The best, most popular boat designers

Paddlers' Place
#21

@Glenn MacGrady said:
Flat water recreational canoes. Dave Yost surely dominates this category. John Winters designed more asymmetrically sophisticated canoes. Solo pioneers such as Bart Hauthaway, Pat Moore and Mike Galt.

Although I would prefer to call this category touring canoes, for me the best designer is John Winters. Not only because he is a very influential designer with a lot of knowledge about (designing) canoes, but he is a remarkably good writer too. For example before John Winters articles it seemed like common wisdom that longer canoes were faster because of some formula. Now I know it isnā€™t that simple, and we should not put things out of context and simplify what in reality is very complex, because shorter canoes can be faster too.

#22

@pblanc said:
The Atom was designed by Andy Bridge.

When I was shopping for my first kayak in 1996, I was interested in the specs of the new Dagger Meridian. Dealers couldnā€™t answer some of my design questions ā€“ I wanted a swede-form waterline ā€“ so they suggested I call the designer, Andy Bridge at Dagger, whose name I recognized as a whitewater racer. Got him on the phone without any problem and asked whether the Meridian was swede-form, fish-form or symmetrical. I recall being shocked when he said he didnā€™t know what the first two words meant and couldnā€™t answer my question.

My final decision came down to the Broze brothersā€™ Mariner Max and Kerry Kingā€™s Surge. I was very influenced by Matt Brozeā€™s writings about hull shape and performance, and made him an offer to buy a Max if he could guarantee a certain weight. He refused. So, I borrowed a Surge from Bill Zeller in New Hampshire, who ran Country Canoeist, and Matt Broze gave me the name of a Mariner Max owner in New Jersey, who agreed to let me test paddle his boat. I paddled the Mariner Max head-to-head with the Surge on the Passaic River. It wasnā€™t close. The Surgeā€™s smaller volume and lighter weight was much more appealing to me for a day tripping, exercise and racing kayak.

Then, I drove all the way to Westport Island, Maine, to speak to Kerry King about customizing an infused Surge. I wanted a carbon hull, which he never had done. I also wanted a clear gel coat with golden flecks mixed in. He agreed, and the boat eventually came out at 36 pounds.

On this trip to Maine, my 1982 Ford van conversion fell apart on the Maine Turnpike, and I bought a very used Ford Aerostar minivan for $5000 at Ford dealer in Brunswick on my credit card. They had to drill my roof to install Thule gutter gizmos, which I bought at Beanā€™s, all while I was stuck in a flophouse motel, my borrowed Surge and Lotus BJX sitting on the floor of the Ford dealerā€™s garage.

My ā€œnewā€ jalopy underfoot, I had to drive to New Hampshire to return the borrowed Surge. A month or two later, I had to drive back to New Hampshire to pick up my custom Surge when Kerry delivered it to Bill Zeller. It was about $3200.

So, my first kayak cost me almost $10,000.00 for the price of the kayak, the used van, Thule racks, motels, gas and tolls for over 2,000 miles of driving.

And I still donā€™t know the waterline shape of a Dagger Meridian.

#23

ā€œAnd I still donā€™t know the waterline shape of a Dagger Meridian.ā€
But you got a very cool Surgeā€¦

#24

Well, McWood isnā€™t posting these days so I guess someone here needs to speak for him.

Krugers should never be forgotten or discounted. They ought to be mentioned here, no?
I have limited seat time in them but in my limited experience with them ( a few hours) I have found them to be really nice paddling canoes. My impression is that on a river they handle almost like a power boatā€¦ they go where theyā€™re pointed with the rudder, they go there fast, and with minimal paddling force. They just slide over eddy lines like they werenā€™t there - they seemed to prefer to be steered into an eddy turn or peel out. Paddling upstream was not much different than paddling down. Fancy paddle technique seemed largely unnecessary. They seemed to reward a quick short stroke, which is not my personal forte. And very steady in waves, very durable and, though I never had occasion to load one down, they seemed to have tons of capacity. Very fine boats if youā€™re into long distance tripping and have the money.

#25

Dave Kruger designed a number of fast solo canoes for Wenonah including the Advantage, the Advantage XL, the Voyager, and the Encounter.

#26

Well Pete, I was, of course, thinking of Verlen Kruger and the Sea Wind, Sea breeze, and Mad River Monarchs. The Wenonah Advantage is a darned nice boat also. Good acceleration and a great glide, as I recall, again an observation based only on a bit of test paddling one sunny afternoon on the Kickapoo R. Is Dave Kruger a relative of Verlenā€™s? If he represents a second generation of canoe designers that would certainly be noteworthy hereā€¦

#27

I knew who you were talking about. I donā€™t think that Dave Kruger is related to Verlen, but I could be wrong.

#28

No they are not related according to Verlenā€™s 2004 book( with Frentz) the Ultimate Canoe Challenge

#29

To echo whatā€™s already been said: For flatwater, Iā€™ve enjoyed every Yost canoe Iā€™ve paddled and hope I have the chance to paddle more. For whitewater, Iā€™ve enjoyed the Frankie Hubbard designs Iā€™ve paddled. Iā€™m excited to try the Spanish fly or one of its earlier incarnations. Im a big fan of the viper 12 and would love to try an edge. I hear Wenonah had an edge mold but never see any of those hulls come up. For that matter I never see any edge hulls of any make.

If anyone is looking to get a Spanish fly, skeeter, or edge out of their garage and back on the water please contact me directly.

#30

Wenonah produced the Edge in two lengths, 4 meters (13ā€™2") and 15ā€™. Wenonah has molded a ton of different hull designs over the years and stores at least some of their old molds outdoors. I heard of one person who special ordered a discontinued model to be built, only to be told by Wenonah that the mold had warped during outdoor storage and was no longer usable. I have no idea if the Edge molds still exist, and if they do, what their condition is.

Years ago I used to run into a guy who paddled a 15ā€™ composite Edge on the Nanatahala and other southeastern whitewater rivers. It was a canoe that looked like no other. If you are serious about trying to locate a Spanish Fly or an Edge, the place to check would be cboats dot net.

#31

Bestā€¦ā€¦ wish it was that simple! Lets say that this is from my perspective with what little Iā€™ve been exposed to. My experience and my use.
For sea kayaks Iā€™ve got to say that my favorite in wooden boats is Pygmy. Beautiful, light designs that perform very well for their intended purposes.
For a factory production I think Eddyline is hard to beat. They are beautiful boats that paddle well. Rigid with solid bulkheads like composite but lighter, less expensive, durable and easier to repair. They come in at a better price point than the composite also.
But again, even if I was an expert on all the boats out there, best boats is very subjective based on so many factors. So many designs and hull configurations to paddle and try.
Now if you want to talk fishing kayaks, I have very little experience but Iā€™m loving the drive unit of the Hobbie boats. The boats themselves are great but the drive is what really makes them my future bass fishing machine.

#32

Hereā€™s a history of sea kayaking. It goes back to the folding boats of the 1950ā€™s and covers the boat builders and designers of the early sea kayaks.

#33

And Bell/Northstar.

#34

How are you folks missing Greg Barton and Oscar Chalupsky of Epic?

I would also say the Doug Bushnell made a big impact in racing kayaks as Westside Boat shop.

#35

The OP (from 2019) mentions Grumman canoes. The history (perhaps embellished by Marathon just a little for marketing purposes) is a quick and interesting read.

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#36

I have to add Lynne Tuttle into this discussion. The Sawyer Cruiser 17ā€™ 9" is one of the sweetest paddling hulls Iā€™ve ever been in.

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#37

Great list by Glenn.
What is more beautiful than an EM White canoe in canvas and cedar?