This is just now coming out from the former owner of Wilderness Systems…
www.nativewatercraft.net
Very interesting concept. It looks like it would be a good tripping canoe for a solo if you took out the 2nd seat and relocated the 1st seat closer to center
hmmmm-if it Andy Zimm-same guy whose
company bought heritage kayaks up here in Bristol (and moved them south again…)…Legacy Paddlesports…
interesting thing: Compass Canoe is also based here in RI making boat the same size as Native’s compass…hmmm…but the RI ones are kevlar…and now the ri ones website is gone…hmmmmmmm
Yes, same guy
Andy Zimmerman, started Legacy and purchased Heritage and Compass and developed the Native Watercraft. At www.nativewatercraft.net you can see a couple good photos of the Compass. Sweet looking little ADK style canoe.
Andy
Which model were you talking about that might make a good tripper with the 2nd seat removed & 1st seat relocated? The Ultimate? Seems mega heavy for tripping don’t you think?
The Wee Lassie type (Compass) seems interesting. I know they’ve been using craft of that basic design up in the Dacks since Sear’s day. I always thought that type would make a fun creek boat for tight, yet mild-mannered streams (Class I tops). Don’t know if I could bring myself to waddle around in a butt boat with a two-fer… But I’ve been seen doing equally ungraceful things I suppose… ;^) Out of curiosity any idea what they cost? - Randall
Talon brought one to Raystown
Very stable, and you can stand up. Talon actually poled it. Set up for fishing too.
Here is a photo.
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2193953140041263145AATels
Andy
Hybrid design…
– Last Updated: Nov-16-06 11:09 AM EST –
This is an interesting design that is not at all like a conventional canoe. Ugly...well yes to some but it's not ment to win any beauty contest. It intended use is for fishing where you can sit, stand, and kneel. Photos don't show the bottom of the boat which has a tunnel type hull (two hulls next to each other) which give it super stability but at the same time would make for a very interesting ride in heavy waves that would induce some motion sickness I'm sure. But it's a boat that can do many more things than it's intended use. I think it would be a good creek runner for shallow water because it would draft in inches of water and because of the hull design you could go right over some rocks that you would want to go around in a regular canoe. It's built well so I don't think you could do any harm to it even if you used it for sled riding. It's the kind of boat that you could beat the crap out of and it would probably look better with age.
Tunnel hull http://www.nativewatercraft.net/tunnelhull.html
draft
The total draft will be more at the same payload as compared to a flatish bottomed canoe.
Well they ran it down the Juniata
which was runing at about 1.5 inches and it made it. I had to walk a
wildfire several hundred yards.
Walk 200 yards! What lines did you take?
Easy there N.T. ---- e a s y
Got cha back!
Wildfire…
Is not what I’d called a flatish bottomed canoe.
I was walking my Wildfire…
…right beside him Brian. And it was at least a solid half mile! ;^) - Randall
wrong line, everyone else passed me
Next time I know a couple of guides …
… who will work for Legos!
Jem
You’re right; it’s elliptical in cross section amidships. If it was flatter its secondary wouldn’t be as solid, but of course if it was rounder or vee bottomed it would draw more. Pretty good compromise I always thought. Draws 2 or 3 inches strainin’ to hold my butt out of the water.
Of course Norb was in a composite Wildfire while I was in an older Wildfire RX (now YS RX). I’m not sure how they compare in the middle – probably similar.
The biggest problem we had that day as we paddled downstream on the Juniata was that the entire river bed went uphill at a steep angle for a mile or more. We had to set a block and tackle to haul our little Bells up the face and then repel down the other side. Not a pretty sight… …a couple old lardasses huffin’ and puffin’ and sweatin’ like that I’ll tell ya. The Duckhead polers in their big tandems just shoved themselves up to the summit with their high tech T.A.P poles and slid down the other side whoppin’ and hollerin’. …hardly even broke their momentum…
Honest. - Randall
right Arkay, the Ultimate is too heavy
for serious lake hopping tripping, maybe okay if you’re camping on just one lake or river and no portages.
The Compass 10.5 sold for $1000 to $1300 last year, depending on layup. They are getting some in over at Appomattox River Company so I hope to see one pretty quick. The seat weighs 5 pounds, which seems like overkill to me. Could put in a new minicell seat and backrest for maybe 1 pound. If the new seat is as comfortable as the Wilderness systems touring seat then I’m all for it, very comfortable and easy to adjust. Even with a 5# (which can come out for use in camp) the little boat only weighs 24 #, more than light enough to pond hop in the ADK.
On the other hand, a Wenonah Vagabond kev light only weighs 29#, and for about the same price. With the Vagabond you could paddle with a twofer or a single blade, your choice. I think the Vagabond would be faster and just as stable as the Compass. Will know more after I get a look at the Compass and paddle it a bit. One challenge with the little sit-on-the-bottom canoes is getting in and out. Much easier to step out of a regular canoe that has a bench seat.
intention
Now I wasn’t bashing this design. I think it’ll have a great function. I played with the concept about a year ago but never bothered with a prototype or anything. Neat concept.