Esquif Canoes...

[Canotrouge]

Esquif canoes are no more!! They ceased operation on march 16.
Not that I was a fan of there boats, but they did bring some of the biggest improvement on the ww canoe scene.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

Hmmm...I wonder what happened with their replacement for royalex that they were developing. That was Esquif, wasn't it?

 

[Guest]

I really liked My Echo. Pretty,well built and fun to paddle. I think no roylex was definatly a factor. I fear there will be other bad effects.
Turtle

 

[Canotrouge]

T-Formex, was supposed to be the replacement for RX, but I don't think they actually ever made any, or tested any. And I think that was part of the problem with Esquif, they would bring stuff out w/o testing it. Like the L'Edge, it took them 2 years to make a mould, and then they had so many bats that were cracking, just like the Twintex stuff, they ad a lot of issues at the bigwig with that to, so that have to cost a lot of money.

 

[wgiles]

Nova Craft Canoe was supposed to be making canoes in T-Formex also, so, if T-Formex goes away with Esquif, then maybe there were problems with the material. It may also be that the financing to produce T-Formex fell through. Their demise did seem to be pretty sudden and unexpected. They still have ads in the current crop of paddling magazines.

 

[Canotrouge]

I think you are right by saying that it was a sudden.... As for T-Formex, I don't think it was actually some thing palpable... i'm sure we'll know more soon!!

 

[Guest]

Esquif canoes are no more!! They ceased operation on march 16.
Not that I was a fan of there boats, but they did bring some of the biggest improvement on the ww canoe scene.

That is awful news. I was a big fan of their Royalex construction. Every RX Esquif canoe I saw or paddled was superbly constructed and they got all the little things right. Double hung sculpted yokes, wood carry thwarts incorporated into the deck plates, all the hardware evenly spaced and straight, and their Royalex spec was second to none (well, maybe tied with Nova Craft) in terms of strength and strategic thickness. Not especially lightweight, but hardy and durable RX canoes.

They will be missed, and Jacque was always a pleasure.