Hi! I’m looking to purchase my first canoe. Location is upstate NY, primary usage will be day trips on Finger Lakes and (flat) rivers, hopefully with some overnighters in the future. I will be paddling tandem. I found this Sawyer on Craigslist:
Seems like a fair price for a canoe with no horrible patches (I do see one small repair) and straight gunnels. The decks are an easy fix. I see what you mean about the label, though, weird.
If you’re on Facebook, check out the “Sawyer and Other Michigan Canoes” page. There is a pretty good discussion on this boat. Consensus seems to be that it’s a Sawyer Canadian and not a Cruiser. Not as stable as a Cruiser, but a pretty fast boat and probably still a good deal for the money.
I ended up buying the canoe! It is 16’6" long and 33" at the widest point, which is consistent with Sawyer Canadian specs. I believe the non-sliding hull seat is also consistent with the Canadian. The yoke w/portage pads seems aftermarket. My wife and I were able to take it out for a quick paddle before buying, and it felt good. Fast, maneuverable, and, dare I say, stable (didn’t feel like a racing canoe). There are a couple patches on the inside, and I’ll probably reinforce the sterns (no leaks or anything, just for peace of mind) and touch up the orange stripe and lettering.
I’m not on Facebook, but feel free to share this with the “Sawyer and Other Michigan Canoes” group. Someone there asked for a closeup of the inside.
I do believe the clamp on yoke is aftermarket, but the 1982 Canadian only ever had one thwart. It makes me a little hesitant to put too much outward pressure on the gunwale when entering and exiting the boat, but it doesn’t seem to affect in-water performance.
