LOCALadk Magazine

48 Summer 2014 LOCALadk Pack Canoes Story by Anne Brewer & Simon Gardner Photos by Clark Lubbs J ohn Rushton first designed the legendary pack canoe for Adirondack explorers. These canoes are light-weight boats designed to be carried into the woods for access to some of the most remote and beautiful waterways in the Adirondacks. One only has to look at a map of the park to see how many lakes and ponds are linked together with carries. It is because of these carries that a light canoe is so desirable. Paddling in the Adirondacks has a long history. The abundance of lakes and rivers in these mountains made transportation by water the easiest and most efficient means of travel. Early American travel routes became the great waterways of the Adirondacks for commerce in the mountains. Logging, trapping, and hunting, along with early tourist recreation and other industries, helped set the stage for the modern era of Adirondack water use: paddling for recreation. And that, in turn, set the stage for light weight "pack canoes." We don't rely on our waterways to 'take us to town' anymore, but we do rely on our waterways for the restoration of soul that comes from moving over water in a boat. Why are pack canoes good for the Adirondacks? Because they provide easy access to the pleasure and benefits that come from paddling. Here in the Adirondacks we, as users of small canoes, are lucky to have several boat builders from which to choose. This list is merely a sample of some of those builders. Placid Boatworks, owned by Joe Moore, is celebrating its tenth season and is dedicated to creating a strong and efficient boat. They use a method called "vacuum infusion", as distinct from hand-laid boats. This system not only makes a strong boat, but the process is environmentally sound. Clean technology is something they strive for and are proud of. You can see many of these fine boats being paddled on a quiet Adirondack lake, flying across the water in many of the area canoe races, or resting on the top of a car just waiting to get wet again. Hornbeck boats have been built for over 40 years in Olmstedville, N.Y., by Peter Hornbeck. He designs and builds several different models of canoes, ranging from an 8 footer designed for young boaters to the longer, faster 15 footer. His boats are designed, as are most pack boats, to be paddled with a double-bladed paddle, similar to that used with kayaks. These small, light-weight boats are essential for exploring some of the remote ponds and waterways of the Adirondacks. Hornbeck design has a tell-tale red stripe just below the gunwale. Adirondack Canoe Company is the creation of two Adirondack boat builders, Simon Gardner and Chad Smith. They have over 25 years combined experience in light-weight boat building. Recently, the two started Adirondack Canoe Company to produce light-weight canoes to take people on adventures all over the Adirondack Mountains and beyond. They want to continue the heritage of boat building in the Adirondacks. Their first design is now in production, a 12 foot, twenty pound pack canoe. They build primarily with Kevlar and carbon fiber to create light-weight durable hulls. Slipstream Watercraft is a new company offering some of the lightest Pack Canoes, with the Wee Lassie at 10'6" and between 9-14 lbs depending on material. Although new to the market, they have a very dedicated team that strives to offer customers a boat that gets them on the water as simply and inexpensively as possible. Their boats are made of either glass, kevlar, a hybrid material, or carbon and can be ordered in over 20 colors.

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