stick

2. Make your marks

3. Shape the exterior

4. Hollow out the interior

5. Look to the sky

6. Finishing touches

Whittling a canoe: Extra steps

Safety first

Wilderness Systems Zephyr 160 Pro Specs

Length: 16’

Width: 23”

Depth: 17”

Weight: 54 lbs

Capacity: 300 lbs

MSRP: $3,150 USD / $3,700 CAD

The Zephyr 160 is a big‑time performer

Plenty of room to spare

Ride like the wind

Ride like the wind with the Zephyr 160 Pro

Necky Chatham 16 Specs

Length: 16’5”

Width: 22”

Cockpit: 31” × 15”

Weight: 58 lbs (polyethylene) 49 lbs (fiberglass) 44 lbs (carbon)

MSRP: $1,449 USD / $1,999 CAD (polyethylene) $2,699 USD / $3,399 CAD (fiberglass) $3,199 USD / $3,999 CAD (carbon)

Necky’s Chatham 16 is no fad

Shedding pounds and dollars

The Necky Chatham 16 is made for play

Go all day in the Chatham 16

Instructions for your battery‑operated kayak bilge pump

DIY Bilge Pump Assembly

DIY Bilge Pump Wiring

Parts List For Your Battery-Operated Kayak Bilge Pump

Current Designs Squall GTS Specs

Length: 15’11”

Width: 22”

Weight: 55 lbs

Dry storage volume: 186 L

MSRP: $1,549 USD

The Squall GTS is no slouch

Consistent, reliable performance

Limber up your toes

The Squall GTS has room for adventure

Video review of the Current Designs Squall GTS Kayak:

The Vuntut 10 is a labor of love

A dream to paddle and portage

Go with the flow

Best of both worlds

Choose your own adventure

The Vuntut 10 is small but mighty

Boreal Design Epsilon C200 Specs

Length: 17’

Width: 23.5”

Weight: 54 lbs

MSRP: $3,499

Which Epsilon is for you?

Straight as an arrow

Fitting into the Boreal Design Epsilon

Expedition-ready steering and stowage

Epsilon goes to the ends of the Earth

Weight:
58 lbs (polyethylene)
49 lbs (fiberglass)
44 lbs (carbon)

MSRP:
$1,449 USD / $1,999 CAD (polyethylene)
$2,699 USD / $3,399 CAD (fiberglass)
$3,199 USD / $3,999 CAD (carbon)