http://www.bluewatercanoes.com/
then click on Freedom 16
Anyone have any experience with one of these? One review on pnet, well kind of.
Comparison of other canoes of similiar size and use?
Bluewater Canoes
Haven’t paddled this boat, but an outfitter friend had Bluewaters in his fleet for a few years in the mid '90’s and had a problem with the weights being several lbs heavier than stated and their carrying capacities being overstated in his opinion. Seems like he also had problems with late deliveries as I recall. Maybe they’ve resolved some of these issues, but I’d be wary unless I talked to some Bluewater owners. Take care, Brian. WW
thanks
thanks for the info Terry.
I think Bluewater has been bought since the mid to early 90s - I think within the past couple years they were bought by mid-canada fiberglass? so they would be in the same family as scott canoes, impex kayaks, and now bluewater (I think pyranha maybe in there too?) - so maybe things have changed.
Interesting design - since it’s a Steve Killing design maybe he’ll make the plans available for a stripper someday - like some of the others at Bear Mountain.
I have not seen any evidence for
overweight boats, nor for overstated carrying capacities. My Bluewater Chippewa is exactly on the stated weight, 48 pounds, aluminum gunwales. Their wooden gunwales tend to be a speck heavier than those used by some builders, so the same boat with wooden gunwales will run 5 or 6 pounds heavier.
As for carrying capacity, check PADDLER magazine’s annual boat listing. They ask the manufacturers to list the “burden” by which they mean the weight at which the boat is still safe and handles properly. Bluewater’s estimates for their boats are quite conservative.
By contrast, many hotshot boat manufacturers did not provide the burden estimate requested at all. They used the old, irresponsible, unsafe 6" waterline weight instead. THAT is claiming carrying capacity beyond realistic limits.
Remember that Bluewater canoes are made by the same team that supply Upstream Edge slalom kayaks, used by many of the US team in the '92 and '96 Olympics. Right now, Bluewater is the only canoe manufacturer using heat cured epoxy and vacuum bagging.
I do not know anything about the solo boat in question. It appears to be similar to a Wenonah Advantage in purpose and overall design. Whether it would be as fast as an Advantage I cannot say, but I am sure it will be more durable in any comparable layup.
stripper plans
Bear Mountain does have plans available for the Steve Killing 17’ solo tripper. A little different hull- it does not have the sharp knuckle in the in the transition from bilge to topsides that the Freedom 16 has.
http://www.bearmountainboats.com/17-0SoloTripper.htm