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Swift's new Cruiser solo, 16'8", for larger paddlers

It sure is pretty inside and out. I enjoyed the video. At $4500 I hope they throw in a CF yoke.
I find it interesting that the industry is exploring every conceivable fine tuned approach to this recreational sport (much like they are with bicycling) designing and marketing a multitude of canoes etc to fit every niche interest, as opposed to the olden days when the user was made to fit the model/product. By no means a criticism just an interesting evolutionary development of product design. ie When I was a kid there were 2 kinds of bicycles to choose from, a girls or a boys single speed coaster brake. Now look at the options!? Same goes for canoes. These are exciting and interesting times to live in for sure.
 
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Intended to be the hottest tripping boat available (no, Charlie Wilson isn't advertising again)... this one is narrow and ultra-lite at only 29 pounds. Appears to be sit-only seating which doesn't suit me unless bench and part-time kneeling is possible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkSiIf3tvpw

Just reading your description, and can tell you that it is far from being the hottest tripping canoe... Not able to kneel, stuck to paddle flat water, a pain to load gear in with that heavy tumblehome and those curvy gunnels.... I guess if you mainly paddle lakes and portage lots with a minimalist kit it cold be an ok boat, but definitely not what I would call a great tripping canoe, to me anyway a great tripping canoe is something that is versatile, that you can load gear easily, that is stable, that is somewhat tough and that paddle easy, that can be poled and lined or tracked...
 
I'm probably too sceptical and Mr Negative for my own good. Given that this canoe is described as a "Cruiser" in a tourist town it smacks of high end ride n' glide around the waterfront fun. Like I mentioned above there are canoes now to fit every little interest, this may be one more. The ultra lightweight day paddler or overnighter tourist who wants to maintain a style. But don't mind me, I'm being negative again. Maybe I'm just jelly. Ha.
I've been working in a really nice urban neighbourhood this summer. Lots of lovely people of all ages walking and cycling around. I've observed the vast majority of cyclists peddling "fixies". That's all the rage these days in the hipper inner city. I tried one out and yes they're pretty cool but almost useless. IMO the ideal city bike is still an original coaster brake model or at most 3-speed Dutch style comfort cruiser. Commute to work, stop for some groceries on the way home, pause at the park to say hello to friends. I saw it all; including the dudes on fixies bent over concentrating with laptop satchels sliding off their hips negotiating traffic. Not ideal, but they did look fashionable. But I'm being Mr Negative yet again. Sorry.
What I'm trying to say is manufacturers are merely delivering products on finely focused niche markets, it's up to buyers to beware and be aware of whether these products fit their individual requirements. Some of those fixie riders are entirely happy I'm sure, while some might be wondering if they've made a mistake. The same applies to canoes. This Swift Cruiser might be ideal for a quick workout paddle around the cottage, less so for a solo trip of a week in the backcountry. But I don't know. I've lost track whether I'm being negative again or not.
 
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Not able to kneel, stuck to paddle flat water, a pain to load gear in with that heavy tumblehome and those curvy gunnels.... I guess if you mainly paddle lakes and portage lots with a minimalist kit it cold be an ok boat, but definitely not what I would call a great tripping canoe, to me anyway a great tripping canoe is something that is versatile, that you can load gear easily, that is stable, that is somewhat tough and that paddle easy, that can be poled and lined or tracked...

I was intrigued until the “hybridization of a racing canoe and tripping canoe” explanation. That makes no more sense to me than a minivan with a racing motor and track suspension.

The specs alone will not work for me as a solo tripping canoe. The 16’ 8” length is ok, though about at my preferred limit to solo. But 23.5” at the gunwales is too narrow for my packing style, and 28” at the waterline is a couple inches narrower than my preference. Even the optimum load range of 180 – 320 lbs comes up short for my big boy big load on long trips or places where I need to tote potable water.

http://www.swiftcanoe.com/cruiser-16-8

I do wish manufacturers would show or describe the bottom shape; shallow arch, shallow vee, rounded. . . . . that part of canoe design is as critical to my desires as length, width, depth and rocker.

Back to dreaming about a Keewaydin 16 with a single (back of) center seat. And aluminum gunwales, so that I can more easily do the usual customization with thwarts locations to accommodate packs and barrels, utility sail thwart and webbing tie down loops off the ends of all the machine screw hardware.
 
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It might seem surprising but I've lost my taste for the new flashy boats. That doesn't mean I don't still appreciate an efficient design but I've come to the conclusion there really isn't as big of a difference between hulls as they'd lead you to believe so it mostly comes down to marketing and trying to convince people they need something they don't, which is a big turn off for me.

But that being said I don't see any issue with this boat as far as wilderness tripping goes. Just from looking at the specs it looks like a Magic stretched an extra 8". I used the Magic for a 10 day trip in WCPP with my dog and it did fine.

Alan
 
But that being said I don't see any issue with this boat as far as wilderness tripping goes. Just from looking at the specs it looks like a Magic stretched an extra 8". I used the Magic for a 10 day trip in WCPP with my dog and it did fine.

Good eye. Not that I doubted you, but I looked at an old Bell catalog and the specs are nearly identical to a Magic with an extra 8” of length.

I liked the Magic, one of the few Bell solos in which I felt oddly at home. Well, also the Rob Roy, and I always wanted to try a custom soloized MorningStar.

But at my size and Glamping gear load I would sink a Magic or the new Swift Cruiser below any semblance of acceptable waterline performance.

As a Go Fast, Go Light lake tripper it would fill some folk’s needs, albeit not mine, which tend more towards the slow and steady.

As a solo rec racer I have no idea where it fits in classification. As a day paddling canoe I would prefer something in the 14.5 to 15.5 foot range, especially for swamps, marshes and small streams.
 
I've been paddling a Magic for the last four seasons. I'm not an ultralight camper but not a heavyweight either. My gear goes about 80 lbs and I'm about 180# dressed for paddling. I've done several 8 day trips with this set up.

I also paddle my Magic all wrong. High mounted Conk seat angled for kneeling. Works great and I can still sit to stretch the legs on calm water. The two things that have impressed me most with the Magic is its ability to eat up miles with little effort and its performance in lumpy windy conditions. Its the most shallow canoe I've owned yet very "seaworthy". Rolls with the punches and the low sheer avoids dramatic wind interference.

This new Cruiser looks to be a longer and slightly less rockered version of the Magic. Should be a very efficient solo boat. I do not care for the lack of options in terms of seating and the gunwales and the gunwale lines are not especially attractive to my eye. With boats this narrow I don't see the need for the radical narrowing of the gunwales. Most paddlers of normal stature will have no troubles achieving good paddle stroke geometry. If I would widen the gunwales on my Magic a few inches I would. Loading/unloading would be easier, especially with spray decks in place. And the narrow gunwales aren't as dog friendly as the lesser tumblehome designs. Those narrow gunwales do make for effortless carrying though. I seldom portage but when I do the Magic is very friendly to its laborer.

The new Cruiser is an interesting boat that will appeal to a rather smaller market but I think it will reward its owners with a great deal of performance. Its not for me as I'm more interested now in boats more of a Merlin II kind of flavor.

Good on Swift for taking the plunge and I hope they do well with this new hot rod.
 
I've been paddling a Magic for the last four seasons. I'm not an ultralight camper but not a heavyweight either. My gear goes about 80 lbs and I'm about 180# dressed for paddling. I've done several 8 day trips with this set up.


Its the most shallow canoe I've owned yet very "seaworthy". Rolls with the punches and the low sheer avoids dramatic wind interference.

I was very impressed with the Magic. At least with me and a day paddling load aboard; I never tried, or even thought about, tripping in one.

My personal poundage comes close to your total tripping load. Let’s just say with a Glamping load of comfort gear and a week’s worth of potable water on tidal trips I probably have, um - three columns, carry the two, check my math – close to 500 lbs of me, gear, food and water in the boat on week-long salt water trips.

An optimum load range of 320 lbs isn’t gonna cut it. Hence the need for a soloized tandem.
 
I understand ya. The Magic has an optimal max of 280 but even at my 260 load out, the boat becomes less friendly to turn and/or correct in stormy waters. My last trip out I cut my overall load to 245 and it felt better at play in the lumpy stuff. Or perhaps I just had it loaded better. The Magic is fond of proper trim and brooks little discourse on the subject.

My biggest problem with loading the Magic isn't really weight though, its volume. Some of my old man accoutrements require more space now than in previous adventures. And those narrow gunwales don't help the matter.

My next boat will probably be 6" shorter, a touch more rocker, an inch wider and with gunwales about 4" wider than the Magic. Should give me another 50# of payload capability and rock 'n roll a little better when loaded in active waters.

We really should build you up a custom boat. Call it the McGlamper. Which brings up a question I've been meaning to ask... what the heck is "glamping"?! I'm almost afraid to ask but I just can't help myself ;)
 
At minute 2:00: "This is going to be a fantastic tripping canoe for someone using a bent-shaft paddle that wants to travel real efficiently; real quick if they want to."
It appears this boat is meant for a very specific audience. Kneelers or straight-shaft paddle canoe tripping folks who prefer the journey, over getting there ASAP, don't seem to be the target group for this canoe. The point of tripping at racing speed is not clear to me either, but that's just me.

I typically like Swift's innovative material use, but this canoe is pretty far down my list of desirables.
About on par with my desire for a mahogany, three-wheeled, uphill racing mountain bike with an elliptical front wheel and a rear-facing seat. ;)
 
I think the unique feature is that it's a race type boat that has some rocker, so maybe it actually turns reasonably well. That plus the fairly large capacity should (in principle) make it a good touring boat that can also handle waves. I will say that it looks like it turns better than I might expect in the video. It's not my type of boat either. I personally didn't like the Sawyer Shockwave that it is based upon but adding some rocker should make it more enjoyable. I know the Swift specs can be deceptive since they list the Kee15 as having more front rocker than the Osprey but the Osprey is the river boat and the Kee is the lake boat.
 
In the past I've emailed Algonquin Outfitters about test-paddling and they wrote back that they'd be happy to let anyone test-paddle their boats. They might even be talked into a rental deal where the rent cost could be applied against purchase price if that canoe turns out to be the one that's really wanted after spending necessary evaluation time paddling through various kinds of weather, waves and carrying through ports.

For me, this doesn't look like it'd be comfortable enough to spend several hours paddling... there won't be any relief from that sitting position so kneeling, stretching out, sitting on the bottom and putting the feet up on a thwart for a breather and some comfort are out.

Worse, it looks tippy (although a test-paddle could prove otherwise, so looks aren't conclusive). There's nothing like freezing cold water to fall into in a remote location to concentrate one's mind and if there's some slacking off while fishing or sightseeing with photography, well, you just can't let that happen but still, it might not be the most relaxing thing to spend time in. I've had this happen in my moderately twitchy Huron Cruiser while fishing and with a big one on causing some excitement, the attention on keeping one's head over the keel line can stray. Although again, a test-paddle might show something different.
 
Interestingly enough I stopped by the Swift store on Hwy 400 at Waubashene on Sunday while paddling the Coldwater River to the Bay and back. They had a Cruiser out front that I looked over. As noted didn’t look comfortable or a “tripping” boat to me- more a cross between a kayak and a torpedo!
the staff did say it was designed for the Muskoka River X race and was very fast.
not my cup of tea!
 
We really should build you up a custom boat. Call it the McGlamper

I have a McGlamper or two. 16 foot tandems customized to my specifics. A soloized Explorer and Malecite, but my favorite of those is a plebian RX Old Town Penobscot, aka the Inspector Gadget Boat. Customized with a contour seat on truss drops installed well back of center, back band and seat pad

P2160535 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

Strap yoke through sturdy SS D-rings and massive custom carved knee braces

P2160534 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

Custom two piece partial spray covers, including a storage cover for the open center “cockpit”, so I can leave all the paddling gear dry and protected inside the hull while in camp

P2160518 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

P2160542 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

Utility thwart with sail mount, compass mount and open cleat to keep the bowline in easy reach

P2160525 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

P2160528 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

Foot brace and minicel pads everywhere, including a minicel wedge to keep the blue barrel locked in place

P2160530 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

P2170546 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

I recently refinished all of the brightwork on that canoe and it should be good for another 20 years.

P3200675 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

As a big boy big load tripper I love everything about the Penobscot. Except the weight; my back and knees are not as strong as they were in ’03 when I first soloized that canoe.

There are some current and past composite tandems of nearly the same dimensions; a Bell NorthStar or (kinda short) MorningStar would drop 15 – 20 lbs right off the bat. Or the current canoe of my fantasies, a Swift Keewaydin 16 with a single center-ish seat, and aluminum gunwales so I can replicate every bit of that outfitting in a lighter weight package.

http://www.swiftcanoe.com/keewaydin-16

I’ll never get rid of the Penobscot, it fits me and my usual tripping load like a glove, and the Royalex with skid plates is still going strong after 15 years of abuse. But for lake and tidal trips a 20 lb lighter composite of the same dimensions and outfitting would see a lot of action.
 
Which brings up a question I've been meaning to ask... what the heck is "glamping"?! I'm almost afraid to ask but I just can't help myself ;)

“Glamping” as defined by Wikipedia “Glamping is a portmanteau of glamour and camping and describes a style of camping with amenities and, in some cases, resort-style services not usually associated with traditional camping.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glamping

“Glamping” as defined by me “Solo tripping with a 2 man tent, large tarp and poles, big thick sleeping pad (and, yes, pillow), day-hammock, large sturdy chair with weather accessories, 3 pairs of shoes, blue barrel & tabletop, thick non-fiction book, ample foodstuffs, potable water if necessary, wag bag toilet if required. . . . .beer.

I can do without the resort-style services, although I do enjoy trips where a better chef than make-a-sandwich or rehydrate-it-me shares tasty meals. “Extra venison you say? Why thanks, I believe I will”

Beulah, peel me a grape.
 
Swift may have thought they should have an entry as Wenonah and Northstar and Savage River all have "tripping" recreational race canoes.. Or something like the Magic. Swifts have always been regarded as not fast though some are.. In the East there are many races with rec classes and there no doubt is a demand.

DY does not design a boat just because. He starts with a specific paddler in mind, or did in the old days, Nowadays it may be a specific type of paddler. However DY always tones down designs for the most part so that to paddle one of his designs is not fighting to stay upright. Seakindliness is one of his hallmarks,

He has always however confided in that he wanted to do a boat with Tom MacKenzie ( now late) called MY Ego....

That said I have paddled the Shockwave several years ago.and found out that tractor seat or no I had two choices.. Kneel or swim.. Now with old age and even worse balance this new offering is not on my wish list.
Swift is trying out odd colors and integrated gunwales. I have the IG on my RapidFire and they do reduce weight.. But they are fugly. The thwarts are out of the same fugly material. Yet you can indeed use a clamp on yoke and portage same as a wood gunwaled solo canoe.
 
Aesthetics aside, I like the construction techniques and materials.
However, I would be hard pressed to pay that much for a toy that will only depreciate. It's not the actual dollars that irritate me, but the lack of value.

As far as the hull design, I would have to paddle it, as any sane potential buyer would.

YC, you mention the Shockwave...as you likely know, I built and paddled a DY Special, the thoroughly untamed predecessor. I swam fairly often.

What no one is mentioning yet is stern hook. I can tell you from unpleasant experience, it is a serious issue, especially in a loaded canoe. Laws of physics are not mere suggestions, this over priced (IMHO) toy will likely cause excessive puckering in following conditions and spur new purchases of PFD's! And at a premium price! Heck, I'll buy two of them!
 
Looks to me like the boat was designed mostly for those who would gravitate to the double blade. Why else would they pinch the gun'ls in so far? It doesn't really help with a single blade. The hull max is still out there. A little tumblehome is a good thing, but a vertical shaft (more or less) is still limited - not by the gun'l. Double blade though.....looks great for that.

Odyssey - you and I have the same taste in city bikes. That's strange. I have no photo of mine.....

http://dingdingletsride.com/bike-rev...sterdam-sport/

What is a "fixie"?
 
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