Hi Folks,
I picked up a very nice MR Malecite off CL this morning. Looks like a 96 model based on SN, and looks like it might have been lightly used once. Boat is kevlar, and is I think the lightest canoe I’ve ever lifted. Can’t weigh much more than 40 lbs. Is in near perfect condition. I haven’t tried this before but I put some pics on a Shutterfly “share site”, please let me know if it works.
https://malecite.shutterfly.com/pictures
Boat came with three very nice wooden paddles, three good pfd’s and straps etc. $600 for all.
So, my question is, basically, what can I do with this thing? It’s gorgeous and obviously a very fine canoe. I was in the market for a canoe suitable for light WW (I just got back from doing the Allagash, so things like that). But I’m a little concerned about using a light kevlar boat for that.
Any help/thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated.
Mark
Great deal
Boat looks great and the Malecite is a top notch boat!
Buy a WW boat too
Don’t beat that fine Kevlar MR on the rocks!! Look for a WW boat.
Quite a deal
MRC listed the regular Kevlar Malecite at 50 lbs and the lightweight Kevlar version at 40 lbs.
Assuming yours is the latter version I would save it for non-whitewater use. I like the burgundy color but it will show scratches on the bottom pretty badly.
thanks all
Any way to tell which kev model it is? SN is
MAD6X825L596-Kl
Nice boat shed. Nice boat.
The Malecite is one of the boats I’m looking for.
You got a great deal.
I don’t have any insight on how to best use it.
Standard kev layup
very durable but not for rock bashing. If you are capable of missing most of the rocks you can use it for river travel but that is not it’s intended purpose. It’s a traveling boat, and though that includes moving water it’s not a whitewater boat per se. Great buy! You will love it!
Well-made Kevlar hulls such as this one are surprisingly strong to those not familiar with composites. And it can always be repaired if you do push it past the extreme.
Simple solution…
You got a good deal on the boat & gear.
I'd have no use for that particular canoe either. But it would be hard for me to pass up a similiar deal, if it jumped up in front of me.
If you have no use for that particular canoe; one solution seems pretty obvious to me. Sell the canoe, and any of the gear you don't need. I think you should easily be able to recoup your original investment, and perhaps make a little extra.
Then........find a canoe that is more suitable for your intended usage.
BOB
that occurred to me
I do think it was an outstanding deal. Seller was from Europe and another European friend of his bought it, used it maybe once, and then got transferred back to Europe. Gave this guy the boat, some years ago. He never once used it. I just couldn’t pass it up.
I might trade it for a new Tripper or something. If anyone has anything in the NY/CT area…
Mark
Probably Kevlar light
I know that MRC appended the letter K to the end of the HIN for their Kevlar boats. I suspect Kl indicates Kevlar lightweight.
Although MRC’s all fabric Kevlar boats were quite tough, 40 lbs is pretty light for a 16 1/2 foot tandem canoe and I would not expect that construction to take the sort of abuse that a 50 lb boat would.
Agree about Kevlar Lightweight…
It’s hard to tell for sure from the photos but it doesn’t seem to have floatation tanks. MRC lightweights did not have floatation tanks. They depended upon the foam core (which it looks as if this one has) and maybe the wood gunwales for floatation.
You stole that canoe!
Did you weigh it? I don’t see anything that looks like foam core. I thought the UL layups had aluminum gun’ls.
yeah, I know
But that was his price. I didn’t even bother haggling, just handed him the cash. The three paddles btw are Bending Branches “Explorer’s” with rock guards, about $120 each new, in perfect condition. One of the pfd’s is an XL Extrasport, which I can use.
I haven’t had time to weigh it. Heading back up to Maine right away. But I’m pretty sure it does not weigh 50 pounds. My CD Caribou weighs about 50, and this canoe is much lighter.
Foam core is not obvious.
MRC foam core was very thin. You can see the edge of it just inside the border of the painted football in the bottom of the boat. By the way, I checked an old catalog and as recently as 1997 wood was the only trim available on composites.
I’d buy it…
If you can get that thing to the southeast USA, I’d be glad to give you your money back!
Id almost bet you may just love it though… Enjoy it!
But really, bring it south and I’ll take it off your hands 
Nice boat for
flatwater including short trips but it is not a boat I would chose for Allagash Trips - sides are low and it is a light layup. I want 15 inch sides and a rugged hull material for trips like the Allagash. If you are a very strong paddler and if there is plenty of water it would be ok - but again - not the type of boat I would chose for that sort of paddling.
PLEASE don’t take this thing on a rocky
river.
rock boat
It depends a lot on your skill level. A royalex boat is forgiving but Kevlar less so. Some people think Kevlar boats are really strong, mostly they are light. I have used w/c boats for whitewater for years. It would be best to reserve the Kevlar boat flat water and easy rivers unless you have really high skills.
Malecite
Nice find. I have been looking for a Malecite lately, they don’t stay for sale too long. The Malecite is Jim Henrys’ first design and probably his best. I have a Sawyer Outrage which may fit your needs, in case you are interested in doing a trade. I am located in NNJ.
http://www.bwca.com/photo/showpicture.cfm?img=HansSolo-240914-090045%2Ejpg&name=Sawyer%20Outrage%20Specs-1984a
A nice bog, pond…or lake canoe
You should have no problems in finding waters for that Malecite.