Nova Craft Canoes

I was wondering if any of you paddlers out there had any experience with their canoes. I am looking at buying a new canoe and would like to stick with a Canadian made product. Thanks for the input.

Not with Nova Craft, but
My favorite Canadian canoes are Souris River Canoes. You will want to give them a trial paddle for sure. They are well made, light and paddle like a cross between a Bell and a We-NO-nah.



Mick

Re Nova Craft…
Don’t own one myself, but I have paddled with a friend who does - he has the 16’ Prospector in Kevlar, and it is a very, very good canoe indeed. Our friend is one of the hardest-going paddlers we know - does lots of solo, lots of rough water, did the Churchill River a couple of years ago. A season or two before that, he wrapped it on a rock entering a small but brisk river from a lake - canoe stayed in the stream all night, with water pouring into the open ‘mouth’ - so much pressure the bottom folded up enough to hit the centre thwart as the canoe bent around the rock. Next morning, he managed to pry it off using a long pole, and the hull sprung back into shape…and not a leak! The gelcoat had taken a pounding, with chunks big as your hand missing and ragged edges and gel cracks everywhere, and one gunwale had split, but otherwise the Nova Craft was just fine. Granted, it looks kinda rough where the gelcoat has been rebuilt and not repainted, but that’s kinda like the rule in judging bulldogs that says “…honourable scars shall not be held against them.”

I like his hull better than that of our BlueWater 16 Prospector, and might well have swapped if it hadn’t been for the river incident. It tracks very nicely, turns well, and has a more ‘solid’ feel than ours, especially when running lightly loaded.

Thanks
Thanks thats the kind of stuff I wanted to hear.

good company
I used to have a Bob Special in royalite, I currently have a Prospector 16 in royalex, and I’ve paddled a blue steel prospector. All three boats were very well made.

Novacraft
Have a friend who ordered a 16’ Prospector a few years ago and loves the canoe (I like it also) and had a good experience with the company. Another friend has a kevlar Supernova solo boat and loves it. One thing I really like is their unique laced seats, very comfortable. As for Souris, as Mick mentioned, they also make a nice canoe. Had a Quetico 16 in duralight, which is just a bit heavier than kevlar. I’d paddle a few of their boats too. Good luck. WW