C-Forum

Your rodeo is becoming one of the most popular OC1's in the UK with it alone almost, matching sales of Esquif's various boats.

In any case; as someone who paddled one of the first ones in the country for a while; can you get something similar out in standard PE like a [Horrified Gasp] kayak would be made from; Unfortunately royalex isn't suitable for the steep, rocky rivers that make up most of the real gems of UK boating;

Oh and can you mount sidewalls in your boats to facilitate fitting hip pads.

pblanc wrote:The crosslink poly disco stuff actually seemed to me to be more prone to abrasion damage at the stems than Royalex, and harder to repair.

I agree that the crosslink poly stuff is probably harder to repair than RX, and it's also heavier than hades, my OT Discivery Scout weighs over 10 lbs more than my friends OT Appalachian, which is essentially the same boat, but in RX), but the material is tough as nails. The thing is 13 years old now and has been mercilessy treated, running shallow ledges loaded as I was too lazy to portage, it's been dragged over sharp rocks fully loaded (again due to lazyness), ands ther hull of the boat doesn't show more than surface scratches.
That material is tougher than RX, particularly as far as abrasion resistance is concerned, by an order of magnitude, but, as mentioned before, REALLY heavy and, since it's PE, it'[s very hard to attach any outfitting in there.

TGG!

It didn't go so well.

After paddling Harold Deal's Shaman, I decided to order one agaisnt what my better judgement was telling me from what people told me about the new company. I own three Mohawks from Florida Solo 13 & 14 and an Odyssey and couldn't be more pleased with the boats or the old company.

I wanted to add a Shaman to the list and this is how it went...

I called on a Monday and talked with Richard, he said the computer was slow to start up and he would call me back in 30 minutes with a price quote and a shipping quote. Well 2 hours past, no call, so I called and left a message. An hour later he calls back and tells me he couldn't figure out how to work the computer. But the guy that does that stuff would be in tomorrow and would call me first thing.

Tuesday morning came, no call. I called and left a message with no return call. Tuesday night I sent an e-mail telling them my situation and that I was willing to give them another chance if someone who could answer questions and take an order would call me by noon Wed.

10am Wed. Sam calls, answers all my questions, so I ordered the boat. Told him I needed it by the following Friday for a weekend trip. He said they were caught up on builds and it shouldn't be a problem and it may ship as soon as Friday, but wasn't going to promise anything. That was fine and I thanked him to do what he could, but I did feel like I lost two days fom dealing with Richard.

Friday afternoon I called to check the status. They just started putting it together, should be done Monday and ship out.

Monday afternoon I called, Sam said they were just finishing it, but it was too late to ship. But it would ship out Tuesday, still enough time to have it by the weekend. Cool.

Tuesday afernoon I called, and Sam told me he got his wires crossed. The boat he was telling me about the whole time wasn't mine it was another customers. They now would have to form my hull and it would be another two weeks. WTF?

What about them telling me about the origanal boat that was well cured and how they are stiffer if they cure awhile. Then they wanted to ship me a fresh hull?

So I tried, but they dropped the ball. Just wanted to follow up with my personal experience with the new Mohawk. Nothing like the old.
And that was very dissapointing since I really liked the boat. So now my search for a used Shaman is on. So much for improved costomer service?

Mike

A hull design, like the old Dagger Dimension

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After having tried Pete's Maxim at the lunchspot during the NBP Armada, I have to say that a Maxim in PE may in my eyes even eclipse the Prelude as an OC1 creeker.

TGG!

I have not read through all the post here, so i do not know if it has been mentioned, but you may want to consider going back to the dealer system, so folks could touch and feel your boats. Possibly even have dealers with demo boats. It is hard to plop down the kind of coin you get (even though by selling direct, you keep your cost very reasonable) without ever seeing the boat. I know at one time Mohawk had a dealer on the Cartercay River in Georgia where you could demo boats, even though they were not a true dealer. Last boat purchase I made, I was very close to buying a shaman, but did not want to drive to Chattanooga to test it, when there were other boats right where I am, so I went with something else.
Prior to that i had 2 probe 11's and a maxim, so I was kind of a Mohawk guy. I do think you offer a pretty good line up of boats now, maybe look at droping the xl line, and keep the rest, and just add to it. Then just get out and do some good old fashoned shameless self promotion!

chriscanoe wrote:I have not read through all the post here, so i do not know if it has been mentioned, but you may want to consider going back to the dealer system, so folks could touch and feel your boats. ...

+1

I understand the simpler business model, but... You will only sell so many boats based on past reputation and folks being able to try out other folk's boats. Maybe set up a couple of demo centers around in partnership with dealers / paddlers. I'd be happy to host a few boats and make them available If not me, I can think of a more realistic option that would give you a location in the middle of SC...

In defense of Mohawks customer service, there is an old saying in business," you can get it cheap, you can get it fast, you can get it right. Pick any 2". They already have by far the best prices. The quality issues are really no more of a concern than with there compitetion, so that leaves out the ability to get your boat as fast as most of us would like. Keeping a stock of boats on inventory would be too costly, espicially when yu cnsider the different options that are avaliable and the number of models they have. Once again this is where a dealer system would help them, because the dealers could inventory there boats. Just my .02

What about Kevlar? Lightweight and infinetly and easily repairable.
Saw an old Mad River Kevlar Twister on the river recently. It moved beautifully.
Vince
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