Mad River Canoe

Why Mad River

Choosing a Canoe

Hull Construction

Canoe Models

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Basic Concepts In Canoe Design: Any canoe is the result of the interplay of many design elements, each of which addresses a particular performance requirement such as maneuverability, speed, paddling efficiency, stability, or cargo capacity. The performance characteristics of a particular canoe model are determined by which design elements are emphasized and which are compromised in the design process. Canoes are displacement craft which push water aside from the bow, and allow its replacement near the stern. The shape of the hull determines how efficiently the water is moved. Hull designs that move water more efficiently are easier to paddle. Where as "stability" and load capacity are expressed differently. A canoe's overall performance is most affected by two basic dimensional measurements - length and width.

Length of the canoe determines its potential speed. Given two hulls ot equal width, the longer canoe will be faster and easier to paddle; the shorter hull will be slower, but easier to turn. A wider hull, especially at the 4" waterline, will generally be more stable than a narrower hull. Length and width, combined with depth, determine the weight a canoe can carry and the size ot the waves it can detlect successfully.
Hull Configurations: Differences in hull shapes greatly affect a canoe's handling characteristics. Keel line shape, degree of hull symmetry cross-sectional shape, and above-waterline design are among the most important performance variables. Keel line shape refers to the shape of the hull bottom running from bow to stern.

A straight keel line with minimal curvature from end to end will emphasize forward speed because more of the canoe's length is in the water. When the ends of the canoe's keel are curved or "rockered", the canoe will maneuver more easily, because the ends are out of the water. The more rocker that is built into the keel line, the more the canoe will favor maneuverability over forward speed. Mad River's most versatile canoes, such as our Explorers,offer a straight keel line combined with moderate rocker in the ends for speed, stability, and maneuverability. Hull design, not the presence of an external keel, determines how well a canoe will track, or move in a straight line. Rather than rely on an external keel which not integrated into the hull and is subject to snagging and excessive wear.

Most Mad River designs use a shallow V hull shape. The shallow V hull, when combined with varying amounts of rocker, provides excellent tracking and maneuverability. Hull symmetry refers to a canoe's having identically shaped halves with the widest point of the canoe at the center, a design which makes for predictable handling. An asymmetrical canoe usually has its widest point a foot or so behind the center. In a straight-keeled canoe like our Sunrunner, this enhances forward speed, especially in shallow water. Cross-sectional shape refers to the outline of the hull if the canoe were sliced in two at its widest point. Mad River canoes have long been known for their shallow V hulls, a design which offers an outstanding balance of tracking ability, maneuverability and stability - ideal characteristics for recreational and all-around canoeing. Unlike a flat bottomed- hull which is stable only in still water, the shallow V hull with its two stability planes, offers stability in moving or rough water as well as still water. The shallow V hull design is one that paddlers won't outgrow as their skills develop. Just as it helps beginning paddlers to track a straight line, more experienced paddlers will tind that they can lean the canoe onto one of the shallow V's other stability planes to increase the speed in carving turns. For those situations where performance is paramount, Mad River has introduced the shallow arch design. This design, while offering neither the shallow V's tracking benefits nor the same degree of stability in shifting water conditions, offers greater performance because it has less wetted surface. This shallow arch design is tound in the Quest and in most of our whitewater playboats. Above waterline design refers to whether the sides of the canoe above the waterline bend inward - a characteristic called tumblehome, outward - called flare, or do both. Tumblehome brings the sides of the hull in at the gunwales allowing the paddle to be more parallel to the keel for a more efficient vertical stroke. This helps the canoe track straighter, a desirable characteristic for flatwater cruising. Where there is flare, the sides extend outward above the waterline deflecting water and giving greater stability in heavy waves, a good feature in a whitewater canoe. Many Mad River models incorporate both features. For instance, our Independence has flare above the waterline in the bow and stern quarters to shed water and keep the canoe dry in waves; however, it also has tumblehome at the center so the canoeist can paddle more efficiently.