Western Pennsylvania Solo Canoe Rendezvous 2023

SouthernKevlar · May 2, 2023

June 2/3/4 2023; Check out the website at https://wpascr.org

I attended last year for the first time and had a great time paddling a bunch of different canoes, meeting some great canoeists and munching on good food. Not only did several canoe makers bring demo boats, but folks offered their own canoes to be tried. Load up some canoes and go!

Gamma1214 · May 2, 2023

For anyone planning to attend: If AT ALL possible, try to get there Fri or Sat. I was unable to go until Sun morning last year and, although I arrived pretty early in the morning, almost everyone was either packing or already gone. Getting there Fri or Sat would probably provide a much better overall experience.

tketcham · May 3, 2023

We're planning on attending this year. Looking forward to it. Wish I could have been there last year to try a couple of canoes out before I bought one, just for comparison.

Penns Woods · May 3, 2023

I'm really looking forward to it, I've had the date circled since I read about it this Winter. Hope we have good weather.

M Clemens · May 3, 2023

I wish builder participation would pick up again. Last time I was there was 2019.

2022: Hemlock, Savage River and Stewart River
2021: Hemlock, Savage River and Stewart River
2020: Canceled
2019: Hemlock, Colden, Savage River, Stewart River, Northstar
2018: Slipstream, Savage River, Hemlock Canoes and Colden Canoe
2017: Hemlock Canoe, Colden Canoe, Slipstream, Savage River, Swift and Merrimack Canoe

yellowcanoe · May 3, 2023

M Clemens said:
I wish builder participation would pick up again. Last time I was there was 2019.

2022: Hemlock, Savage River and Stewart River
2021: Hemlock, Savage River and Stewart River
2020: Canceled
2019: Hemlock, Colden, Savage River, Stewart River, Northstar
2018: Slipstream, Savage River, Hemlock Canoes and Colden Canoe
2017: Hemlock Canoe, Colden Canoe, Slipstream, Savage River, Swift and Merrimack Canoe

Never was intended to be a commercial event. Its more profitable for bigger companies to stsy home
LLBean stopped sponsoring Maine Canoe Symposium for the same reason. No profit!
They did this after 8 years or so
MCS is in its 37 th year
WPASCR is a play with lots of other peoples solo canoes event

It probably makes sense for Hemlock to come as Dave Curtis is relatively local to the attendees for future business

tketcham · May 4, 2023

I'm new to the WPASCR event but it seems we're fortunate to have solo canoe advocates like Hemlock and Savage River (and Stewart River) keeping the energy and excitement alive. It'd be nice if the eastern/northeastern part of the country had a Northstar distributor like Ethan Ebersold (happypaddlin.com) out of Bend, OR. He gets out on the road and demos Northstar's canoes on a regular basis.

M Clemens · May 4, 2023

tketcham said:
It's unfortunate that the eastern/northeastern part of the country doesn't have a Northstar distributor like Ethan Ebersold (happypaddlin.com) out of Bend, OR. He seems to get out on the road and demo Northstar's canoes on a regular basis.

There are many, Mountainman in Old Forge NY, Blue Mountain Outfitters in Harrisburg PA, to name a few.

tketcham · May 4, 2023

M Clemens said:
There are many, Mountainman in Old Forge NY, Blue Mountain Outfitters in Harrisburg PA, to name a few.

Do they bring solo canoes to the PA rendezvous? Or is this but one of many that happen around the east/northeast? Like I said, I'm new to this so don't have a good idea of what's out there.

M Clemens · May 4, 2023

tketcham said:
Do they bring solo canoes to the PA rendezvous? Or is this but one of many that happen around the east/northeast? Like I said, I'm new to this so don't have a good idea of what's out there.

No, they are distributors with a wide variety of boats, not just solos. But you can at least try the boats out as they are on the water. WPSCA is all about solos

yellowcanoe · May 4, 2023

tketcham said:
I'm new to the WPASCR event but it seems we're fortunate to have solo canoe advocates like Hemlock and Savage River (and Stewart River) keeping the energy and excitement alive. It'd be nice if the eastern/northeastern part of the country had a Northstar distributor like Ethan Ebersold (happypaddlin.com) out of Bend, OR. He gets out on the road and demos Northstar's canoes on a regular basis.

We do. Best to research before writing
Contocook Canoe Company
Concord NH
Just take a long think now
If you were a small retailer would ypu find it profitable to drive 13 hours ( more with a canoe trailer) in hopes of a sale?
Or would you stay home on one of the best weekends and move a couple of boats?
Keith of White Rose Canoe could probably give insight
He is doing demo days at his Newbury MA location rather than running 13 hours to a remote event( folks that is One Way)
I love the event but cannot justify 36 hours on the road.
About 10 years ago there was a local canoe shop that came and brought demo models but they were within an hour of the WPASCR venue. Sadly like so many paddle shops they folded.
Let's give credit to LDC and feel free to talk to him. He is one of the gurus of the canoe world
You also have a local cadre of skilled paddlers who love to share their boats and knowledge
Thank you Bruce Kemp and Becky Sheeler for keeping this free to play event going
It is a treasure .
The occasional tandem shows up but the emphasis is on solos You will not be ejected with a tandem

billconner · May 4, 2023

Actually Mountainman does their Paddlefest that weekend in Old Forge, where you can test paddle canoes. I attended in 2019, and test paddled 7 or 8 solos. I understand it's somewhat smaller, this first since pandemic, but still happening.

NoelCanoeDad · May 4, 2023

I am really looking forward to this event. There are rumors that there will be a Swift Dragonfly and Swift Wildfire there for our viewing pleasure.

tketcham · May 4, 2023

yellowcanoe said:
Or would you stay home on one of the best weekends and move a couple of boats?

I wasn't talking about individual retailers. I mentioned a consequential western distributor, someone who seems to epitomize the love of solo canoeing. And more importantly, I didn't think selling product was what this event was about. I thought it was about getting people excited and energized about high performance solo canoes. Having fun messing around in boats. Being able to hang out with the gurus (or their passionate representatives) of solo canoeing, paddling the best that the industry has to offer. As well as getting to paddle some classic designs; the canoes that were the nexus for the resurgence of freestyle/sport canoeing. As you say: [WPASCR] "... is a treasure." Maybe I'm just naive, more likely clueless. Guilty as charged. Whomever shows up, it'll be a lot of fun and a privilege being able to hang out with the sages of the sport.

M Clemens · May 5, 2023

tketcham said:
I wasn't talking about individual retailers. I mentioned a consequential western distributor, someone who seems to epitomize the love of solo canoeing. And more importantly, I didn't think selling product was what this event was about. I thought it was about getting people excited and energized about high performance solo canoes. Having fun messing around in boats. Being able to hang out with the gurus (or their passionate representatives) of solo canoeing, paddling the best that the industry has to offer. As well as getting to paddle some classic designs; the canoes that were the nexus for the resurgence of freestyle/sport canoeing. As you say: [WPASCR] "... is a treasure." Maybe I'm just naive, more likely clueless. Guilty as charged. Whomever shows up, it'll be a lot of fun and a privilege being able to hang out with the sages of the sport.

2019 was a very good event, got to spend time jawing with Dave Yost and Richard Lockwood there to support Colden canoes. I thought it was great that a company like Northstar would take the time to send a small crew and a huge trailer full of solos to support the event, but post pandemic I'm sure they are struggling like everyone else to fulfill orders. If I do go again, I will definitely camp or get a room, as it was a four hour trek there and I was whupped at the end of the day.

tketcham · May 5, 2023

M Clemens said:
I thought it was great that a company like Northstar would take the time to send a small crew and a huge trailer full of solos to support the event, but post pandemic I'm sure they are struggling like everyone else to fulfill orders.

No doubt. I wasn't intending to be critical of Northstar Canoes or their eastern distributors. It's good to hear that new canoe builds are keeping them, and other manufacturers, busy this year. Also encouraging is that companies like Northstar and Swift have resurrected classic solo designs.

NoelCanoeDad · May 5, 2023

Hemlock has resurrected the Mayfly. It will be there as well.

canube · May 6, 2023

I was wondering about selling a couple canoes at the event. I have a Bell magic( fiberglass) 2003, and a wenonah Prism kevlar with a not installed CCS full cover. I also have a number of original Mad River paddles that came with a Malachite I purchased from an old college professor in Connecticut. who lived in a 200 some year old house on a road that our revolution was fought on..I've been to the Symposium a couple of times... Is there any interest? I'm looking at 850$ for each. Both in good condition....

billconner · May 6, 2023

They'll go fast at that price, IMHO.

yellowcanoe · May 6, 2023

canube said:
I was wondering about selling a couple canoes at the event. I have a Bell magic( fiberglass) 2003, and a wenonah Prism kevlar with a not installed CCS full cover. I also have a number of original Mad River paddles that came with a Malachite I purchased from an old college professor in Connecticut. who lived in a 200 some year old house on a road that our revolution was fought on..I've been to the Symposium a couple of times... Is there any interest? I'm looking at 850$ for each. Both in good condition....

they will go . Fair price ! Wish I could go to sell my Bell StarFire. ( I seem to have inherited it . The real owner up and died)

Western Pennsylvania Solo Canoe Rendezvous 2023

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