Ive hear that kevlar canoes are fragile. How tough are Souris River Canoes in kevlar?
A. Very tough. Unlike intentionally stiffened, racing kevlar canoes with the usual foam core in the bottom of the canoe (usually a diamond-shaped piece in the floor of the canoe), Souris Rivers are built from the ground up to withstand normal-use impacts while in everyday use. Most of the rest of the canoe building world is pursues stiffer, more rigid hull designs which makes for efficient paddling. While ultimate efficiency is great for racing, obstacles in the water tend to beat up canoes that have stiff, unforgiving hulls. Knowing that the majority of the paddling world is looking for lighter, stable canoes, Souris River developed a canoe hull system that when made with epoxy resin can flex on demand. A hull that flexes only when you need it to flex, provides a user-friendly canoe for common, everyday paddlers that still travels with very good efficiency in the water yet can tackle obstacles that would damage an ordinary kevlar canoe.
