I have recently become intrigued by some of the Kruger-designed canoes. I like paddling rough and windy open water and these seem to offer sea kayak-like attributes for this application.
I found a used one that i am having shipped to me but won’t have it for quite some time.
I am curious about this boat and will of course give it a thorough testing in various conditions when I get it.
Curious to hear what your comments are on it if you have paddled one.
It will complement my Bell Magic…and maybe even replace it…as a sit and switch boat.
It is possible that I will like it enough to sell the Magic since it seems they woudl have similar applications in many ways, with the exception of the ability to portage easily.
How does the Loon compare in terms of speed and maneuverability? it is longer so I assume it is faster…but also appears wider so maybe not the case. I also would assume the Magic is more maneuverable, but the reviews I have read indicate surprising maneuverability for the Loon.
One thing of conern to me though is the ability to achieve a good vertical paddle stroke with teh Loon which appears like it could be an issue in looking at the appearance of the canoe’s width.
Curious to hear your thoughts about this interesting canoe.
thanks
Matt
Loon more maneuverable than Magic.
Much more. Control strokes work great with the rudder up. Vertical single blade stroke is easy in the Loon, it’s only 28" wide. Loon much more seaworthy - very confidence inspiring in waves & wakes. It’s the canoe that I take out when the winds are up and I don’t want to take a kayak.
With a decent yoke, the Loon portages well enough, once you get it to your shoulders.
If my Loon weighed 10 lbs less (it’s about 56 lbs), I’d paddle it much more.
I don’t know which is faster, but the Loon cruises easy at an easy pace. I’m not a strong paddler, so I’ve never had the Loon over about 5mph for a short burst. About 4mph avg over about a 3.5 mile course, when I’m not messing around exploring the nooks & crannies of the shoreline.
I’ve never had a gps with me when out in a Magic.
You’ve finally got the right boat!
The Loon is a very good fit for you diverse & demanding paddling - windy & rough conditions, upstream attainment, etc.
Very capable on open water and rivers. A joy to hammer away with the bent shaft, mess around with control strokes or double blade efficiently. Extremely solid secondary stability. Beam waves just roll under it.
You’re in for a treat.
With proper trim, the Loon should behave just about any way you’d want a canoe to. It is reportedly trim sensitive, but I’ve never changed the trim on mine from where the original owner had it set. I only paddle mine with a very light load and I’m about 155 lbs.
I hope that you don’t have to wait too long for it to arrive.
sounds like a great boat!
given what you have said it sounds like it may make my Magic unnecessary. I’ve got a lot of boats and love the Magic, but sounds like the Loon may be able to do everything the Magic can do adn then some…
And I just picked up a brand new black gold magic with wood gunwales that has yet to see the water…hmmmmm.
The downside of course to being maneuverable is lack of tracking…but if it’s got a rudder then who cares? Plus I like the fact that you could paddle it on one side as long as you want without switching when using the rudder.
It will work great
It’s been proven well enough on the Ultimate Canoe Challenge. A 28,000 mile trip is pretty good testing I would say.
All the Loony people are at Verlen’s
Memorial race and statue dedication today. (Verlen Kruger, that it). You should get many more replies tomorrow & Monday, when they get back home.
great!
I look forward to hearing more. Thanks!
Oh yeah!
The Memorial paddle was the reason that my Monarch was the only “Kruger” boat at the Gritty Fitty race on Saturday!
I’ll echo captain’s and Yanoers comments…I HAD a Magic and sold it when I got the Monarch. The Loon was Verlen Kruger’s first design and was produced by Sawyer Canoes. Then he went on his odyssey and Mad River made the Monarch when he was gone. It was similar to the Loon but more like the Sea Winds that Verlen made when he got back. My “history lesson” may be a bit off…but you get the jist.
You won’t hit and switch with the Loon, you will paddle on one side and switch when you begin to feel like it. A little kick of the rudder at the switch and you will be going in a wonderful straight line.
I used GPS on my Magic in training for the races and had a hard time keeping it above 4 mph for an hour or longer. I’ve beaten that number on each of three excursions with the Monarch since I bought it.
My Monarch (and the Krugers) have a seat that flips over to become a portage yoke, and couldn’t be more comfortable to portage for a canoe weighing 52 pounds and being 17’6" long. You can modify the Sawyer setup and replace it with a Kruger style, if you were so inclined.
Enjoy your Loon!
Joe
You’re Monarch only weighs 52 lbs?
That’s surprisingly low. My Loon weighs in at about 57 lbs. Maybe my Loon is heavier because of the height adjustable sliding seat.
Monarch has the same height
adjustable seat as the Loon and Sea Wind.
The difference might be that your Loon may be fiberglass instead of Kevlar.
My Sea Wind weighs #62, but still not bad to carry.
actually…
Actually, this ad says my Monarch weighs 50 pounds in Kevlar, as it is.
http://www.madrivercanoe.com/content/madrivercanoe.com/assets/page/1988/page%2020.jpg
And on my experience, the three boats mentioned do not have the same seat at all. The Loons I have seen personally have a Sawyer sliding to/fro adjustable seat. (a 30 year old Loon has the same system as a brand new Sawyer Shockwave a buddy just bought). The Monarch and Kruger have height adjustable seats that do not slide forward or back at all. The Kruger seat is superior...not plastic with the exposed rivets as the Monarch has. And the side "plates" are stronger.
I don’t know what material my Loon is.
It’s got the Sawyer sliding, height adjustable seat, not the height adjustable seat with portage yoke on the bottom that the Sea Winds have.
I wish that my Loon only weighed 50 lbs. I didn’t realize that any Loon or Monarch weighed as little as 50 lbs.
Portaging the heavy boats isn’t my problem, it’s getting them to my shoulders to start with, that I have problems with.
funny you should mention
Funny you should mention this…on saturday the 26th I saw many Loons in Portland Michigan for Verlen Krugers Memorial Statue Dedication ceremony…!!! Pre cerememony events included a paddled down the Grand River…about 70 boats total…including Loons, Monarachs, Sea Winds, Dreamcatchers, Crusiers and many boats verlen made before the 1970’s!!! It was the largest collection of Kruger boats on the river at one time i think.
The statue dedication was very moving too!
Anout 3-400 people showed up…Incredible legacy —incredible man!
Another Boat?
I like reading your posts because you make my own canoe obsession seem pretty trivial. Still, I’d love to have a loon - I suspect it might be the perfect all around tripping canoe.
nope
the Sea Wind is the perfect all-around tripping canoe.
But you were close.
Nah
The Sea Wind is too heavy unless you want to slam it off canyon walls. And the cockpit’s too big. The Dream Catcher is better that way.
I’m still looking!
Dreamcatcher’s over 70 lbs!
And you say that the Sea Wind it too heavy?
Want a Loon?
I know a guy who has a “ugly and heavy fiberglass” Loon for sale. Not sure how much, but I can find out. He is a “Kruger snob” 
He also has two Verlen/Scott Smith Sea Wind high volume boats with sails/outrigger poles, skirts, etc… for sale. Too pricey for me in the $3900 ea range but still a deal for the real thing.
Bowler1, when do you get your Loon?
I look forward to your evaluations and reports. You’re more thorough and write them up better than I do.
July…???
It is supposed to be picked up sometime this month out in WA state adn then shipped out here to the east coast. Steve Skinner is shipping it for me who does a great job but can’t always rely on a exact time window.
Unfortunately I am moving in early August (Army is moving me so I have no real say in the matter) to northern NJ so if I don’t get it soon then I won’t be able to paddle it until I get settled in my new home.
I think it is going to be a great boat from what I have read and I really think it will make my Magic unnecessary…I have already listed it for sale although I do admit being a little unsure about that decision.
Only thing the Loon probalby won’t do better than the Magic is portage which will be a minor issue for me because I plan on doing some Adirondack trips since I will be within a reasonable distance of that desitination.
Actually if you do like my reviews I may make a post going over my thoughts about some of the many boats I have owned over the last year or so. Maybe it would be helpful to others.
Matt