Merrimack Pennachuck

Is anyone familiar with the Merrimack Pennachuck? They stopped making it in the early 90s. I’m trying to find info on it.

plaidpaddler
July 2010
Merrimack Pennichuck
A late 1980’s brochure from Merrimack shows the Pennichuck and states that it was originally designed by Mike Galt in 1976 as a 17’6" ABS river cruiser. Merrimack made arrangements to produce it in Kevlar with their wood trim. They made a 16’6" in addition to the 17’6". Weights were 55# and 58# for the two versions. The depths were listed as 21/20 bow and stern for both and 13" and 13.5" in the centers of the two. The width given was overall at 35" and 35.5"

This canoe was part of a complex deal. Blue Hole had Mike Galt design a better paddling river cruiser to supplement their OCA serious whitewater model. Heavily flared at the bow it was dry in waves and very seaworthy, making it a good expedition canoe for big water. Later Blue Hole wanted to offer The MGA in a composite material so they had Lincoln Canoes lay up hulls for them. The wood trim was done at Merrimack as were the wood trimmed MGB; and the hull was sold by Blue Hole as the Kingfisher. Merrimack got to use the molds and they were trimmed out with Merrrimacks inlaid cherrywood ribs and laced seats and sold as the Pennachuck. I owned a 16’6" blue Hole Kingfisher and made several trips into the Adirondacks with it. Paddled loaded alongside my Wenonah Spirit it was slightly slower, but drier in waves and turned better. It hauled loads with very little loss of speed or seaworthiness. It weighed 55# in Kevlar. The blue hole Pennichuck should be slightly heavier swapping the foam core of the blue hole for the wood ribs of the Merrimack. The Merrimack is a more rigid layup, the Lincoln hulls are thinner in the sided and can flex along the centerline. Would be interesting to know where the molds ended up when Michicraft bought Blue Hole.