Fame awaits your Mohawk canoe

[Chip]

They don't make canoes anymore, but there is still a Mohawk Canoe company. The guys that run it are asking Mohawk owners to share memories of their canoes on their website. So, if you have a Mohawk, you might be interested in having your canoe's photo posted and telling its story. Here's the link to their show us your Mohawk page, where you can find instructions for emailing your Mohawk's story.

Apparently, McCrae and I think enough alike to both have sent Mohawk info on deceased guidebook author Roger Corbett, who used to paddle an Intrepid 16.

 

[pblanc]

Here are a couple of whitewater action shots of a Mohawk Viper 11:

Nantahala Falls, Nanatahala River, NC:



And one from the Slippery Rock Creek, Western PA:

 

[pblanc]

A few more Mohawk shots. Here is my friend leading a group in an Odyssey:


Same boat and paddler with Frankie, the cairn terrier wonder
dog:


This was my brother-in-law in a Solo 14, his first time paddling a solo canoe:

He did pretty well, only one swim:

 

[Woodpuppy]

That Odyssey has kind of a tug boat aesthetic. Looks tough.

 

[pblanc]

A few more Mohawk canoe photos.

#1: Another shot of my brother-in-law on the Current River in a Solo 14

#2. A friend paddling an Odyssey 14 probably on the Blue River in Indiana

#3: Another friend paddling a Shaman on either Slippery Rock Creek or the lower Youghiogheny River in PA

#4: I'm paddling a Viper 12 on the Slippery Rock Creek

#5: Same boat, paddler, creek

 

[Woodpuppy]

I dig the yellow one.

 

[kona]

I love my viper 12, and most of the Frankie Hubbard designs I’ve tried. So responsive and fun. I have shorter boats for serious whitewater so end up using this mostly on swift or bony class I-II rivers.

Had it out last week on the Bois Brule in northwest WI.

Would love to find one that is not yellow in excellent condition. Would also be interested to try the longer edge boats.

 

[kona]

Couple more shots, including a second viper 12. Such a classic longboat. Wonderful edge. Great control and speed. mine is fairly lightweight.

 

[pblanc]

Yes, I came to favor whitewater boats with a harder chine, once I learned how not to trip over them. The Viper 12, Viper 11, and Dagger Ocoee are some of my favorites.

Only problem with the Vipers, moreso with the Viper 11 than the Viper 12, is that the sheerline is fairly low and they don't have a lot of height at the bow stem so they can take on a good bit of water bow surfing waves or running through sizeable wave trains. I do have a Clipper Viper 12 in Duraflex. And I have always wanted to try paddling an Edge.

 

[kona]

Peter I’m interested to hear more about the clipper viper. I would guess it is durable and stiff, maybe not so light?

My first whitewater course was in a borrowed viper 11. Wet boat and I swam a lot but became a big fan of sharp edges. L
A good teacher and I think faster path on the learning curve. Since then I find soft chines frustrating in dynamic whitewater. I don’t do much consequential…no steep creeks.

V11 is a great boat. People seem to love that one and the shorter ocoee yet more. With retrospect, all seem to be part of the decade+ long transition to short boats like the Spanish fly, not much more than 8.5’ long.

I feel like the viper 12 has under appreciated and enduring value, particularly for swift water with class I-II rapids and consequential downed tree obstructions. It’s length ensures shallow draft for mid range paddler (ideal for shallow) and affords capacity for camping gear. Mine is from 3/14, probably one of the last royalex boats pressed by Mohawk. When dry and bagged, it is about 45lbs or a little less with the Mohawk saddle and single thigh strap setup. I would love to have a lightweight composite viper 12.