Sawyer Canoe did sell paddles, back in the day.
They may have had an outside company make them and that company may still be making them.
Or, some company could have bought the name.
I have a Masi carbon fiber bike frame. Masi was a legendary Italian frame maker, back when racing frames were steel. But my Masi is made in Taiwan and the company is based in California. Not a lot of connection between the old Masi and the new.
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Interesting. Seems like the same logoâŚ
Many of the paddles I find are pretty old⌠huge bent shafts etc often with team/competition type markings on them.
Canoes come up fs fairly often, or âdesigned by Sawyerâ.
Back in the 70s/early 80s David Yost emerged as a canoe designer working for Sawyer at the time. His design strategy, which was reflected in Sawyer advertising, was to shoot for ease of paddling at 1/2 to 2/3 of hull speed. That, of course, is where most of us mortals tend to find ourselves paddling. You still see that philosophy in the DY-designed Bell, Northstar, and Swift canoes.
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The list of DY-designed canoes wouldnât be complete without Curtis Canoes.
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Funny, an Oscada just came up for sale on local CL.
Not true. None of the Hemlock line is a DY boat. There is some history why.
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OK, then. I mistakenly thought the Falcon series were an evolution of Yost designs. Iâll fix my post. Thanks.
There was a falling out and LDC changed the designs . Some were subtle and some not
Kinda interesting getting both Daves roundvthe campfire
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Yes, thatâs exactly the impression I had.
Now I just have to find one nearby, that I like, at a reasonable price, and make room in the garage for it.
Anyone know what happened to Mohawk?
They were considered pretty hot white water boats at one time.
An example might be the Curtis Northstar compared to the Hemlock Eagle. Iâd enjoy hearing what those two had to say about canoe designs over the years.
Mohawk Canoe has a long history and has had multiple owners. The original Mohawk Canoe Company was founded by Darrel Leidigh in Orlando, Florida. After an unsuccessful attempt to start a business building metal and then fiberglass pontoon boats he started building fiberglass canoes in the 1960s. The actual Mohawk Canoe Company I believe was founded in 1972 in Longwood, Florida.
Initially all Mohawk Canoes were composite but Royalex canoe production began in the 1980s. Many of Leidighâs designs were recreational. But Leidigh also produced some innovative whitewater designs such Frankie Hubbardâs âEdgeâ and the âViperâ that was a descendant of the Edge. Mohawk also produced a near copy of Nolan Whitesellâs âPiranhaâ and later Harold Dealâs âShamanâ.
At some point in time, production of Mohawk Canoes began in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Around 1990 or so Mohawk made the decision to drop its dealer network and sell factory direct, a move which some felt hurt the business. Production of boats by the original Mohawk Canoe ended around 2000 and the company was selling out its remaining inventory. Mohawk Canoe was sold to Greg McCort in 2006 and moved to the Chattanooga, Tennessee area although I believe some production continued in Fort Smith, AR. The reincarnated Mohawk made only Royalex canoes, mostly whitewater models, and never produced any composite models. They also sold outfitting and other accessories.
The end of Royalex production pretty much spelled the end for Mohawk Canoe. They announced that they would soon be producing a short, one-layer, blow-molded polyethylene whitewater solo boat, the âPhiendâ but nothing ever came off it. The company still has a website up but it looks at this time as if they are completing the sell-off of whatever remaining inventory of accessories they have. Their boat inventory was sold off years ago, Iâm sure.
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are you saying that they havenât been? I sorta thought that theyâve been to the Midwest Canoe thing at th same timeâŚ
Havenât been what? I donât attend any Midwest canoe âthingsâ so canât attest to them being together or not⌠And I know just a little about the falling out that happened years ago but not the whole story. You would have to ask them⌠Good luck. They are gentlemen in each others presence.
I have been with them at the Western Pennsylvania Solo Canoe Rendezvous⌠To me that is far enough midwest⌠a 16 hour drive one way
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They have also been at Raystown the same year at least once.
no doubt. I never went to Raystown as that time of the year we always did a canoe trip among the outstanding fall colors on the Allagash 3 hour drive vs 12 !
That said I wish we could have some sort of fall gathering again with younger blood while us old farts reminisce.
Thatâs what I meantâŚThe western Pa Solo at Cooperâs Lake⌠I was thereâŚ
and at Raystown⌠camped with NTâŚ
Been to both Daveâs houses the same weekendâŚTony Fig took me âŚ
OK⌠Yes that is Jello country. I have a very poor idea of what the Midwest is! Hope Tony F is doing well its been awhile.