My Favorite Canoes
February 2015
by Mary Zaborowski
My favorite canoes are made by Mad River. We have several and one with thousands of paddling miles under it's hull and will have to be retired due to finally being ripped by a ledge while running Knife Rapid (Class 3) coming out of Knife Lake on the Hayes River. We got out with fiberglass filling and duct tape to finish the last 150 miles and running rapids was over. 17 ft Mad River - Duck Hunter was chosen for several expeditions I have done. We named the canoe Running Bear after my grandfathers name given to him by members of the Cherokee Nation, and he left monies in his will for us to purchase this canoe. I also have others too!
Two - 16 ft, one 15 ft 9 inch, one 14 ft. Jim Henry personally made my 17 ft for my expeditions. Anytime I can go online and see if anyone wants to sell theirs, I'm there. Very well made and doing Class 3 and 4 rapids took very good care of me, even when I dumped.
Paul Woodcock and I own these canoes together. 17 ft Duck Hunter, 16 ft Explorer, 16 ft Malicate - Kevlor, 14 ft Guide. All are royalex except one. These have Cherokee Names too. Wood Duck 16 ft I'm using now, 14 ft Dawn, 16 ft White - Buffalo Woman, 15 ft. 9 in Woodpecker. Mad River Canoes have given us good use after 20 years of owning them. We both highly recommend them to a new canoe owner.
 |
| The author, Mary Zaborowski |