Who’s coming in 2025
As we receive confirmation from various manufacturers that they will be coming to the 2025 Rendezvous, we’ll let you know that here.
Hemlock Canoe Works –
Once again Hemlock heads the list of our attendees. Dave and Carol Curtis have been at the forefront of innovation in canoe design and construction for decades, originally as Curtis Canoe in the early years, and as Hemlock Canoe since the later 90’s. Any number of now-classic designs originated with Curtis/Hemlock, and that spirit lives on with the current Falcon series, Eagle and Eaglet, Nessmuk, Shaman, and SRT. As many of you know, Dave and Carol retired last year, and have passed Hemlock into the capable hands of Matt and Sam Cassavaugh, who will carry the legacy forward. www.hemlockcanoe.com will give you details on their current models, and there are links to some very nice youtube videos of Hemlock boats on the water. And yes, we expect Dave and Carol to be with us too, retirement notwithstanding…
Savage River
…will be at the Rendezvous. John Diller and Savage River have been long-time supporters of the Rendezvous, and we’re always delighted to have them back each year. Savage River has a long and storied reputation for building first rate racing canoes. They also have an extensive recreational line of solo and tandem canoes in their line-up. Among those are included the Deep Creek, Blackwater, and the Marc Ornstein designed Illusion, June Bug, and Harmony. Check their website www.savageriver.com for details and specs on all of Savage River’s offerings, and come meet Savage River at the Rendezvous.
Three Rivers Chapter – WCHA
Our regional Three Rivers Chapter of the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association will once again be a part of the Rendezvous. They have been with us from the beginning, and always have a couple of beautifully restored vintage wood/canvas canoes on hand. TRC and WCHA are dedicated to not only preserving these fine craft for their own sake, but also in preserving a part of the long history of which our contemporary canoes are a part.
Stewart River Boatworks
We expect that Alex Comb, of Stewart River Boatworks, will be joining us at the Rendezvous this year. Alex has been hand crafting his beautifully designed and constructed wood and canvas canoes for 4 decades now, and there are a large number of designs in his catalogue. You can see these, and learn more about Stewart River Boatworks at their website stewartriver.com
Noel Canoe (and Slipstream Watercraft !)
Back for the 2nd time here in 2025 will be one of the newest outfits in the canoe world, Noel Canoe which is our friend and West PA neighbor Dustin Noel. Noel Canoe is a dealer of Grey Owl paddles – a selection of which he’ll have at the Rendezvous – but also, Dustin has just recently become a dealer for Slipstream Watercraft. Slipstream is no stranger to the Rendezvous having been with us a number of times in the past. You can preview Slipstream’s designs at slipstreamwatercraft.com As if that weren’t enough, Dustin last year obtained a small number of unfinished Pat Moore/Mike Galt designed hulls (along with a number of Pat’s molds) which he has trimmed out, and will have some of those on hand at the Rendezvous for folks to paddle and experience first hand a little bit of the earlier days when all this was still a-borning. “Noel Canoe – a Tribute to History”.
Redfeather Canoe
A manufacturer still sort of new to the Rendezvous, but only in a sense new to the paddling community, will be represented by Noel Canoe here in 2025. Let their website explain: “Redfeather Outdoors products are manufactured and owned by ORC Industries, a not-for-profit company whose sole organizational mission is to provide job opportunities for people with disabilities. After two years of development, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of perfection, we are thrilled to announce the launch of Redfeather Canoes…Redfeather is the result of a passionate team…coming together to reimagine an old canoe company. We have taken Bell Canoe and the old school way of wet-bagging boats and introduced our cutting-edge vacuum-infusion process.” Noel Canoe expects to have a selection of Redfeather canoes whose names will be familiar – Bucktail pack, Yellowstone solo, Merlin III, Magic and Prospector tandem. They’re into more than just canoes, and you can learn more about that at their website redfeather.com
