Mad River Canoes

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Richie

Forager
Feb 3, 2004
109
0
North Wales
Have not long come back from a Woodlore Canoeing Course in the Ardeche with Andrew (Sandbender) I decided to buy a canoe.

Easy you would think!! Not so if you want a Mad River Explorer 15 RX with Wood gunwales in green. Having used one in France and becoming hooked on open canoeing only this model will do for me.

Anyway the point being if you are interested in this model with those specs you will need to order it now as they have to be made to order and shipped from the US delivery date of July/Aug.The ISO container is nearly full for the UK supplier. The next delivery date would be in late Sept. There seems to be only two orders a year. Also Mad River have no stock and are running 24/7 to make to order.

It seems that this year there has been a 60% increase in orders for the Explorer 15RX especially after Ray Goodwin and Ray Mears were televised paddling these canoes. There are now no more Green ones in the country.

The Wood in green is a special order generally so if you want that there will be a wait but if you don't mind it in Red or with plastic gunwales or IQ2 system then you can have one straight away.

Richie

P.S If you are interested in one PM me and I will give you the details where Andrew and I ordered ours as they did a very good deal for us.
 

bambodoggy

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 10, 2004
3,062
50
49
Surrey
www.stumpandgrind.co.uk
Richie said:
It seems that this year there has been a 60% increase in orders for the Explorer 15RX especially after Ray Goodwin and Ray Mears were televised paddling these canoes. There are now no more Green ones in the country.

They are very nice boats you've ordered there Lads....good for you although there are plenty of other "nice" boats out there that Ray hasn't endorsed.

This is not aimed at you Richie or Andrew but at the many who've ordered these boats just because RM used one in his last TV show.....I find the above quote from you rather upsetting, it just goes to show that although we all like to think of ourselves as "bushcrafty" and "walking our own trail", we're really just "sheep following", "advert absorbing" consumers like everyone else!

What would be nicer would be is there was a 60% increase in the number of people who bought a slightly cheaper boat and then actually used it from time to time..... ;)

Thanks for your kind offer about the purchase details, I'm sure some on here will be in touch... :)

Cheers,

Bam.
 
Nov 29, 2004
7,808
22
Scotland
Now thats a little unfair!

I know you said that you weren't calling us sheep but...

Richie and I canoed the length of the Ardeche gorge in our Mad Rivers, if I'd fallen in every twenty feet, and generally felt that the canoe wasnt delivering the experience I wanted I would look at other canoe manufacturers.

However the opposite is true, they were a dream to handle, I don't doubt that there are other good canoes out there but this was the one for me.

And the one which Ray Goodwin used long before he met RM.

I should also point out that I do have an Alan Wood Woodlore, although I bought it long ago and didn't realise that there was a connection to Ray.

I do not have a Woodlore Eco-System and probably never will.

Although I do quite fancy one of those 5.11 shirts...

;)

PS

If anyone is interested in some pics, go here...

http://homepage.mac.com/andrewrush/Pictures/Ardeche/Ardeche.html
 

bambodoggy

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 10, 2004
3,062
50
49
Surrey
www.stumpandgrind.co.uk
Honest, I didn't mean you two!!!! Or anyone else here in particular, I was just making a comment about how certain people just follow the crowd.

I feel I'm in a fairly good possition to comment about canoes as I am a BCU Senior Instructor, it might also interest you to know that it was the very same Ray Goodwin that took me for my level two and level four coaching assesments over ten years ago so I am fully aware how long he's paddled Mad River boats for.
I have also instructed in the Ardeche and in fact ran a school there for two seasons. I've seen people go down the whole length of that river from the Arch right down to the get out point in an old rusty bath in the name of charity so I do know what I'm talking about. Is "Mad Pierre" still there hanging on the rock face? lol

If you two liked the boats that much after trynig them, then as I said..good on ya but I still think it's sad that OTHERS (not you) buy them just because they have seen RM paddle one...

That's all I'm saying Andrew

Certainly NO offence meant to either of you chaps...friends? :)

Cheers,

Bam.
 

Richie

Forager
Feb 3, 2004
109
0
North Wales
QUOTE. Is "Mad Pierre" still there hanging on the rock face? lol

Unfortunally we missed him this time round, although he was famous before we got there. :D Or at least his little friend was!! :eek:

The aim of the thread was just to let people know that if they were thinking of one of these them to get their orders in quick or it could be a long wait.

Previously I kayaked and playboated. I had paddled some coleman and old town canoes (club ones) but never had the chance to use the Mad River. However, after putting the Explorer through it's paces in France I decided to go with what I knew and liked. Having bought 4 kayaks last year and not having really tested them out before hand, I am now only looking at keeping one as the others I couldn't get on with, I'll go with what I know.

I understand what you are saying about people getting on the band wagon and getting what Ray uses. But that said,it is up to them, if they have the money then let them go for it. If Ray endorsed a product and it suited the purpose that I wanted it for then I would buy it, as I would feel safe that Ray wouldn't endorse something that was of poor quaility or hadn't been tested well.

But is it such a bad thing people getting on the band wagon? At least I know when I come to sell something there will be a demand for it in the secondhand market. ;)

At the end of the day who really cares, their not spending my money!! I do a good enough job of that myself.

Anyway no offence taken and I hope none given.

Regards

Richie :)
 

bambodoggy

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 10, 2004
3,062
50
49
Surrey
www.stumpandgrind.co.uk
Richie said:
The aim of the thread was just to let people know that if they were thinking of one of these them to get their orders in quick or it could be a long wait.

I know it was Mate...sorry I hijacked it a bit... :eek:

Richie said:
I understand what you are saying about people getting on the band wagon and getting what Ray uses. But that said,it is up to them, if they have the money then let them go for it. If Ray endorsed a product and it suited the purpose that I wanted it for then I would buy it, as I would feel safe that Ray wouldn't endorse something that was of poor quaility or hadn't been tested well.

Can't argue with that at all either...I just feel that it can also have a negative effect on bushcraft, whereby some who don't have the money for mad river canoes are put off from buying say a coleman because it's not what Ray uses when really at their level they'd be just as fine in a coleman and as such lose out on what is maybe the essance of bushcrafting in that it's the experience and not the ammount or quality of kit that's important.
(EDIT: Ray himself says the reason he started down the bushcraft path was because he wanted to track foxes but couldn't afford the camping gear, so it worries me that others see him with all the best gear and miss out on his message that he started with the very basics. As is too often in modern life everyone wants everything and they want it now and if Ray is the current "guru" in their eyes and Ray has it then it's that or nothing and then they all miss out)

Richie said:
But is it such a bad thing people getting on the band wagon?

I suppose it depends if this is a fad or not, if it is then all it does is push prices up for us all which will stay high for us when the fad is over and those who can still afford it are onto the next fad. It's also not such a bad thing if they become a bushcrafter in it's best form such as maybe how Ray shows it sometimes but this again can be negative with people going out to do things they aren't prepared for because they have seen Ray do it or god forbid they go out and actually trash the enviroment, ripping up plants to make shelters and leaving their litter everywhere...throwing knives at trees and carving "Shelly Hooper 4 Danny McGovern" into 1000 year old oaks because Ray has shown them the outdoors but they haven't listened to what he says about looking after the enviroment. We've all been somewhere beautiful and had it mared because whomever came before left something they shouldn't have, any that have climbed much will have found little gifts in bushes before...it's horrid!

Anyway, glad I didn't offend you both, the photo's look great, brought back some very fond memories for me....so much so that I'm giving myself a half day tomorrow and taking my dog for a paddle down the canal :D thanks lads :)

Bam.
 

Moonraker

Need to contact Admin...
Aug 20, 2004
1,190
18
61
Dorset & France
Bam, as a matter of interest as you do have a lot of experience, which canoes would you suggest as some of the better ones at the 'affordable' end of the range? Always nice to hear different peoples opinions.

Just to clarify a bit I would be looking to use it for similar gorges to the Ardeche but also larger hydro lakes. I am basically a beginner although I have done some sea kayaking up on Mull a few times.

Cheers
 

arctic hobo

Native
Oct 7, 2004
1,630
4
37
Devon *sigh*
www.dyrhaug.co.uk
jamesdevine said:
I two would be interested you advice. I have searching high a low for good instructor it's hard at this time of year as there aren't many but aim to buy one myself.

James
I taught myself canoeing in your area! :) I once paddled from Howth to Bray - big mistake! I don't think I've ever gone so close to so many other larger boats! Particularly the Irish Ferries monster :eek:
 

jamesdevine

Settler
Dec 22, 2003
823
0
48
Skerries, Co. Dublin
I am not that worried about get certified so to speak but just someone to show the basic strokes and get me underway. After that there a ton of waterways that can be paddled in Ireland and there are no fences to stop you travelling them unlike the land trails.

James
 

bambodoggy

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 10, 2004
3,062
50
49
Surrey
www.stumpandgrind.co.uk
Wow...where to start:

I guess with my own current boat, I like a smaller boat as it's generally only me paddling it (and the dog but he doesn't do an indian J stroke very well) as my wife broke her back many years ago and now finds paddlnig too painful, I can't afford a superlight weight boat so the smaller boat is easier for me to car top and portage...this is it:

http://www.brighton-canoes.co.uk/productpages/canoes/pelican-navigator.htm

It does say that it's for calmer water and I have to admit it's a tad tippy as it's so small but I've run the LLangolen Dee Tour in it going through up to grade three rapids and even over the drop in the town centre on the last day and it was fine.

This coleman isn't a bad boat either, we used to use them as instructor boats in the south of France:

http://www.brighton-canoes.co.uk/productpages/canoes/journey.htm

Haven't used this one but Old Town do some smashing boats as well, I like the sound of this one:

http://www.brighton-canoes.co.uk/productpages/canoes/ojibway.htm

These are really nice small one person boats too:

http://www.brighton-canoes.co.uk/productpages/canoes/pack.htm

Or there's this is you want a bit bigger:

http://www.brighton-canoes.co.uk/productpages/canoes/scout.htm

These were all taken from the same site and there's plenty more out there, I just picked this site at random and as it's prices were ok. It's a bit like asking Hoodoo which knife he recomends, I'm sure he'd say it depends on the person and the task it's to be used for...
Hopefully this just shows that there's lots of choice out there...

Hope that helps and if anyone is lookng to buy a boat and wants some more detailed advice then by all means pm me :D

Cheers all,

Bam.

EDIT: I'd really like one of these but my budget couldn't quite stretch to it...love that dodgy cammo pattern!!! lol

predator C133
 
Nov 29, 2004
7,808
22
Scotland
Scan ebay, I think there are a lot of folks who buy a canoe and then suddenly find out that its not actually something they enjoy. I've seen may Colemans and similar...
 

bambodoggy

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 10, 2004
3,062
50
49
Surrey
www.stumpandgrind.co.uk
sandbender said:
Scan ebay, I think there are a lot of folks who buy a canoe and then suddenly find out that its not actually something they enjoy. I've seen may Colemans and similar...

Bingo, cheers Andy....that's sort of what I meant about people pushing up the sales of the Explorer :) buying them just coz they've seen them on the telly and think they look cool... :cool:

I bought my Navigator off the web as a trade in from a canoe ebay shop...paid about half price for a nearly new boat that somebody bought, couldn't paddle and upgraded to a bigger more stable boat.... so Richie's got a point about the second hand market ;)
 

MagiKelly

Making memories since '67
I have a coleman journey and for my use it has been ideal. I frequently paddle it solo but also take my two young daughters in it as well. It is big enough for two people and loads of camping gear and takes plenty of punishment.


I have modified it slightly. I addes "D" rings round the inside edge for tieing stuff in and also attached a couple of oar lock holders. So now in heavy weaher I have the option of rowing. This is handy out on the Loch solo in windy conditions or when you want to get somewhere faster than normal paddling. I got the idea when I saw that some of the old town canoes came with oar locks as an option.
 

GrahamD

Need to contact Admin...
Mar 2, 2004
58
0
Sussex
One thing that you need to consider is the conditions you'll be using it in - for example if the boat has a moulded deck, and you wanted to tackle some white water - or even moderate open water;

1. How easy is it to fit bouyancy bags, tie in points and adjust the seat

2. How easy is the boat to drain water from - I've seen a moulded deck boat which takes ages and ages to drain, wheras the traditional "Open" Open boats can be drained relativily easily in a rescue situation.

If you get the opportunity try different boats out.

Cheers, and good luck.

Graham
 

GrahamD

Need to contact Admin...
Mar 2, 2004
58
0
Sussex
Absoloutely, but if you look at the Old Town Ojibway Canadian Canoe, although the hull is based on a Disco 158, it does have a moulded deck. I saw one last week that was full of water after a capsise, and it drained like a kayak from a bung at the back, and took ages - and with all the water in it was mega heavy.

The normal open boats could be flipped or curled and emptied qickly. As you know the speed of recovery from a tip out can be vital, depending on the prevailing conditions.

Graham.
 

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