Who’s still paddling a Royalex solo boat

A lot of posts here with folks looking for advice on composite boats – especially solo river runners. My first thought on seeing these posts is to recommend looking for a used Royalex boat, but I know they are hard to find.

When I started paddling back in 2004 there was a nice group of solo river runners available in Royalex:

• Bell Yellowstone Solo (known for the first few years as the Wildfire RX)
• Mohawk Odessey (and also the Solo 13 and 14)
• Mad River Guide (later Freedom Solo)
• Wenonah Argosy (also Vagabond with less rocker and longer Rendezvous)

When I bought my first boat, my local canoe shop had a Yellowstone Solo for $800 and a Mohawk Odessey for $900. I wanted the Mohawk, but I cheaped-out and bought the Yellowstone Solo, and never looked back. I have paddled it on rivers, lakes and even the ocean. I’ve loaded it up with gear for camping trips. It has been a great boat.

But… like everyone else I always wanted a composite Wildfire, and in 2016 I found a 1997 White Gold Wildfire for sale for $1,000, and grabbed it. It is also a great boat, but different from its Royalex cousin. I’ve also paddled that boat just about everywhere, and in the process beat it up pretty badly. It is currently out of commission waiting for me to patch a nick in the stern from going over a rocky drop.

I think about it now, and if somebody told me that I could have just one boat, I’d probably pick the Royalex Yellowstone Solo over the White Gold Wildfire. I run lots of rocky rivers and durability is the issue. Fortunately, I’m never going to have to make that decision.

What about you – are you still paddling a Royalex solo boat? How long have you had it, and how do you think it compares to the current crop of composite boats?

I'd still be paddling my Guide if the weight hadn't become an issue. It's definitely a robust hull, and I always loved how it handled. A very competent river canoe. The only royalex canoes I have left are my whitewater solo - the Esquif Vertige - and the Mohawk Solo 14. The Vertige is heavy - heavier than stock with its full bags, bulkhead saddle with footpegs, and bilge pump - but I always have someone to help carry it when I'm using it. The Solo 14 only weighs about 40 lbs, so it's not a problem.

That Mohawk is kinda surprising. For a flat bottom hull, it handles amazingly well in the rough. Not my first choice for class 2, but can do in a pinch. When I'm traveling and want a canoe along for whatever comes up, that's what I tend to bring.

If I had a chance at one though, I'd like to pick up a Yellowstone Solo. From what I read, it's significantly lighter than the Guide. A Freedom Solo would be too, FTM. Would be nice to have for some sketchy low water trips. Sure would be nice if someone would produce these in T-Formex at an attractive price. It's hard to get younger people interested in the sport with the price for a good new hull approaching $4k, and good cheap used ones becoming scarce.

I have 8 canoes, one w/c, 7 Royalex. I plan to continue beating the crap out of them and maybe just maybe they will last until the end of (my) time.

The oldest Royalex is an 1990 Explorer, the newest a 2013 Mohawk XL14, I've never owned a composite boat, not sure if I ever will but I recall paddling a ultra-light composite boat many years ago (don't know the brand/model) and thinking that one day when I'm REALLY old and weak I might need something like that.

I have a 2003 bell Wildfire( rebadged as a Yellowstone, Royalex that is in beautiful condition). It has cherry inwales, ash outwales, red in color... a very attractive canoe....I haven't paddled it in about 6 years and it's always been kept inside... I mean in my basement during cold weather. I did put a Wenonah footbrace in it as I haven't been able to kneel for long in more than 10 years. it does have seat drops to make it more for sitting outfitted....I might like to sell it...I'm in the Cleveland, Ohio area if there is any interest

Also have a Whitegold Bell Magic and Wenonah Kevlar Prism(with a CCS full cover) and a Mad River Malachite, 2 Valley kayaks....probably for sale too.

I still have a Mohawk odyssey 15, though it doesn’t get much use. I love the bomb proof nature of royalex boats. And with solos the royalex weight is often manageable.

I have a black gold Yellowstone. I think it makes more sense in Royalex. The Yellowstone is kind of short so works best on rivers or tight places. Those are places where Royalex is great.

I still have three Royalex canoes, a Mad River Explorer, a Whitesell Piranha and a Dagger Encore. I also have a plastic C-1, a Perception Gyramax. But I haven't paddled any one of those in about 25 years, except maybe the Explorer a few times. All the rest of those canoes are specialized whitewater hulls, and I stopped paddling hard whitewater 25 years ago.

Ever since I bought my first quiet water solo in 1984, and I've bought many flat water canoes since, I've always chosen Kevlar or carbon composite canoes. Light weight has always important to me, both on the water and when carrying. Heavily influenced by John Berry and other whitewater slalom racers in the early 80s, I mostly paddled a Kevlar canoe even in my most serious whitewater decades, a Millbrook ME. I will still selectively take some composite canoes on easier whitewater without fear, mainly my Hemlock SRT.

The Royalex Yellowstone is a very good combi solo canoe for flat water and easier whitewater. I first paddled one at a freestyle symposium in 2009 and was surprised how turny it was.

Bell Rockstar here - purchased the last new one the dealer had and used it for the 3rd time the last week of October 2024.

I have an Appalachian that I use when polling. It's not a solo boat, but I pole it solo.

As it happens, I just picked up a Wenonah Argosy in Royalex a couple of weeks ago. I realized that I didn't have a Royalex solo river canoe anymore, just too many composite canoes, and was lucky enough to have one pop up in Facebook Marketplace in my town. It is in great shape, a few small dents, clean vinyl gunwales, a pristine interior, and no wear through the color on the bottom. The thwarts and seat are in good shape, but I will probably give them a sanding and re-varnish just for fun. I have had it down to the lake for a couple of test paddles and found it to have better initial stability than I expected from what I had read about the Argosy. It turns nicely, feels solid in the water and paddles nicely. It is not as fast on flatwater as I expected, but I am looking forward to getting it onto some rocky moving water soon.

Oh yeah, it only weighs 42.6 lbs. on my bathroom scale!

Still using my 1999 Swift Raven, where transport considerations don't demand the PakCanoe.

Last weighing by an airline was 58 lbs. Listed at 52 - I assume the glass patches and epoxy weighed more than the plastic I scraped off.

I regard it as sort of a "prospector type", jack of all trades boat, fine on lakes, rivers, rapids to 2+. Not dry enough (without a cover) to be called a "whitewater tripping" boat.

Like recped, I am hopeful it will last as long as I do.

Shown below, last fall, below North falls on the Churchill River, Saskatchewan.

-wjmc

Steve in Idaho said:

Sure would be nice if someone would produce these in T-Formex at an attractive price. It's hard to get younger people interested in the sport with the price for a good new hull approaching $4k, and good cheap used ones becoming scarce.

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Esquif does make a version in T-Fomex - Echo. Never seen one, but pretty similar specs to those old river runners. Not quite as expensive as composite, but still not cheap at around 2K.

Glenn MacGrady said:

The Royalex Yellowstone is a very good combi solo canoe for flat water and easier whitewater. I first paddled one at a freestyle symposium in 2009 and was surprised how turny it was.

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It is a great boat. If it had symmetrical rocker like its composite cousin it would be even better.

SouthernKevlar said:

As it happens, I just picked up a Wenonah Argosy in Royalex a couple of weeks ago.

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Haven't seen one of those in a while. A friend had one with an adjustable seat that you could lower for sitting or raise for kneeling. Added to the weight but an innovative idea. Not sure paddlers actually move around that much.

I have a nice lightly used Wenonah Wilderness in T-Formex that I acquired about 5 years ago. I bought it intending to use it on the rocky streams of Michigan’s UP but have yet to do so. I am gradually turning into a base camper I guess.

I have a Royalex Mohawk 13' solo. It weighed about 43 lbs with two light paddles strapped in. My 17' composite Seliga would have weighed the same and I would have been a better choice for me. So IMO if you're going for light weight, Royalex won't cut it. A thirty pound boat would make a single carry portage much more doable for me.

eckilson said:

Esquif does make a version in T-Fomex - Echo. Never seen one, but pretty similar specs to those old river runners. Not quite as expensive as composite, but still not cheap at around 2K.

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I have one of these on order for paddling below my local dam where the river gets pretty sparse. Should arrive in February.

It’s hard for me to imagine not having a royalex solo around. It’s my go to for rocky and icy days.

eckilson said:

Esquif does make a version in T-Fomex - Echo. Never seen one, but pretty similar specs to those old river runners. Not quite as expensive as composite, but still not cheap at around 2K.

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A bit wide, but looks pretty good!