Testing the Esquif Canoes Huron 15 Canoe and Werner Journey Paddle
Lake Canoeing 7 a.m. @ 32 degrees F., Cottage Lake , Woodinville, Washington
Esquif Canoes Huron 15 Canoe
Matching your timing with a pro photographer can be tough. But necessity is the mother of invention, so I made it happen and skipped a morning of work and drank copious amounts of coffee.
A good friend had dropped off Esquif’s new Huron Canoe the night before for me to test out near Woodinville, Washington, where we’d meet photog Riley Seebeck at Cottage Lake the only day of the week it was going to be possibly sunny. So we cowboy’d up and made the rendezvous, taking off before sunrise and paddling away on a moody cloudy morning on silent, glassy water, broken only by the wake of ducks and my hull lines. Here’s what we found:
Esquif Huron 15 Canoe Review
Able to be paddled solo or tandem, the Huron 15 hull is based off the Esquif Prospector, but trimmed slightly lower—which brings more splashes over the gunwales but also makes it more sporty and less susceptible to wind.
Immediately, this became a bonus when loading the light boat by myself the night before. It’s a boat my son and I can paddle, or I can paddle solo. It’s agile and forgiving, and it seemed almost like the hull knew exactly where I wanted to point the boat.
Learning the nuances of a new boat design can take a moment or two, but my anticipation of the needed stroke became second nature quickly. And the canoe’s lines meant each stroke was felt instantly. It carved turns right when needed and tracked when we needed to go straight. I can’t wait to try this boat on some mild moving water since it seems like it will be perfect for it—as long as it’s not loaded too heavily. And I’m not afraid of wind anymore as its low and sleek sidewall design prevents it from being blown off course too easily.
The canoe features an ash yoke and thwarts and webbing seats. And don’t worry about dings. It’s constructed out of rugged T-Formex (layered plastic with flotation and abrasion resistance), which has supplanted Royalex. (https://esquif.com/en/canoe/huron-15/ ) $2,099
Werner Journey Paddle
The paddle — both a carbon and fiberglass-bladed Werner Journey — was perfectly matched for the solo craft and size of the lake.
The first thing I noticed was its featherlight, buoyant blades. Each stroke seemed to lift upwards and then I’d immediately recognize the lack of blade weight. The blade has ample center displacement and a thin edge, giving it a quieter entry and exit from the water with each pull and correction stroke.
The feel of a warm walnut T-grip can’t be bested by composite. Accompanying the classy top is a poplar shaft, offering just enough flex to keep the joints happy while staying true and sturdy to keep the boat gliding swiftly and a stroke glide you’re proud of. Something is just so damn classy and reassuring about a handbuilt blend of old and new technology, bringing materials from both realms into an aesthetically pleasing package.
J-strokes and rudders seemed to have an advantage with a symmetrical paddle, and we shot up and down the lake making ripples and wakes and watching our breath. I’d suggest the fiberglass model for more durable applications. The carbon blade would be best for the slightly lighter needs with the longest trips, making performance and weight on every stroke matter … Fiberglass Green blade and Wood Shaft Journey $240 ( https://wernerpaddles.com/collections/canoe-raft-traditional/products/journey-1-piece-wood-straight-shaft ) Carbon Blade and Wood Shaft Journey $297 https://wernerpaddles.com/collections/canoe-raft-traditional/products/journey-carbon-1-piece-wood-straight-shaft
Behind the Shoot with Riley Seebeck
To connect with photographer Riley Seebeck, I got up early and drank lots of coffee. When Riley arrived I was inflating my Badfish Badfisher SUP, creating a mobile platform for him to shoot from. He got creative out there, and while the ducks didn’t want to cooperate the lighting did. The Jedi of photography hustled at every angle, finally capturing the fog and ducks by drone. I had taken note of his work at the North Fork Championships and after hitting up the Tilton River together a few months back, it became apparent that he’s mastered both lens and light; he captured what the morning felt like deep inside my heart, making a day on the lake look like exactly what it was: fantastic.
Photographer Spotlight: Riley Seebeck
Whether on bike, board or kayak Riley Seebeck is a multi-published, award-winning commercial and editorial adventure photographer based out of the beautiful state of Washington. Often seen in Kayak Session and Freehub Magazine, Riley has been shooting since 2016 and has built an extensive career photographing some of the world’s top athletes in some of the planets most unique landscapes. Although new to kayaking, it is all consuming for Riley with the textures of the water, canyons that can only be seen by boat and the never ending search for flow through rapids. Through these intimate moments, Riley continues to search deeper and explore further into the ways of capturing light.
Riley can be reached at: rileyseebeck@gmail.com https://flowphotoco.smugmug.com
@flowphoto_co on Instagram
