So·liv·a·gant: Noun; a solitary wanderer; adjective: marked by solitary wandering.

One word to perfectly explain the intention behind these boats!

Probably not. But regular use will grant you perspective, give you valuable thinking time, and often settle at least some of them.

If you listen attentively, actually, yes. Wood’s resonance and voice is why it has been used in musical instruments for centuries. Your boat will respond to gliding through the water. Our Solivagant canoes love the quiet of first and last light on the water, where you can readily hear the wood sing.

In the 1800s, the world read about the extensive travels of John MacGregor and George Washington Sears (pen name Nessmuk) in their small, wooden, pack canoes. The simplicity and elegance of such a craft intrigued us and started us on the journey creating them for our own travels by water. Now we’re creating these boats for others to enjoy, too.

It’s actually pretty easy: Place one foot in the center of the boat, just in front of the seat. Then while holding the gunwales on each slide, fluidly slide your bum into the seat. Once seated, lift your other foot over the rail and into the boat, and you’re done. No cockpit coaming to contend with as in a kayak. It’s a much easier entry and exit, especially as you get accustomed to it.

Remarkably strong. Wood/epoxy/fiberglass composite canoes feature a monocoque design with legendary strength and durability. Used as intended, and with a bit of care, it will provide decades of reliable service. Quite likely it may last longer than any other item you possess.

“Take care of your boat, and it will take care of you.” Because our boats are both light and relatively small, they’re quite easy to carry to the water. Getting in and out from the water or from a dock is equally easy, and both go a long way toward preventing damage to the hull. Abuse by dragging over land or along beaches will reduce performance life in any boat and should be avoided.

When it’s not in the water, your boat should be kept dry. Also, minimizing scratches to the hull will go a long way toward eliminating the need for maintenance or repair. Over time, minor scratches are inevitable. Typically, these are only superficial. When they become numerous or deep, or you simply want to restore it to look like new, sanding out the scratches and revarnishing are all that’s required. With a bit of care in use, many years can elapse before any maintenance will be in order.

Storage for any quality boat should always include a roof overhead, preferably indoors. Let air circulate to all surfaces to prevent mold. (Upside-down, with gunwales down/keel up will keep anything from settling inside.) A simple solution is suspending it horizontally from the roof of your garage, hung from straps.

That said, our boats spend much of the summer strapped to the roof rack of our cars, ready to take paddling on a whim. As long as the varnish is in good condition, and there aren’t deep scratches, there’s little to worry about. If you won’t be using it for extended periods, best practice is to keep it out of the sun and under cover.

Absolutely. And doing so will restore it to look essentially like new. Because the exterior of the hull is more likely get scratched, often it’s the only part that will require attention. Here’s how to do it:

1. Start out with a clean surface. Then sand out the scratches, either by hand or with a random orbital sander. Typically, 120 grit abrasive will make easy work of it … nothing too rough.

2. Once the scratches are gone, sand the entire surface with fine 220 grit abrasive, to remove any marks made by sanding, and leave a smooth surface for your varnish. For the fastidious, a final sanding with 320 grit will result in the finest finish.

3. Wipe the entire surface to eliminate any dust left from sanding. Wiping with denatured alcohol will do an exceptional job very quickly.

4. Apply multiple coats (3-6) of quality marine grade varnish, per the manufacturer’s directions.

Note: We use and highly recommend TotalBoat Halcyon Amber varnish (https://www.totalboat.com/product/halcyon-marine-gloss-varnish/). It’s water-based, cleaning up easily with just water. It applies well with a foam brush, dries to recoat in an hour, and has very little odor. Plus, it leaves an exceptionally hard and durable finish.

Yes. Have fun with it! An early, warm spring day works great. Recalling last season’s outings while anticipating the paddles to come makes it whiz by. A favorite beverage or two always helps. Or a cigar, if that’s your thing. Or both…

Honestly, as long as it takes. Some more than others. It’s quite a cool process! Our commitment is to make a long-lived boat that will outlast its owner. And with care, subsequent owners.

We’re working to develop them: simple, light, strong, easy on the body. We’ll roll them out here once available.

For sure! Future items under consideration include a more traditional tandem cruising canoe; a size-appropriate pack canoe for the uber-small-statured; and a lightweight classic boat for oars.