Does anyone have any experience with or have any literature on the Beaver Canoe? I think I would like to add the most streamlined aluminum canoe ever made to my collection. They seem very elusive.
George
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Wow, used to paddle one
as a teenager in the late 70’s. I used to race with a group of explorer scouts based out of New Iberia LA. We bought one to race in aluminum class events mostly in TX and Arkansas. They were fast. Many times we could compete with cruiser class boats of the time. Good luck on your search. Loved that boat.
Ahhh. Memories.
I didn’t have one, but I acquired a T-shirt from the company.
“Paddle a Beaver” Still have it somewhere.
Jim
Aluminum racers
Last summer I had the chance to paddle a Beaver for about 10 miles down the Wisconsin River. It was pretty beat up (lots of races/miles on it, the owner said) but was very obviously a straight-stemmed Gene Jensen design (or a damn good copy of one.) While it didn’t have a lot of tumblehome, it did have pretty sophisticated lines, certainly WAY beyond any aluminum boat I’ve ever seen. It probably weighed about 50 lbs. and paddled just beautifully. It reminded me of a Jensen 17. It must have been a shark among the chum before the class rules changed outlawing them. I’ve kept my eyes out for one ever since, but I’ve not seen one for sale (or even mentioned) since then. The same owner had another aluminum racer on his truck that needed a lot of work. Its name started with an “M” (Mennock?) but it wasn’t as good looking as the Beaver. Great luck!
I heard, a long time ago,
that many of them were going to their demise due to a
structural weakness in a seam.
Aging Beavers
Most of the composite racing canoes of the same era have also been retired due to structural failures. Not that the Beaver had a defect, it was a radically fast and light design that was not designed to last forever like a Grumman, but to win races. The thin skin was kept rigid by a lot of cross-bracing like an early airplane fuselage, not by a heavy keel. Dragging over rocky shoals or ledges was very tough on this hull design, though repairs could be made internally.
It did resemble a knock off of an early Jensen USCA cruiser and paddled like one.
Bill
Hello, I have an 18.5’ aluminum Beaver Marathon that we recently unearthed from my parents’ garage. It has been impeccably stored and hadn’t been paddled in the better part of three decades. We put in perhaps 30 miles of paddling last summer/fall and found it to be a joy on the water. If anyone has experience with or a history of these canoes they can share, we’d appreciate it!
We are looking into insuring it, but do to so are curious what value this canoe might have on the collector’s market?
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Collectibility?
1.It has some age.
2.It’s design is somewhat unique for an older, aluminum canoe.
3.Probably not too many Beaver canoes (especially in the conditions yours is in) have survived.
There may be a few people who would like to own one, but I seriously doubt there will be people knocking on your door, with a handful of hundred dollars bills, hollering, “Sell it to me; sell it to me”!!! Collectible value in my opinion, is negligible at best.
If someone puts an exorbitant(collectible) value on it; if I were you, I’d ask them when they’ll be coming by with the cash?
The boat’s real value is directly related to how much you enjoy owning, and using it.
30 miles of usage in a year tells me it is very seldom used.
BOB
Hey bbc37, that’s a nice looking canoe.
I don’t know about value, but on rivermiles.com, there are always racers looking for the Beaver aluminum canoes to race.
I ran across two Beaver solos this summer at Carl’s Paddlin’ in Lone Rock, WI. They seemed to be 15’ x 28 or 29". Didn’t know there was a solo in the Beaver line. I would have considered taking one, but I filled my racks with a big kevlar tandem instead.
Grumman canoes only way.to go.
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Yeah, I’ve been aware of those Beaver canoes at Carl’s that sedges mentioned for several years now. One I believe is Lowes branded but made by Beaver. He has three if I recall correctly and two are solos. Those are the only solo aluminums I ever recall seeing. (Does anyone here know of any other brands of aluminums made specifically as solos?)
They look fast and have a very sharp entry lines. I couldn’t see any rocker at all to any of them. The aluminum is much thinner than my Grumman’s and I’d be a little leery of taking them over sharp rocks. One looked like it might have had a small stem leak that had been touched up with silicone sealant. Like a lot of the stuff Carl finds and can’t resist, they strike me as little bits of the history of our sport that should be preserved. By someone who has more storage space than I do… sigh
Rufus, are you seeing this?
The Beaver aluminum marathon canoes were made designed by Bill May of Taneyville, Mo., and made by Loweline (Lowe Boats) in Lebanon, Mo., from 1979 to 1982/3. They first appeared at the USCA National Marathon Championships in Muscoda, Wisconsin (Wisconsin River) in August 1979. Although there was considerable argument about whether these racing hulls met the aluminum class rules, they were allowed to race against the Grummans and Alumacrafts. There were two Beaver teams; Tom Johanssen and James Short in one boat and Lisa May and Tim Nichols in the other. In spite of the clear and substantial advantage these teams with their bona fide race hulls, they didn’t win. The mixed team finished 21st-18 minuets behind- and the men were beaten by the New York team of Marc Gillespie and JT Hall by over 2 minuets in an Alumacraft. Poetic justice served on the Wisconsin River on August 19, 1979.
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The coolest aluminum canoe I have ever seen. For decades they were slow because “they cannot be made into complex shapes.” Guess again.
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Hello,my name is wes may…my father,Bill may was the inventor of the beaver canoe’s…It has been wonderful over these last 45 years to see how many people still enjoy paddling them…If there’s any history you would like to know id be glad to answer any question you might have…
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No clue on canoe values. No clue how the bottom is but if I was a canoe head I could drop a grand on it. Someone who had one and wants to replace may pay more. JMHO
Looks cool.
Wes- I want to talk to you about the Beaver Boats, their history etc. Please contact me at your convenience. Thanks. JT Hall jthall44@hotmail.com
Wes-I would like to talk to you about the Beaver aluminum racing canoes your father designed. Please contact me at jthall44@hotmail.com Thanks. JT Hall