1995 Edition
Canoesfor Virginia
Everything Virginia’s oldest paddlesports shop knew about choosing a boat, printed in 1995 and set again for reading now.
Archival reproduction. Every word, figure and photograph below is from the 1995 printed guide. Prices, telephone numbers and model years are historical — Farmville’s area code has since changed from 804 to 434, and most of these hulls are long out of production. Nothing here has been updated; only the setting is new.
Appomattox River Company
Appomattox River Company is Virginia’s oldest and largest canoe and kayak specialty store. Established in 1977, we have a long history of supplying paddlers with the best boats and accessories.
Since we sell only paddle craft and accessories, we can buy in large quantities, take advantage of discounts, and pass considerable savings on to you. Compare our prices. They are the best you will find any time of year.
Appomattox River Company is located in historic Farmville, Virginia, on the banks of the Appomattox River. We are one hour from Richmond and Lynchburg and well within a day’s drive of Washington, DC, Tidewater, and the major North Carolina metropolitan markets.
Appomattox River Company maintains a huge selection of boats from top manufacturers. We usually have over 400 boats in stock. See our partial list on the following pages. In addition, we can order just about any boat you want. Our boats are kept in warehouses; not in the baking sun.
All of our employees are paddlers, averaging over 500 miles per year on the water. They are knowledgeable of models, the various types of paddling, repair, and the proper accessories to buy.
Warranty problems on our top quality boats are very rare. We offer manufacturer warranties on our boats and, because of our purchasing power, can work with manufacturers to correct problems.
Many of our boats are shipped to us in kit form and expertly assembled by our staff. We are Old Town’s only factory authorized assembly station and our work is covered by the Old Town warranty. In addition, we can custom assemble and outfit your boat for whitewater, lake paddling, or family use.
“All of our employees are paddlers, averaging over 500 miles per year on the water.”
Choosing a canoe
Buying a canoe is a difficult decision. There are hundreds of models to choose from. There are a wide variety of materials. There are many styles of boats.
The first step to take is to determine how you will use your boat. Will it be for lake paddling? Will you float rivers? Ocean surfing? Expedition tripping? Whitewater? Fishing? How many people will you usually take in the canoe? Where will you store the boat?
Design
After determining this basic information, give some thought to design. With canoes, carefully selected design features will result in a canoe best suited to your needs. There are three overall design features you will want to consider:
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1
Length
Overall measurement from bow to stern ends greatly affects performance. Generally, a longer boat is faster; a shorter boat is more maneuverable. Also, longer boats can carry more load on the average.
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2
Width
Measured at two points on the hull — the width at the gunwales is the overall width of the boat; width at the 4″ waterline approximates the maximum width of the boat as it normally rests in the water. The wider the canoe, especially at the 4″ waterline, the more stable it will be. Also, narrower canoes tend to be faster than wider boats.
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3
Center depth or height
This is the distance from the gunwales at the center of the boat to the water. At the bow and stern, another measurement of height is made. The greater the depth of a canoe, the more load it can handle. The higher the bow and stern, the more water it will shed in waves. However, deeper boats are more difficult to maneuver, especially in the wind.
Hull configurations
After thinking of the design configurations that seem to suit your paddling preferences, you should now look at hull configurations carefully. The diagrams below outline the various hull design options visually. Let’s look at them in a little more detail.
Keel line
Looking at the canoe from the side, the keel line is the shape of the hull bottom from bow to stern.
Symmetry & asymmetry
Seen from above — a symmetrical hull is shaped the same in bow and stern and handles predictably. An asymmetrical hull has different shaped halves; usually the stern is wider than the bow.
Mid-section shape
A cross section of the canoe taken in the middle will yield one of three distinctive shapes.
Above-waterline shape
The shape of the hull between the waterline and the gunwale, shown here as a half section through the side of the boat.
Square stern canoes
These boats are designed to be used with a small motor or to be rowed. Paddling them is more difficult as the square stern creates a drag on the boat. They are also difficult to back paddle. As an alternative to a square stern canoe, you can use a motor mount. This is an ideal solution for occasional motor use.
Hull materials
Made of glass fibers — cloth or mat — reinforced with plastic resin. The cheaper, heavier boats use chopped fibers sprayed into a mold, or mat impregnated with resin. These can be thick, but are not considered strong. Quality fiberglass boats use cloth laid by hand with reinforcement in stress areas; they can be made much lighter and stronger. Generally you get what you pay for — the lighter, more expensive boats are also the most durable. Fiberglass canoes come in a wide variety of designs, weights and colors. They are lighter and easy to repair, but more fragile than plastic boats.
A thermoplastic laminate manufactured by Uniroyal — an exceptionally tough multi-laminate of ABS plastic, ABS foam and cross-linked vinyl. A flat sheet is heated in an oven and vacuum formed into a hull, then hardware is attached to make the strongest canoes available. Royalex’s big advantage is strength and durability. Major repairs are seldom needed but can be easily made. Abrasion is the only real problem in normal use, and it can be significantly reduced with skid plates. It is the best material for whitewater canoes or any boat used on rocky rivers.
A proprietary process used by the Old Town Canoe Company for their Discovery line. Powdered plastic is melted in an aluminum mold which is heated and rotated in two directions at once, forming the outer skin. A second layer of polyethylene foams when heated to create a foam core, and a third forms the inner layer. The resulting boat has excellent abrasion resistance. It is a little heavier than other materials, but available at very attractive prices. It can be repaired if punctured, though this should be done by an expert.
To summarize
First, decide what you want to use the boat for, when and how it will be used, and how you will care for it. Second, pick a general design that suits this use — length, width, and center depth and height are the three factors to consider here. Third, look at the various elements of hull configuration. These include keel line, symmetry, mid-section shape, and above-waterline shape.
You should now have a general idea of the type of boat you want. Here at Appomattox River Company, we have more boats in stock than just about any place you can imagine. So, we have developed the following chart of our most popular models. It lists various specifications, the suggested use, and a brief description of the boat.
Look the list over, mark the boats you are interested in, and then ask our sales staff for their input and for a look at these boats. We even have some demo models available. It won’t be long before you are enjoying your new boat from Appomattox River Company.
Choosing a kayak
Appomattox River Company has the largest selection of kayaks in the area. We carry three basic types of kayaks — whitewater kayaks, touring kayaks, and sit-on-tops.
Whitewater kayaks
Whitewater kayaks are designed for running rapids. They are rockered for maneuverability and are usually short (ten to twelve feet long). They are made out of the toughest plastics available for durability. The whitewater kayak you select depends on the type of river running you prefer — rodeo, big water, steep creeks — personal preference, and boat design. Our sales staff can assist you in choosing the right boat for your needs.
Touring kayaks
These boats are designed for forward speed and straight-ahead tracking. They have storage compartments for carrying gear on extended or day trips. They are longer than whitewater boats, fourteen to eighteen feet. We carry a number of different designs suited for short day trips, river paddling, extended open water trips, and everything in between.
Sit-on-tops
Sit-on-tops are the newest development in kayaks. The paddler sits on top of the boat rather than in a cockpit, and the deck is contoured to fit the paddler. Sit-on-tops are easy to use and are great for snorkeling, diving, sunbathing, and ocean surfing, as well as river paddling. Some are whitewater designs; others are designed for stability and ease of use; still others are hybrids.
Whatever your kayak needs, Appomattox River Company has the boat for you and the sales staff to make your buying decision an easy and enjoyable one.
The 1995 fleet
Seventy-three models from nine manufacturers, exactly as tabulated in the printed guide. Search it, filter it, or sort any column — the specifications are unchanged.
Scroll the table sideways for the full descriptions →
| Model | Maker | Type | Length | Width | Depth / Vol. | Weight | Material | Use | Description |
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Equipment & care
Along with canoes comes the need for a certain amount of equipment. You will need an adequate paddle for your intended use. You will also need a good, US Coast Guard approved life jacket for each passenger — we strongly urge that you wear, not just carry, these. You will need to carry your boat from place to place on top of your car.
You may wish to purchase specialized gear such as clothing, ropes and throw bags, guide books, helmets, spray skirts, floatation bags, videos, waterproof boxes and bags, dry suits and wet suits, repair kits, and more. And you will wish to store your valuable boat properly. We can help you in all these matters.
How to size a paddle
Shaft length, more than anything, will determine paddling ease and efficiency. The best way to determine optimum paddle length is to sit in your canoe and place the paddle blade completely in the water. With the paddle almost vertical, the top of the grip should be at shoulder level so that when you push the grip away from you, you will do so with your arm horizontal to the water. This gives the easiest, most powerful stroke.
Another general way to determine paddle length is to sit on the floor with the paddle upside down and between your legs. The throat of the paddle, where the blade and shaft meet, should be at the top of your head. Or stand with the paddle in front of you and the blade on the floor. The grip should reach your collar bone or the base of your neck.
Car topping your canoe
Often people think they need a short canoe because they have a small car. Actually, an eighteen foot canoe can be transported on a very small car if properly tied down. If you are only going to carry one canoe on your car, foam block kits work great. Four minicell blocks attach to your canoe’s gunwales and rest on the roof of your car. The canoe is strapped to the car using a secure strap system. These straps must be tight to avoid an accident. Ropes then are used to tie the boat to the front and back bumpers of the car. Using two ropes at each end prevents the boat from shifting from side to side. This type of kit is available at a very modest price.
We also stock car rack systems, including the excellent Yakima racks, for a more secure means of transporting one or more boats. Brackets fit on the drip rails or are made for gutterless vehicles. We stock many accessories for these racks such as kayak stacker bars, bike racks, ski racks, locks, paddle carriers, and so forth.
How to store your canoe
It is best to clean your boat as needed. A mild abrasive such as Soft Scrub works great to get rid of grime, water stains, mud, etc.
If possible, store your canoe under cover. Sunlight is the single most harmful natural element to boat materials and will have an adverse affect no matter what type of boat you purchase. If you have to store a boat outside, put it in the shade and use Armour All or another UV inhibitor to protect the hull. Covering a boat with plastic will cause moisture to build up next to the hull and will fade the gel coat.
Ideally, a canoe should be stored upside down and off the ground, on sawhorses. This avoids hull deformation. Always rack a canoe on the gunwales as they are designed to bear the most weight. Tie your boat down, too. Strong winds can move even the heaviest boat.
“Along the way, the boat will show this use. A nick here, a scratch there. That’s part of the history of you and your canoe.”
Parts, repairs & mail orders
Appomattox River Company carries a large inventory of canoe parts for repairing or rebuilding the upper structure of your canoe including gunwales, deck plates, seats, portage yokes, saddles, thigh straps, air bag fasteners, and more. We can also make repairs for you. Our staff is expert at taking an old hull and completely rebuilding the boat.
We have a daily UPS pick up and ship accessories routinely. We can arrange overnight service, especially to customers in adjoining states. Just call us and place an order using your credit card. All mail orders are filled immediately.
Boat delivery can be arranged, if necessary, by motor freight. However, this is not inexpensive, and we strongly discourage purchasing a boat sight unseen.
How to get to Farmville
Farmville is conveniently located. The original guide included a hand-drawn map, reproduced below, marked “map not to scale.” Beside it, the same routes redrawn as a schematic.
- RichmondRoute 360 west about 38 miles. Past Amelia, right on Route 307 for ten miles to US 460. Route 460 west to the first Farmville exit (Business 460), 2.5 miles into town, right on Main Street at the fourth light.
- Roanoke & LynchburgUS Route 460 east to the first Farmville exit (Business 460). At the third light, left onto Main Street, over the railroad tracks and across the Appomattox River.
- The northI-95 to Richmond, then as above. Or Route 29S/15S from Culpeper: Route 15 south to the outskirts of Farmville, Route 15 business into town, left at the third light.
- CharlottesvilleRoute 20 south to Dillwyn, then Route 15 south to Farmville.
(804) 392-6645 · (800) 442-4837
Canoe and kayak specialist since 1977
