Shoutout your local whitewater boat builder

[LizardFlip]

I would like to make a list of every business or maker who is actively manufacturing new whitewater canoes in 2025. Any material, any location, just has to be designed for whitewater. Extra points if they're a small business. I will begin this list with some companies confirmed active.

Esquif
Silverbirch
Blackfly
Millbrook
Empty
Novacraft
Echo

Please add!

 

[Benson Gray]

You may want to qualify this a bit more. It could be argued that any tripping canoe is designed for whitewater and most canoes meet that standard. The list of canoe builders at https://wcha.org/catalogs/maine-list.htm includes many who are actively manufacturing canoes today and hundreds more from the past in Maine alone.

Benson

 

[Robin]

What Benson said, Headwaters Canoe in Quebec builds prospectors (real prospectors of of an original Chestnut form)

 

[Punkinhead]

I'd run my Northstar Phoenix in class 3 and possibly the right class 4 so I suppose that woud be considered whitewater.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

Northstar also makes their B16 and B17, which I consider whitewater trippers.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

Also Clipper has 14', 16' and 17' Prospectors. I'd do class 3 in any of those - and I'm not that skilled.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

Swift has Prospectors, 13'-17'. And isn't the Dragonfly considered a whitewater tripper?

 

[Steve in Idaho]

Even if we're ignoring Prospectors, Wenonah has the Rogue - available in T-formex.

 

[Punkinhead]

I think what a lot of people think of as a whitewater canoe these days are what are shown in this video. They look like someone took a Dollar Store kiddy wading pool and folded it like a taco. Not aesthetically pleasing, but undeniably capable.


*Note to self: attend ALF this year. It looks like a hoot, even as a spectator. What I particularly get a kick out of is when a tandem boat dumps and the bow paddler swims then the stern paddler rolls.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

I think what a lot of people think of as a whitewater canoe these days are what are shown in this video. They look like someone took a Dollar Store kiddy wading pool and folded it like a taco. Not aesthetically pleasing, but undeniably capable.


*Note to self: attend ALF this year. It looks like a hoot, even as a spectator. What I particularly get a kick out of is when a tandem boat dumps and the bow paddler swims then the stern paddler rolls.

Around here, we call those playboats or creekboats..

And if that's what we're talking about, we have to take Novacraft and others off the list.

 

[LizardFlip]

I think what a lot of people think of as a whitewater canoe these days are what are shown in this video. They look like someone took a Dollar Store kiddy wading pool and folded it like a taco. Not aesthetically pleasing, but undeniably capable.


*Note to self: attend ALF this year. It looks like a hoot, even as a spectator. What I particularly get a kick out of is when a tandem boat dumps and the bow paddler swims then the stern paddler rolls.

Personally, this is what I think of as a canoe designed specifically for whitewater. However, there could be something worth mentioning here about how a boat is only as good as its paddler is experienced. If there are creeking/playboat/slalom makers to add, please do so. This is a manufacturing niche in the canoe world that I'd like to show some love.

If there are other canoes outside of the narrow field of modern kiddy pool tacos that anyone thinks are competent in class 3+, feel free to add those too. I'm not going to be the one to decide what is and isn't for whitewater. Some boats, however, are designed specifically for whitewater, creeking, play boating, etc.

 

[LizardFlip]

What Benson said, Headwaters Canoe in Quebec builds prospectors (real prospectors of of an original Chestnut form)

View attachment 145561

Thanks for the photo. It looks like the paddlers are mostly avoiding the main part of the rapid and paddling the eddy on the side.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

Thanks for the photo. It looks like the paddlers are mostly avoiding the main part of the rapid and paddling the eddy on the side.

They are, but they didn't have to.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Any material, any location, just has to be designed for whitewater.

I think what a lot of people think of as a whitewater canoe these days are what are shown in this video.

I believe LizardFlip is asking about canoes that have hulls specifically designed for whitewater day tripping and play boating. Of course, any canoe can be run in rapids, but no serious day-playing whitewater boater is going to use a classical Prospector or a canoe designed primarily for flat water touring or wilderness tripping/portaging.

The OP lists some manufacturers who only make specialized whitewater designs. There are other manufacturers who make a diverse line of canoes, which may include a few models specifically for whitewater, such as the current Hemlock Shaman or the former Mad River ME. I don't know if the Northstar Phoenix would be considered a whitewater design, as I've never paddled one. I suspect it more falls in the class of a touring canoe that reasonably could be run through hard whitewater by a highly competent whitewater paddler, which is not the same thing as as a canoe specifically "designed for whitewater," as the OP seeks.

Mohawk used to make a lot of whitewater designs as did Dagger, but they no longer make canoe hulls.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

The OP confuses me because Nova Craft doesn't list anything I'd call a WW playboat or day tripper. Other than that exception, it does seem like the idea is playboats. I can't think of any current makers other than those already listed.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

The OP confuses me because Nova Craft doesn't list anything I'd call a WW playboat or day tripper.

Well, whitewater play boat or day tripper was my assumption as to what he was asking about. Nova Craft does list two of its hulls as whitewater canoes, the Moise tandem and the Supernova solo.

 

[eckilson]

Yup - you can paddle whitewater in any boat (queue that great section of Waterwalker and check out all those old ribbed style PFD's and CCM hockey helmets), but to me a whitewater boat is short, rockered, with a pedestal and bulkhead or thigh/knee straps and float bags. You can add the Northstar Ocoee to the list.

 

[Robin]

Thanks for the photo. It looks like the paddlers are mostly avoiding the main part of the rapid and paddling the eddy on the side.

Yes, you are correct. It’s a loaded tripping canoe, not a play boat, best to pick the safest line on a remote northern river. My only concern is the gif is using a plastic paddle in a wood canvas canoe.

 

[clemency]

Would hate to trip in a playboat/creekboat. And I question their relevance here. Might as well talk about kayaks.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

You can add the Northstar Ocoee to the list.

Oh, thanks! I wasn't aware of that one, and now I have the wants.