Malecite
we have owned 3 different malecites over the years, all fiberglass. like the other posters I wouldnot take the malecite to the rocks. The lightweight is not up to it and it is not a turning boat. What it does well in my experience is as follows: day paddling up to 300 or so pounds, lake tripper up to maybe 400 without a cover, good canoe in the wind. Speedy enough for upstreaming. Couples daytripper, parent child canoe, Two kid canoe. Solo hunting, fishing, tripping, and easier whitewater without rocks.
understood and appreciated
I took the Malecite out on a quiet bay off Penobscot yesterday, with my son. It paddles nice! Quick but definitely not for WW. We will keep the boat and enjoy it for lakes, flat rivers and bogs and the like. It’s so light, it’s just amazing. My 10 year old took it off my station wagon by himself without so much as a scratch. Beautiful boat!
However, I am still in the market for a Tripper or the like…
Mark
if you’re still in market for a WW boat
you might want to check out cboats.net > CForum > Boats and Gear Forsale. One can often find middle-of-the-road hulls, between hard/soft edges, forsale…
Malicite
Well seems to me that you got a very nice purchase. I, on the other hand, didn’t get such a good deal. My fault… I had purchased a Hemlock Kestral from Dave Curtis and was extremely pleased with it. I live in Cleveland, Ohio and Dave delivered it to Erie ,Pa and I met him there, picked it up and have been very happy with it. However, I wanted a Malicite as my son has a kevlar 25yr. anniverary edition that I was really impressed with. Hemlock had a Malicite rated very good so I paid for it up front and would pick it up a couple weeks later. Dave wasn’t there and my wife and I loaded it and left. After getting it home, as to my request that he move the front seat back(which was done to our conversation) I determined I paid much more than I should have…especially having seen many of the same boat in much better shape for much less money…and totally in better shape…You got a great buy for a great boat. Buyer beware… even from a reputable person…/
You shouldn’t have much of a problem
getting parts cut/sanded to hang the front seat…