Mad River Monarch

[coldfeet]

Saw an ad on Craigs List today, 15 min from my house. Looked beat up and dirty with a rudder hanging. Seller advertised it as fiberglass, 35lbs, MR canoe/kayak. Sold it to me for $112.50, what did I know? Wanted to pick up a loaner boat for friend or one of my children. I find out through the grapevine what it really is. Looks like I'm going to have another fun boat to play with when I fine tune it. Will put up pictures soon. First post for me, whoo hoo!

 

[Alan Gage]

Wow. Nice grab! Congrats.

Alan

 

[Hanz]

Welcome David.

We really need photos to get properly jealous.

 

[yellowcanoe]

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That's mine on top. Big boat for big water. Not a general purpose boat but will run rivers rudder up. The rudder is handy to allow single blading bent shaft without correcton. I've done three trips with it this year but not posted pix as it runs with kayaks and no one took many pics of me!

 

[Guest]

The Monarch is an extraordinary tripping canoe for many places, especially open waters and coastal/tidal paddling.

I know folks use them for dang near everything, but a 17x33 hull designed for “expedition” paddling actually does better, especially in sloppy conditions, with a gear load. I’m a large paddler and even with my bulk I’d prefer to have a bit of gear behind the seat and maybe some transferable to the bow (depending on wind direction) to sink the hull to its best performance depth.

When you can, post some photos of the existing outfitting and condition. MRC changed a few of the outfitting touches over the years, mostly for the better, and there are a couple of simple glass and resin outfitting applications that will improve any vintage Monarch.

Coldfeet – Mukluks a half-to-full size too large, Sealskin socks under those, Smartwool socks under those. That and room to still wiggle your toes and you will be Warmfeet.

 

[coldfeet]

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Mike, very funny, how I wish it was that easy. I read so many posts including one where I believe someone made theirs into a sailing canoe, sounded like Jamaican style, a 7 day project, just couldn't see pics anymore.

Hanz , I'm having a tough time with Flickr, will try again and get back.

So which boat to use up in the ADK's? Rapidfire, Mad River Kevlar 49 canoe, Prijon kayak, pungo 120! oooh, just saw the pic icon, here goes

 

[yellowcanoe]

Rapid Fire is quintessential ADK boat. Don't take the Monarch on the Oswegatchie! I can envision it stuck on tight turns ! More late

Monarch great for Cranberry Lows and Champlain (Vakcour island). Flip the seat over for portage yoke. However we find the seat a little far back to balance well.
It's got enough room for wheels!

 

[coldfeet]

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Was on the Os, Columbus weekend, will post a few pics. Let my friend borrow my MR canoe (bought for me and the mrs.) and I used the RF. Love the place, but the bears were around...eeek!

 

[yellowcanoe]

Love the place, but the bears were around...eeek!

Bears fit quite nicely in the Monarch! Any pictures? I absolutely love to see bears in the wild.. They are hard to spot sometimes. Busy now eating nuts I bet.
I think that the Monarch might not be your ADK boat but check out some wonderful paddling in Long Island and Jamaica Bay. Monarch is super for that. I think you may well use it at most at home!

http://www.nps.gov/gate/planyourvisi...yak-trails.htm

 

[coldfeet]

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Jamaica Bay is wonderful for bird watching. Hurricane Sandy did some nasty stuff around there which I was told by a biologist that it affected the area for the migrating birds. Here are 2 pic of bear scat that weekend. First one was app 200ft behind our lean to before we got there. My friends son found it while searching for wood. 2nd pic was app 10 feet in front of the lean to while we paddled to High Falls the next morning, we took our food with us and left a bear bag hanging with other stuff. Hope moderator doesn't get upset. I understand if they delete the pics.

 

[yellowcanoe]

Does anyone know what the seeds in the scat might be? Not sure if its a tree seed or a late season berry seed. Oswegatchie is sandy esker country much like Lady Evelyn and Temagami with a rocky river bed in some spots and mountains of granite.

 

[memaquay]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say they are dog berry seeds and remnents. I have nothing to back this up, other than the last time I did a late season trip down the Steel, the river banks were lined with dog berries, and I came upon seven bears at different times gorging on them.

As for the Monarch, that is one heck of a deal on that boat, and I wouldn't mind adding one of those to my stable, despite its yakkish flavours.

 

[yellowcanoe]

As for the Monarch, that is one heck of a deal on that boat, and I wouldn't mind adding one of those to my stable, despite its yakkish flavours.

Its high enough to require way longer a double blade than I ever want to use. That coaming is lined with kevlar and fiberglass tweed and hurts if you rap your knuckles on it as I tend to do with a double.. Its a far better single blade boat; which is what it was designed for.

I might as well go forth and post two trip reports from this summer. I have held back cause the other boat was a kayak. The Monarch is classed as a sea canoe. But whether its an open canoe is up to discussion.. I know the Brits would not call it an Open Canadian.

This is one canoe that probably will not get a trip report when it travels.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/231378271628

 

[memaquay]

dang, now i know how to make my fortune! Cedar strip canoe caskets!

 

[Rippy]

I'm thinking Viking funeral. It would be a waste of time to fiber glass it in that case. How about a package deal? I saw your wedding dance vids, you could do my eulogy and then send me off in style with live music.

Say,, we do get off track a little from time to time don't we. Oh yes, MR Monarch. Great buy at a greater price!

 

[coldfeet]

Interesting selection of boats for that farewell paddle. Wonder if my friends will shoot those flaming arrows my way when the time comes. Think I remember Kirk Douglas in a viking movie with an ending like that.

Boat will be tested this weekend as is, to many projects going on that are more important (not really) like app 400 report cards this week, eek! Will keep you all updated, hope to hear from Mike about beefing up the boat.

 

[yellowcanoe]

No Title

The blue line from the rudder goes to a fitting on the side of the boat to allow raising and lowering of the rudder. The rudder is huge because this is a big boat for big water and big loads. Don't try to downsize it. The footbrace and rudder are separate. Rudder is on the top track operated by the toes. Its adjustable fore and aft.. to correspond to the location of the foot peg. The footpeg is NOT riveted through the hull.. just screwed in from the inside. Its manually adjustable. You can see the floatation in the front and how the rudder cables exit the hull in the stern. All you need is one footpeg and track and hardware.

 

[coldfeet]

Thank you so much. My rudder was bent, need to bring it to a shop to straighten it. From your picture my rudder doesn't look that long. Did I tell you that it's a 1988 model? I like your foot pegs, I'm missing one and the other side looks like it will break off the kevlar soon. Any suggestions on foot braces if I want to change over? or do I look for a combination foot brace/rudder control? I aslo now see the blue line to raise and lower the rudder. Pictures really help, thank you.

 

[yellowcanoe]

You always need foot braces. You don't always need the rudder. In shallow water it will hang up.. I personally prefer having the controls separate.
I'm no repair expert. . My foot pads look just like this. Epoxy and screws ought to work but never take my repair advice..
http://www.harmonygear.com/products/261/Harmony-Keepers-Foot-Brace-Kit.html

I wish Mike McCrea would come out of his hole wherever he is.

 

[Guest]

I wish Mike McCrea would come out of his hole wherever he is.

Kim and Coldfeet,

I am jonesing to reply regarding some simple things that can be done to outfit or improve the Monarch. I was in NC for 33 days and have a few dozen things I need to get done at home after my absence.

Soon.