I am conseidering purchasing and having a boat shipped from Ozark River Company (Missouri). Has anyone done business with them? Any feedback good or bad would be appreciated.
Great People
They had a paddle shop a few years ago, moved away a couple of years, then moved back. I’ve bought boats from them at both times, and both positive experiences. If you look a few pages back either here or the Discussion forum , you’ll find a thread praising them. WW
Would do it again
We bought a Penobscot 16 from Ozark River Company about a month ago but we drove to Alton to pick it up (about 5 hours one way). Bill and Janet are great folks and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another boat from them. Don’t know about the shipping process though since we picked ours up but I’m sure Bill will give you a staight answer if you ask him about it.
Can’t be beat!
– Last Updated: Feb-24-06 1:13 PM EST –
Last weekend I drove 320 miles (each way)to pick up two boats from Bill (ORC). I got a Penobscot 16 Limited Edition and a Loon 138. Couldn't be nicer people to deal with. Bill is a great guy who paddles and is very knowledgable about paddling and Ozark rivers. I highly recommend ORC.
Did the weather cooperate for you?
Last weekend was pretty nasty in eastern OK and western MO. Was it good enough in Alton to do the paddling and fishing you had planned? If so, how was it?
Now that you asked!
Since I had driven 300+ miles to pick up these boats and I was right near the Eleven Point River I thought it only appropriate to get one wet. Bill (the paddling shop owner) thought I should try out the kayak so I arranged for a shuttle for my truck and off to the river. I loaded a tent, sleeping bag, and fishing gear in the kayak, locked the truck (the lady who was to move it for me had another set of keys) and put on the river. It was partly cloudy and 34 degrees. I paddled what I thought was about 1/2 way to my truck and stopped on a gravel bar and set up the tent. Built a fire and fixed dinner and sat by the fire. The temperature was dropping so at about 7:00 I decided to go to bed and read. I read for a while and fell asleep. I woke to what sounded like someone rubbing their hand along my tent. I had not seen any other people or even houses since it is entirely national forest so I doubted it was a person. I unzipped the tent and stuck my hand out and it landed in 4 inches of snow! It was snow I heard sliding off the tent! When I got up it was still snowing and the kayak was almost completely buried. I packed the boat and headed down river for my truck. I tried to fish but my reels and rod guides froze almost immediately so I knew it was cold. I got to my truck in about 3 hours and had to clean 5 inches of snow off. I loaded the equipment and started for home. It took me 2 hours longer to get home due to snow and ice in the Ozarks. When I got to the truck the radio said the temperature was 7 degrees. Even with the bad weather, it was a very nice and relaxing trip.
Wow, not exactly . . .
. . . what you had been looking forward to, but its is the unexpected that make some trips more easily remembered. This one will probably come to mind now everytime it snows.
Isn’t that black Penobscot pretty. I had planned on getting a red one, but I really like the black now. Glad they didn’t have a red one.
You bet
I, well me and the family bought the last 05 penobscot 16 from them and had to have it shipped.
That worried me a little but their shipping company came through for us and there was not a blemish anywhere on the boat and there were fragile and top load only warnings all over our boat when it arrived. Bill and Janet were excellent to do business with. I understand your apprehension and had some myself, but without a doubt the next time I am looking for a canoe or kayak they will be where I look first. I hope to visit them and their shop in person someday. Check out their feedback on Ebay its all positive!!
Congratulations
. . . on your new boat purchase. We’ll be paddling the Illinois frequently too. I’ll keep a look out for another black Penobscot when were there.