I first met Gene and John Newman through a common Yukon paddler friend after I had been invited to join him on the Yukon River races. My friend owned a couple of 28' 6-7 seat cedar strip voyagers built by the Newmans. One, lightweight, extra thin and lean, dubbed "Slenda Glenda" was a training and sometimes racing canoe in the 90 miler and elsewhere. But the other main 28 footer, a much beefier cedar strip, was built to take on the Yukon River, the 440 mile and the 1000 mile races, which I paddled from the bow seat the next couple of seasons. Moving on from cedar strippers and C1 and C2 carbon racing canoes, and carbon bent paddles (I have 6 of their bents) , the brothers built their first carbon C4. the "Mach4", meant to easily beat the common kevlar Wenonah Min IV and to compete with the Savage River carbon Saranac C4. I was allowed into the dairy barn construction site to see the early build underway. "No pictures please", said Gene as I inspected its sleek lines.
During the recent several 90's for me, being a member of the "gold club" (having done more than 20 90's), I get to begin my race in the first wave of boats to depart the start line. I could count on Gene in his Mach4, from a somewhat later start tme, to always catch up and pass me somewhere on the Marion River on the way to the first day's finish at Blue Mtn Lake.
I noted that Gene has not been in the 90 for the past couple of years. When i asked him why, he said "sometimes you realize your body has just had enough".
Best of luck to Max. I hope to meet him out there on the water or in his shop.
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