Savage River Blackwater solo canoe

[Tryin']

Like so much else of mine...DIY, though I started with one of those bike trailers for two little kids...a heavily-used one; I just wanted the wheels and frame.
That + garage lumber + workbench spare parts = pretty handy little trailer.
Cerberus even stays put inside the canoe for the 2.5 mile ride to the launch.
View attachment 155903

Thank you for the picture!!

 

[yknpdlr]

Every day I like my Blackwater more and more. Lately at camp, weather permitting, I have been going out to race train as much as 3 times a day to put on 4-5 miles each around the perimeter of my smallish lake. The lake is perfectly oriented with the prevailing wind, so at times, I haven't gone out in the mid-day higher winds we have had lately, but now have decided that I had better do that a few times because if I ever expect to race it, I cannot control the wind direction or speed. I am pleased to say that it tracks very well (note it has no rocker) into the wind and I have no trouble keeping it going as straight in that direction as I like. However, like most of my other solo canoes, especially the PB Rapidfire and Shadow, when heading downwind, it likes to try to weathercock toward the wind, and I am fighting direction control when it likes to head crosswind, it does take some effort to turn back straight downwind. The sliding seat to adjust weight and trim does help, but not as much I would like. Most times I am loaded quite light with no extra weight onboard, so that may change with a heavier load.

However, when tracking straight in calm or lesser wind (head or tail), it is easy to single blade paddle indefinitely on one side or the other if I give a gentle heel offside. A slight pitch/power stroke keeps me going perfectly straight tracking keeping controlling any amount turning left or right I desire, depending on where I place my feet and knees relative to center. I have been practicing 180-degree buoy turns around a rock at the end of the lake by heeling onside and paddling hard on that side to slide around the offside buoy (rock). Much tighter turns than I would have expected with my zero rocker.

 

[yixak]

That looks like a much better canoe trailer that what I tried last summer. The fellow at the local bike shop said, "I used to work in Ely at a canoe shop and I've never heard of anyone trying to tow a canoe behind a bike". There was too much flex in the system I cobbled together and the canoe would pull up along side me on down slopes.

 

[Superdave]

Since starting my research, I commonly see the BWX compared to the Swift Cruiser 16.8, with paddlers saying they think the Cruiser would be better for the purpose. Why is that?

This is only a guess on my part, as I have never seen a Blackwater in person, let alone paddled one, but I would guess that the Cruiser 16.8 is perhaps more friendly in rough conditions. The Cruiser has more depth at the bow and stern, is an inch wider at the waterline, and from comparing photos, it looks like the Cruiser has more flare and volume above the waterline, and carries its tumblehome higher than the Blackwater. Also, the bit of rocker in the Cruiser likely makes it easier to keep under control in waves, particularly in following seas when there is risk of a broach.

I see you're in Indiana; if you are ever passing through central Illinois and would like to try a Cruiser 16.8 for comparison, you're welcome to paddle mine. It's configured with a pod mounted webbed seat.

Reports are that the swift is not as fast as the Blackwater. In fact, I know another Blackwater owner who paddled the Swift 17.8 and thought it was also not quite as fast. But the 17.8 should at least be closer in speed..

I've seen here and on other forums that the Cruisers "feel" slower than expected, and when I first paddled a Cruiser 16.8 after owning a Magic for a year, I also thought the Cruiser 16.8 "felt" a little sluggish; but spending some time with a GPS and heart rate monitor told a different tale. My all day pace is definitely faster in the Cruiser, and harder efforts result in even more speed advantage over the Magic. My theory is that the Cruiser "feels" slower than it really is because there is so much boat out in front of the paddler resulting in an illusion much like driving 35mph in a go cart vs. a Suburban; in the go cart it feels like you are screaming, and in the Suburban it feels like you are crawling.

I don't doubt that the Blackwater is a tick faster than the Cruiser 16.8, after all, it's a few inches longer and an inch more narrow at the waterline, but I am skeptical that it would be faster than the 17.8 in the hands of a strong paddler. The 17.8 is both longer and more narrow than the Blackwater.

 

[Tryin']

@Superdave thank you for posting your experience! I might take you up on that offer later this summer, @ABT knows I'm willing to drive to IL to try boats...

The base price on the Swift is $1k less than the Savage River, but equivalent options catch it right up. Its only money, right?

 

[yknpdlr]

I have a 15.8 Cruiser and a 17' Blackwater. Comparison with a Placidboat Rapidffire and a PB Shadow on a no wind course with a GPS, there is little practical diference in sustained speed between all of them, but I feel the Blackwater squeeks it out by a tiny amount, maybe .2mph. The BW is easiest to single blade single side paddle for unlimited distances with a slight offside heel to very well control and correct direction. Overall I tend to favor the Blackwater for its beauty, sleekness and straight path tracking (no rocker), that turns well when I command it to. I have used the RF for years as my solo tripping boat and raced it a few times. I have the Cruiser because i it is better suited and ismore roomy than the others for heavier loads (such as during lean2rescue work events). The Shadow is more of a fun, albeit tippy, boat that I had long wanted until my wife surprised me with it for our 50th. At my request, all of my solo boats have a higher than the standard stock highest seat option installed (higher by about 1.5"). Each (even the RF and Shadow) have seats mounted on rails for fore and aft trim)

 

[Tryin']

@yknpdlr your experience with this hull and similar hulls is extremely helpful. Thank you for posting your knowledge.

I am talking to Ben at Savage River about a possible "XX" volume option, which would build the bubble out another 3/4". Hopefully it won't flatten the bottom too much, but we wont know until fall when/if I place my order and they can start playing around with it.

I am also considering a rudder. That may very well be heresy akin to using a double blade, but I would be interested in anyone's experience. That is an instant five-pound weight penalty though... I think it would be very valuable for big water and unfavorable winds, but I've only used one on a small pond.

I would love to hear about seat experiences in the BW. I like the triebold seat the best of the four they had at WPASCR, but Ben sent me a photo of this beast called the Rocking Chair last week:

 

[yknpdlr]

In my experience, the only time I might enjoyea rudder with my Blackwater is when paddling downwind in a brisk wind. Like most of my canoes, it wants to weathercock into the wind, regardless of my seat postion trim, but I have always been very lightly loaded when that has happened. In a strong following wind, I end up pointed cross wind at best, rather than heading straight downwind, and it may be quite difficult to turn and hold a downwind direction. I do not know what would happen with a heavier load. The same thing has happened with my Shadow, most notable and troublesome during a race I was in, even with a double blade (bite your tongue) paddle that is requred to use in the solo-rec class which that canoe races in. Still, I would never use a rudder, which would not be allowed on any canoe class craft during a canoe race.

 

[PortageW/Cerberus]

In my experience, the only time I might enjoyea rudder with my Blackwater is when paddling downwind in a brisk wind. Like most of my canoes, it wants to weathercock into the wind, regardless of my seat postion trim, but I have always been very lightly loaded when that has happened. In a strong following wind, I end up pointed cross wind at best, rather than heading straight downwind, and it may be quite difficult to turn and hold a downwind direction. I do not know what would happen with a heavier load. The same thing has happened with my Shadow, most notable and troublesome during a race I was in, even with a double blade (bite your tongue) paddle that is requred to use in the solo-rec class which that canoe races in. Still, I would never use a rudder, which would not be allowed on any canoe class craft during a canoe race.

First, my load is always imbalanced and front-heavy, which does not help in the least.

That said...having the rear step out on me is my one complaint of the hull (loaded for a week+). At times the sliding seat is not nearly enough weight shift to help, and I have to shift my pack (& Cerberus) further back. Even that is not enough with a brisk following wind.

The weight of my pack plus Cerberus's saddle bags, fishing rod & yoke/spare paddle contraption is only about 40 pounds behind me. Cerberus in front - who is happy to obey commands to shift her weight forward and back - weighs 53 pounds. That imbalance is usually no issue...except with that rear quartering wind.

I admit that I often just fight it instead of doing what I should, which is stop and add water in the dry bag to the rear to really plant the back end.

I do OK straight downwind, but certainly have to pay attention.