Skeena
Recently Souris River Canoes combined our designing knowledge with that of Gary McGuffin,
renowned adventure photographer, and Skip Izon, a world class canoe and rowing shell
designer. The result of this collaborationis the Skeena, an innovative whitewater
tripping model, that performs extremely well in whitewater yet cruises effortlessly
on flat water.
As Souris River has the well deserved reputation as builder of the most resilient
canoe hulls in the ultra-light market, the next logical step was to test our expertise
in the world of whitewater canoes. Our whitewater expedition layup consists of our
tough epoxy resin combined with Kevlar, polyester cloth and other fabrics. The Skeena
has finally emerged and results have proven to be quite amazing. Those who believed
that no composite canoe could stand up to wild river conditions now need to rethink
that premise.
Clearly there is a place for such a boat. It may never take the place of Royalex
in extreme whitewater, but it clearly has a niche where combination usage exists.
Not only will it survive whitewater abuse, but it will prove to be a much better
paddling canoe on the rest of the river and out across the lakes as well. In fact,
the Skeena is not just a river canoe. Its high volume design makes this an excellent
canoe for big lakes like Superior. And don’t let the size of this canoe fool you
– she’s faster than she looks.
The Skeena will be especially appreciated when you have to pick it up on the portages
and place it on your shoulders. The Skeena may be just a shade over 16 1/2 feet but
it is a hefty hull in many ways except in weight. At 65 pounds, it is upwards of
20 pounds lighter than a comparable plastic
hull. This canoe will undoubtedly raise some eyebrows and generate interest among
whitewater enthusiasts. We’re excited about where the Skeena will take us.
Skeena Specifications
Length: - 16’ 8”
Weight:
- 50 lbs. (Kevlar® flatwater layup)
- 65 lbs. (Kevlar® whitewater expedition layup)
Gunwale width - 36”
Rocker - 6” bow, 2” stern
Depth:
- Bow - 24”
- Centre - 16”
- Stern - 21”
