New Construction Introduction!- Barracuda Layup

You’ve never seen metal move quite like this!
By “this” we’re referring to Barracuda™ - new aluminized glass fabric. Barracuda™ boasts the look of metal with the functionality of traditional high performance composite fabrics. A marriage of style and function, this classy layup is a great combination of aesthetic appeal, weight, and strength. The distinctive appearance of Barracuda™ is achieved through a unique finishing process designed specifically for composite applications. When combined with the proper resin, our canoes made from Barracuda™ emulate the silver sheen of 3-D steel.

But a good looking exterior is only half the story. On the interior of our Barracuda™ layup we utilize a layer of Innegra S high performance fabric. Different than Kevlar® or fiberglass, this material dramatically increases the composite toughness and impact resistance of the Barracuda™ layup, and is one of the lightest weight fibers available. Overall our Barracuda™ canoes offer unique looking crafts with the same high-performance characteristics of our traditional composite fabrics: strong, durable, and lightweight. All Barracuda™ canoes feature a foam core and side ribs, as well as all black anodized aluminum trim. No other options are available for this layup.

Wenonah Canak Makes its First Splash in the Boundary Waters!

Wenonah employees Mark A. and Jack K. got an opportunity to show off the new Wenonah Canak to some of our retail and outfitter operations around the Boundary Waters in Northern MN last week. The overall reception was great! Everyone loved the new design and were impressed at how well it paddled and how easily it portaged. Mark mentioned at one point they had a group of about 15 intrigued paddlers emerge from the Dairy Queen in Ely (blizzards in hand), all wanting to take a look at this unique new boat!

New Model Introduction!- Canak

With a hull shape similar to that of our most popular solo canoe the Prism, the new Wenonah Canak is great for solo lake camping when the capacity and portability of a canoe is needed, and the touring ability of a kayak is desired. The one of a kind bow and stern storage compartments are spacious and more accessible than standard kayak hatches for easy loading and unloading of canoe camping sized packs, while the slip over covers provide a dry ride no matter the weather conditions. The floor mounted sliding seat and adjustable kayak style foot braces make this boat as comfortable as any large cockpit kayak. Choose from our eight composite colors for the deck, the hull is skin coat.

New Model Introduction!- 17 Wenonah

New for 2011 we introduce the boat that started it all, the original, the 17 Wenonah. The first canoe ever designed by owner and founder Mike Cichanowski in 1965, this instant classic was originally built out of wood strip and fiberglass in Mikes parents backyard shed. We carefully handcrafted a mold from the original boat that has been proudly displayed in Mikes home for the last 30 years. On July 17th, 2010 the original boat was officially inducted into the Winona County Historical Museum as a permanent fixture.

Available in our state of the art composite materials and layups, the 17 Wenonah displays lines similar to the classic wooden hulls built in the early 1900's. A great general use, canoe camping, and family boat with a unique look and storied past, the 17 Wenonah is a must have for serious canoe connoisseurs and open boat history buffs.

Wenonah Canoe Delivers Boats to the National Scout Jamboree

July 26th marks the beginning of the 2010 National Scout Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill in Caroline County, Virginia. 38,000 Boy Scouts and 3,700 adult leaders from all 50 states and from countries around the world will spend 10 days of fun, adventure, and fellowship together as they celebrate the Boy Scouts of America’s 100th Anniversary since its founding in 1910.

Wenonah Canoe has worked closely with this years event organizers to supply 78 Kevlar Ultra-Light Wenonah Champlain’s and 85 Current Designs Kestrel 120 kayaks. These special edition boats all feature the 100th Anniversary Boy Scouts of America logo. Three fully loaded trailers delivered the boats to be used by the scouts at the Jamboree early last week.

Owner and founder of Wenonah Canoe, and Distinguished Eagle Scout award recipient Mike Cichanowski is in attendance at the event. “Wenonah Canoe has had a long standing special relationship with the scouts, both on a local and national level”, Cichanowski said, “I am proud that our company is able to provide the Jamboree participants with great paddling, high quality boats. The Boy Scouts organization has done so much for this countries youth and companies in the outdoor industry such as ours.”

The 2010 National Scout Jamboree runs July 26th - August 4th.

From the Wenonah Inbox: Waiting Patiently

I am an efficiency freak when it comes to tripping. I am the anti-traditionalist, the tech geek if you will. At one point in my career I was the guy who wanted to see the full Border Route in the BWCA in three days. Of course it took four but what the heck, Crane Lake to Lake Superior in four days? A lot of cool country to see. So now I have a family, I have a wife, a two year old and half the time I used to have to get fit and get loads of boat time in. That said however, my mantra on being light, nimble and quick has only become more relevant. I want a boat that will glide with every stroke, a boat that will haul easy as I am carrying both it, my gear and Tae's "Kiss me Elmo" over numerous 250 rod portages.

So my eyes wander over the new Wenonah Catalog and I come back to the old standby, the Minnesota II. The brain clicks, the history of the boat speaks for itself, however I want to super charge it. I pick up the phone and I place the order. Minnesota II. Graphite, Double Slider, internal skid plates please. I hang up the phone and begin the wait......

-Hansi J.

From the Wenonah Inbox: MFPJS2680678 - still tripping

We-no-nah folks:

I thought you'd like to know that the We-no-nah fiberglass canoe I purchased in 1977 has, like its owner, a few scars but is still very much alive and kicking.

The wonderful memories this canoe has helped create could fill volumes: Mississippi, St. Croix, Lamprey, Moose, Potomac, Hudson, Mohawk, innumerable lakes and even the Atlantic Ocean (Well - not far out but still)....so many more - places I never should have gone but "had to". We won races, we caught monster fish, we survived rapids, we took weeklong trips and portaged innumerable miles, we got close to and into nature that would not have been otherwise possible.

My boys learned how to enjoy canoeing in this baby and I took my future wife on a moonlit cruise in it that helped "seal the deal". We slept soundly under it in rain storms, used it as a banquet table, towed it on the beach to transport supplies, set it up as a fish cleanng station ...........so much more.

This long term love affair is something I thought you'd like to know about. I'm sure many others have felt the same way.

For anyone hesitating to buy a We-no-nah, I'd tell them it's a no-brainer. Just do it and enjoy whatever life you can expereince - life is just better with a great canoe.

My plan is to now loan her to a young boy who loves the outdoors. If he gets even one more good memory out of it - it will be worth it.

-Frank J. Priznar

PS. The subject is the canoe serial number etched into the bow. The etching seems pretty unofficial but that is the only ID I have now. I bought it in Madison, WI. It was one of two - and I know where the other is!