Canadian Open Canoes

Canadian Open Canoes, Cedar and Canvas Canoes, Drontheims, Cedar Strip and Plywood Canoes, Lapstrake Canoes, , Canoe and Kayak coaching

Customer Comments
GRP Prospector	Skerries Yawl	Cedar and Canvas	Cedar Strip
GRP Erne Tourer
Craig Butler. Belfast GRP Prospector	After hunting around for awhile looking for a reasonably priced canoe, we came across valkyriecraft.com. John was incredibly helpful and after we discussed what our exact requirements were, we quickly agreed to purchase a 16" fibreglass prospector, finished in ash. The boat has been fantastic in every way, it handles brilliantly in the water and its light weight makes it easy to carry out of the water. Every time it goes out, we get a lot of attention from people who have been admiring the canoe and want to know everything about it. When we tell them what it cost us to buy, they can't believe it. My only regret is that we didn't find Valkyrie Craft sooner.
Nigel - Derbyshire GRP - Prospector	I really never thought for a minute that I would decide so quickly which canoe I would have next, especially so soon after taking up this wonderful pastime, but after reading and re-reading a blog posted by Venture88, decision as they say, was made, a Valkyrie Prospector 16 GRP. After seeing pictures posted and perusing the website, questions of choice of materials and weight were not an issue, however, the aesthetics and beauty was. Each canoe is somewhat unique as John Wilkinson of Valkyrie Craft discusses at length such things as choice of wood for the gunwales and decks, seat choice, floatation tanks and free-board height, so you have a personal involvement in what your craft will look like. I chose a intermediate final gunwale height as the canoe is intended for single and multi-day tripping so had to retain some carrying capacity as well as carrying the occasional passenger/bow-person. I also chose to have the floatation tanks included as I'm not a big fan of air-bags and their subsequent invasion of space! For the wood I chose Ash as John advised as this would be the most durable and the same goes for the seats which are webbed, all of which are made in-house by John.The canoe handles and tracks exceptionally well, it turns on a penny and speed through the water is is maintained with minimum effort. It will easily let you drop the gunwale to the water but still remains very stable. These are beautiful craft, designed and built with affection. The craftsmanship is second to none and they're a joy to paddle. The price you can get from the website here you will agree is exceptional value for money for such a fine craft.
Withheld - Wigan GRP Prospector	John at Valkyrie Craft kept in regular contact throughout the build and was very helpful over choice of wood, built-in buoyancy, seating arrangements and the positioning of my kneeling thwart. The personal service provided was second to none, and you feel involved in the key aspects of the build. All woodwork receives up to 6 coats of varnish and is hand-crafted and beautifully finished. I still find myself staring longingly at it whenever I pop into the garage As well as being easy on the eye, the scuppered gunwales mean lashing equipment in the boat is a doddle. On the water the canoe performs gracefully, has a good blend of initial and secondary stability and can be easily paddled leaned over. It tracks well, handles efficiently in the wind and is capable of a good turn of speed. We have used it on lakes, slow rivers, paddled Grade 2 rapids in it and it has coped admirably, turning heads wherever we’ve been.Its sharp bows and a relatively low freeboard mean that the hull is not particularly suited to white water, but will do a decent job if you are prepared to put up with a few scratches. Like all GRP boats, the underside can be prone to damage on rocky rivers but the gel coat can be easily repaired should the need arise. The only drawback that I can see is that the boat is a little on the heavy side, presumably due to the inherent weight of GRP and all that sexy wood. That said, the yoke is well crafted and once on the shoulders, the boat feels solid. In response to customer demand, John has since changed the GRP layup weight and now produces them over 4kg lighter. If you’re after something that stands out from the crowd, is lovingly put together to your exact specification and is a joy to paddle, give John a call. You won’t be disappointed.
Jim Frizelle Principal (North Coast Integrated College) GRP Prospector (Two)	The college purchased two GRP prospectors from John so that we could provide canoeing as part of our Sports Science course at GCSE and A level. We purchased the boats before John began his commercial venture and they were used over a five year period, only recently being sold on due a change in the college curriculum. We asked John to fit them out as simply and robustly as possible. We were very satisfied with the price and the quality of the boats. They held up well to the wear and tear of the course and the heavy use and abuse that students are inclined to deal out. Should we be able to provide a similar course in the future we would certainly go back to Valkyrie Craft because of the personal service, quality of boats and price.
Frank Mongan Derry Skerries Yawl	As a recent recipient of a new Drontheim sailing boat my one regret is not having the opportunity to get one before this. It has been a great experience to take this boat and sail it on the North and West coasts of Ireland, not to mention Lough Erne in Fermanagh. The Drontheim is a great boat to sail, not only for the fact that it goes well on a beat but that it looks so good as well. People will recognise the boat and if they don’t then they will ask about its pedigree. Yes, it is a fibreglass mould taken from an original wooden Drontheim but thanks to John Wilkinson of Valkyrie Craft, my boat has a very traditional look because it is finished in the traditional style using local Larch. I am very pleased with the result because the wood in the boat gives it a look and smell that reminds me of a by-gone era, which is the reason we wish to maintain this maritime heritage. On John’s advice the wood was treated with a mixture of linseed oil and clear cuprinol, which, as well as preserving and feeding the timber, leaves the wood looking natural and has a beautiful aroma from the oil when the covers are taken off. I can now look forward to future sailing seasons and the opportunities to attend traditional rallies where the Drontheim will blend in with other traditional crafts.
The Galloway Loons.. Cedar and Canvas 16'	The red cedar and canvas canoe on the Valkyrie website is my wife's! It was a very special present for a significant birthday. After searching the net for any UK based canoe makers who might have made cedar and canvas canoes (and failed) and having dismissed the idea of importing one due to cost, I approached John in the late spring of 2007 to see if he might be able to make one (having been impressed with his cedar strip boats). ......He started the project in August 2007................in March last year he delivered an absolutely stunning looking craft, which not only looks good but paddles really well too - it's a great credit to John's skills as a boat builder.
Withheld Cedar strip 14'	My little boat is beyond belief. A work of art at a bargain price. John keep me informed with pictures as the build progressed and his personal commitment to me and to the boat showed from our first contact! I doubt I will ever need to, but I'd go back to John for another boat.... maybe I should have gone for the Cedar and Canvas!!
Frank Dobbs GRP Erne Tourer	I bought an green Erne Tourer from Valkyrie Craft in November 2007. It cost £100 less than the list price because it was seconds (some scratches on hull from storage). John Wilkinson (who is Valkyrie Cracft) also fitted a Solway Dory 44 sq.ft. Bermuda sailing rig, leeboard and rudder for me. The gunwales, seats and bow and stern fillets are in ash. The overall appearance and general build quality is beautiful. The wood is preserved with several coats of high grade marine varnish and there is black waterproofing medium under the gunwales and fillets to give extra protection from moisture. The glassfibre hull is mirror smooth, reducing friction through the water, and stiffer resulting in a fast positive response to paddle strokes. The Erne Tourer is slightly wider than most canoes (3 foot 3 inches rather than 3 foot) and so is more stable and can carry more passengers or gear. Two adults and two children would be possible. It can actually float one ton of cargo ! However this means that it takes a bit more energy to paddle it and it won't go as fast as a slimmer canoe, so if you want to do a lot of solo paddling you would need to be quite fit. I got it in order to sail it whenever possible and paddle only a little.