18-08-08, 05:42 PM
The Apache canoe is made by a family business based in Wirral, and is a GRP chopped strand canoe.
This is me (yeah scary picture I know) in my Ivory Apache 15' out on Derwent Water:
![[Image: LakelandPeteverypleasedwithhisnewAp.jpg]](http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb185/ppdwood/LakelandPeteverypleasedwithhisnewAp.jpg)
As it comes from a small family business there is a range of lengths and colours available in the Apache hull but the design is still the same. The canoe comes as a tandem as standard but again being a small business you can order your canoe with whatever set up you wish. This can range from a bare GRP hull to which you would add all the gunwales, thwarts, handles, seats, yokes etc... to your desired spec, or you can ask for what you would like and Apache will fit it out to that spec ready for you to pick up. The colour can be any you wish within reason, but prices vary.
The basic Apache would be available for around £400, with good used examples fetching about £300.
As you might except a chopped strand GRP canoe is towards the lower end of the price market, however this is down to the canoe material not the canoe design or manufacturing quality. The finish on the canoes are excellent and the hull design is very good.
Mainly a flat water canoe it could be used upto G3 in a river but the hull construction would be the limiting factor as it would withstand any heavy knocks, plus the hull design is not designed for very quick turning.
This review looks at the 15' version of the Apache which I bought as a bare hull only and fitted out to my specification myself.
Due to the nature of the hull specifications the figures can only be approximate but this is the standard provided by Apache:
Length: 15'
Width: 33"
Bow/Stern Height: 20"
Centre Height: 12"
Weight: 28kg
Mine differs in the centre height is 11 1/2" and the weight is 27kg.
As said I got mine as a bare hull from Apache, and I ordered my seats, thwarts etc... from the USA as they are dead cheap over their and the company I used had a good package pricing (this is the important bit as you will get hit hard by the old postage). The hull comes rough formed and you need to sand it down after fitting the gunwales, then simply it is a matter of positions and fitting the seats, thwarts etc...
The Apache is a shallow hulled canoe and for the larger build paddler this can pose problems, if ordering your canoe fitted from Apache give a thought to how much room you require under your seats as they will need to be raised to allow your legs free and easy access under the seat for kneeling. If ordering a solo set-up your weight and paddling style will also mean your seat location is important. Many solos come as a mid seat set-up and for most this not correct, in mine I went for a 2/3rds set-up and most do the same as when paddling solo the front of the canoe should slightly rise out of the water to help with steering.
My canoe in bare hull and then finished:
![[Image: 100_2264-1.jpg]](http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb185/ppdwood/100_2264-1.jpg)
![[Image: DSC00797.jpg]](http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb185/ppdwood/DSC00797.jpg)
The hull design I think is the key feature of this canoe. It is really a flat water tourer and can take a lot of weight without affecting the handling. The hull is very sleek and narrow which allows for excellent speed but the turn is not so quick as you might like. On flat water it will eat up the miles with little effort, and when compared to a mainstream rival such as the NovaCraft Bob Special it is quicker, and more stable.
I have found that the hull does not get affected by wind, it does not require you to trim your canoe or alter your paddling stroke in anyway. However when the water gets choppy (waves over 1ft) the shallow hull at the centre point proves its undoing. In rough weather (waves and wind, not just wind) the hull will take on water which obviously affects stability and handling.
In all I am very pleased with this canoe and I think it may represent best value for money canoe on the market below £800. It will not go up against the bigger priced canoe son all round ability but I reckon given a fair weather day it will beat most on the water for ease of canoeing.
I would not recommend this canoe for the beginner though as the narrow hull can prove tricky if caught out in rough weather.
Pros:
Cheap canoe with an excellent finish
Very stable for hull width
Ability to set up specifically to your requirements
Friendly company who offer repair work to your canoe if required
Cons:
Fair weather canoe really
Hull material can prove easy to chip (needs full front and rear gunwale pieces)
Shallow hull can limit leg room and prove an issue on long haul trips.
Link to their website: http://www.apache-canoes.com/index.swf
Pete
This is me (yeah scary picture I know) in my Ivory Apache 15' out on Derwent Water:
As it comes from a small family business there is a range of lengths and colours available in the Apache hull but the design is still the same. The canoe comes as a tandem as standard but again being a small business you can order your canoe with whatever set up you wish. This can range from a bare GRP hull to which you would add all the gunwales, thwarts, handles, seats, yokes etc... to your desired spec, or you can ask for what you would like and Apache will fit it out to that spec ready for you to pick up. The colour can be any you wish within reason, but prices vary.
The basic Apache would be available for around £400, with good used examples fetching about £300.
As you might except a chopped strand GRP canoe is towards the lower end of the price market, however this is down to the canoe material not the canoe design or manufacturing quality. The finish on the canoes are excellent and the hull design is very good.
Mainly a flat water canoe it could be used upto G3 in a river but the hull construction would be the limiting factor as it would withstand any heavy knocks, plus the hull design is not designed for very quick turning.
This review looks at the 15' version of the Apache which I bought as a bare hull only and fitted out to my specification myself.
Due to the nature of the hull specifications the figures can only be approximate but this is the standard provided by Apache:
Length: 15'
Width: 33"
Bow/Stern Height: 20"
Centre Height: 12"
Weight: 28kg
Mine differs in the centre height is 11 1/2" and the weight is 27kg.
As said I got mine as a bare hull from Apache, and I ordered my seats, thwarts etc... from the USA as they are dead cheap over their and the company I used had a good package pricing (this is the important bit as you will get hit hard by the old postage). The hull comes rough formed and you need to sand it down after fitting the gunwales, then simply it is a matter of positions and fitting the seats, thwarts etc...
The Apache is a shallow hulled canoe and for the larger build paddler this can pose problems, if ordering your canoe fitted from Apache give a thought to how much room you require under your seats as they will need to be raised to allow your legs free and easy access under the seat for kneeling. If ordering a solo set-up your weight and paddling style will also mean your seat location is important. Many solos come as a mid seat set-up and for most this not correct, in mine I went for a 2/3rds set-up and most do the same as when paddling solo the front of the canoe should slightly rise out of the water to help with steering.
My canoe in bare hull and then finished:
The hull design I think is the key feature of this canoe. It is really a flat water tourer and can take a lot of weight without affecting the handling. The hull is very sleek and narrow which allows for excellent speed but the turn is not so quick as you might like. On flat water it will eat up the miles with little effort, and when compared to a mainstream rival such as the NovaCraft Bob Special it is quicker, and more stable.
I have found that the hull does not get affected by wind, it does not require you to trim your canoe or alter your paddling stroke in anyway. However when the water gets choppy (waves over 1ft) the shallow hull at the centre point proves its undoing. In rough weather (waves and wind, not just wind) the hull will take on water which obviously affects stability and handling.
In all I am very pleased with this canoe and I think it may represent best value for money canoe on the market below £800. It will not go up against the bigger priced canoe son all round ability but I reckon given a fair weather day it will beat most on the water for ease of canoeing.
I would not recommend this canoe for the beginner though as the narrow hull can prove tricky if caught out in rough weather.
Pros:
Cheap canoe with an excellent finish
Very stable for hull width
Ability to set up specifically to your requirements
Friendly company who offer repair work to your canoe if required
Cons:
Fair weather canoe really
Hull material can prove easy to chip (needs full front and rear gunwale pieces)
Shallow hull can limit leg room and prove an issue on long haul trips.
Link to their website: http://www.apache-canoes.com/index.swf
Pete
![[Image: derwentjune08005.jpg]](http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd71/lairdjohn/derwentjune08005.jpg)
![[Image: MemowequewattenSlea064.jpg]](http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq65/drexxer/MemowequewattenSlea064.jpg)
![[Image: 656240359_xdqkf-M.jpg]](http://markbaigent.smugmug.com/photos/656240359_xdqkf-M.jpg)