2-seater, Strip Build Canoe, 17ft Long, Hand-Built, Mystic River Design, Unused

The Mystic River canoe is a 17-foot traditional wood-strip tandem canoe from designer Nick Schade. This boat has been built, over the past 4 years, from plans and material supplied by Fyne Boat Kits of Gatebeck. The main hull is constructed from ‘bead and cove’ milled strips of Red Cedar and Paulownia woods, secured by industrial-grade D4 waterproof wood glue. Outer gunwales are Ash and the inwales are Sapele. The hull is epoxy-coated inside and out with clear woven glass fibre sheeting, and the whole boat has been varnished.

Ash is used for the thwart and the cane seats; these items are bolted into the gunwales for easy removal, if required. Paddles are not included. There is some minor scuffing to the outside varnish coat and build marks can be seen throughout. Thin plywood bulkheads are positioned under both the front and rear decks, and the front deck has on it a red painted Phoenix motif. The footwell varnish has been roughened for enhanced grip.

This boat has had one outing on slack water and is fully waterproof. It has good stability and the capacity to carry a decent load. While it does not have the huge capacity of a cargo canoe or the water-shedding and turning ability of a whitewater canoe, it is a good all-around canoe for fast, lightweight touring. Max beam width is 331/2 inches, and the fully fitted-out boat weighs just under 55lb. The boat will need to be collected from Settle, North Yorkshire.