A Voyageur Canoe Company Abitibi 16 ft. Kevlar canoe is listed on an auction sale near me. I have never heard of Voyageur canoes, but see they have a website at www.voyageurcanoeco.com. Does anyone have any experience with this company or model? Is it worth my time attending the sale? I’m not really looking for another canoe, but can’t pass up a bargain.
Not firsthand . . .
I haven’t seen one in person or paddled one, but believe them to be epoxy, and they have been around for a long time, which is good. I suspect they are a high quality brand, and their prices are higher than most (whether that reflects quality in this case I just don’t know). They were one of the first to make the composite Prospector Bill Mason wanted, if I recall from his book.
Stopped on their website. It appears
the Abitibi is 38" at the widest point and flat bottomed. Make sure that squares with your expected use.
My overall impression of what they say on the website is that they are serious and are trying hard, and have a moderately advanced knowledge of materials. I’m less sure about their boat designs, but then they have to respond to the market, not just to the conceptions of the best boat designers.
Thanks for the responses.
I had a look at the Voyageur before the sale. It was painted to look like birchbark, and had nicely crafted and finished gunwales and thwarts. It sold for $1250. It was fun to see a Canadian canoe–nothing slipshod about it.