This canoe honors the French-Canadian voyageurs who hauled huge loads for thousands of miles on treacherous waters. And while the Champlain isn't even remotely as large as the huge Canot du Nord of the fur-trade, it is very sizeable for a multi-purpose design.
At 18' long, with a maximum width of 361/2," and a center depth of 131/2,," The Champlain is one of our largest tandems. It also has fullness for much of its length, giving it even greater volume than its dimensions suggest. It gets excellent stability from its size, and from its shallow-arched hull, a design that is less sensitive to waves and easier for paddlers to handle. As its name implies, the Champlain is a confident craft to face
big swells on vast waters.
More than safety alone, it delivers performance that makes crossing big lakes practical. Its length and profile give good speed and glide, which the Champlain retains very well with a load. The slightly rockered keel-line also lets it turn quite easily for its size.
Good uses for this design? We recommend it highly if two or more of the following conditions apply: big people, big loads, or big waters. This canoe hauls two large people, their equipage for a week, plus an arsenal of fishing gear, and it still has reserve buoyancy for waves.
Since wilderness fishing trips routinely include heavy gear, the Champlain is an ideal vehicle. Families also like it as safe and roomy transport for a brood. And to conquer waters like its namesake lake, the Champlain is virtually required.
Among our canoes, this one has more volume than the Minnesota II, but less than the Itasca. Those models are narrower and can attain greater speed more easily with a load, but the Champlain is the most stable and maneuverable of the lot. With its high capacity, performance, and safety, the Champlain is a versatile canoe but one that has special abilities.
