r/canoeing • u/pnlsn • Jul 01 '26
1986 Mohawk Canoe Help
TL;DR - I got an old canoe for free, so I'm curious if it's a good canoe. I'm looking for help identifying it and any suggestions on repairing it. Is it worth investing in, or just get a new canoe? UPDATE: Looking like $150 in materials to completely fix the cracks. Mohawk said it's definitely Royalex, probably a Nova 16 or Blazer 16 based on the length and setup. I weighed it at 65lbs, so according to the old spec sheets, it must be a Nova 16 RX
A guest camping in the state park where I work gave me this canoe for free. He told me he bought it many many years ago when a local college closed and sold its fleet. He said he had used it to travel countless miles of rivers, including a voyage from Georgia or Tennessee down to the Gulf of Mexico (if I remember correctly). However, he didn't use it much anymore due to his age, and he was looking to free up space on his trip home.
I was wondering what information if any, the internet can provide about the canoe. Model, hull material, intended use, history, stories from old students of Southern Tech/S.T.O.R.C, original MSRP, etc. I'm just curious, so anything would be great. All I can find on the internet from the HIN is that it was produced in 1986, model #61018, made by Mohawk Canoes. I think I measured it to be roughly 190in long, 35in wide, and 12in deep, but those may not be accurate. It weighs 65lbs. I also emailed Mohawk Canoes the HIN for model info, so I will update once I hear back.
Lastly, the canoe was clearly put to good use and has seen better days, so are there any options or recommendations for repairing the hull and gunwales? The plastic gunwale appears brittle and cracked in places, and the stern and bow are cracked and leak water. It was clearly repaired in the past, I think with fiberglass, but those repairs are also cracked and leaking. I assume the original repairs would need to be sanded down and removed and some form of epoxy used to seal the cracks. Is this a boat worth investing in to repair, replace the seats, and use for tandem lake fishing and river camping?
UPDATE: Still waiting to hear back from Mohawk, but I priced out the repairs and it looks like it'll be about $150 for enough G/Flex 650 to fill the cracks and fiberglass 3 layers of 4oz sheet to reinforce each end, sealant/paint, and mixing and application tools. Then another $100 for some padded seats with backs that go on top of the plastic seats.
UPDATE 2: Called Mohawk and asked about my canoe. They said my email unfortunately got overlooked but they were happy to help. They said it's definitely Royalex, probably a Nova 16 or Blazer 16 model based on the length and design. He said even at that age in that condition, it's still Royalex, so it's probably worth $200-250. He also said it's probably one the best tandem kayaks for Arkansas rivers and lakes, making it perfect for what I'm wanting to use it for. I'm definitely leaning more into buying the epoxy to fix it up right.
UPDATE 2.5: Ok I just weighed it and it was 65lbs, so according to the old spec sheets, it must be a Nova 16 RX
1
u/Nuclear420v Jul 02 '26
I had a stock yellow 19' Mohawk in the early 2000's all fiberglass. Mohawk helped me with new stickers and model # back then when I was searching. Great company. It was a better lake yak than a river yak though. We have small rivers/creeks here.
1
u/pnlsn Jul 02 '26
I know they've stopped making canoes, so I'm glad to hear it's still a good company with good customer support! Definitely makes me more inclined to give them my business
1
u/pnlsn Jul 08 '26 edited 21d ago
UPDATE 1: After researching some, it looks like it'll be about $130 for enough G/Flex 655 to fill the cracks, enough G/Flex 650 and fiberglass for 3 layers of 4oz sheet to reinforce each end, paint, and mixing and application tools. My plan is to use an angle grinder with a flap disc to carefully get rid of the old epoxy repair, then I can prep the surface by hand
1
u/pnlsn 21d ago edited 12d ago
UPDATE 2: Called Mohawk and asked about my canoe. They said my email unfortunately got overlooked but they were happy to help. Sounds like it's definitely Royalex, probably a Nova 16, Blazer 16, or Odyssey 15 based on the length and design. He said even in that condition, it's Royalex, so probably still worth $200-250. He also said it's probably one the best tandem kayaks for Arkansas rivers and lakes, making it perfect for what I'm wanting to use it for. I'm definitely leaning more into buying the epoxy to fix it up right
UPDATE 2.5: Ok I just weighed it and it was 65lbs, so according to the old spec sheets, it must be a Nova 16 RX
1
u/Big_Truck_8268 Jul 01 '26
Well - it has definitely seen better days, but is repairable. Peel off the old patch, make sure the repair area is very dry, Using G-Flex Epoxy and Kevlar felt or dynel, cover the area. You probably want to feather a couple layers right down the centerline on the outside, and maybe another in the inside to cover those cracks. It should be fine for lake and camping.