Marzan boats outrigger kit

price not too bad either @ $1,195

#1 Mon, 08/03/2009 - 1:45pm

Not easy to guess if the hull is good or not,
but if yes, iakos, ama, seat, rudder, etc... could be modified or changed pretty easily (the wonder of wood)
to make the boat better if needed.

#2 Mon, 08/03/2009 - 2:08pm

I tried contacting them about a year ago, thought it would be a fun project. Sent multiple emails and phone calls, never received a reply, think that they must be out of business. Too bad, might not be the highest tech, but would have been fun.

#3 Mon, 08/03/2009 - 2:11pm

I've tried also to contact them, but no answer.
Maybe their email is just wrong ?
A guy made one, and posted a review on another forum.
It was just in march. So I guess he got the kit not so long before that:

http://rivermiles.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1236481772/0

#4 Mon, 08/03/2009 - 2:14pm

I tried both their phone numbers, left messages, never heard back.

#5 Mon, 08/03/2009 - 3:48pm

This place http://www.clcboats.com/index.php is supposed to be coming out with an outrigger kit like the Marzen one. They are definitely still in business, but the outrigger kit isn't for sale yet. I think it's supposed to be about $1500.

#6 Mon, 08/03/2009 - 3:58pm

Jobofo, I just send an email to the owner directly (found his personnal address), and also one to the guy who written the review,
Let see if I can catch someone...

Amowera, thanks for the info. I receive the clc boats newsletter, so maybe I'll know when the outrigger will be issued.
Do you have more infos on your side ?

#7 Mon, 08/03/2009 - 4:49pm

1500 $ is a steep , for DIY ki tbuild that is not even close to the old gneration Oc-1 much less the newer ones.

#8 Tue, 08/04/2009 - 12:02am

It's steep, but it's also from what I've heard of this company's kits pretty easy to build, includes everything you need except glue and resin, and shouldn't require you to cut any parts. Also, since the 'iakos are wood I believe there's a little extra cost there from development and materials to make it easy and consistent to build at home.

$1500 is still cheaper than a new OC-1, and no it won't come any where close to the performance of a Pueo or Osprey. But that's not the point of this boat at all. Give it a few years and if this does well they might come out with a new, faster design.

By the way, I don't have any association with Chesapeake Light Craft, just happened to be at a meeting where this canoe kit was mentioned and thought it was a cool idea worth sharing.

#9 Tue, 08/04/2009 - 2:36am

Good point. The fun of such a boat is not in performance,
just in pleasure... Building it/ using it.
And looking at this one, I could already imagine all the changes I can do myself to improve it my way. Wood opens possibilities, and is very forgiving.
And it's still a wonderful material for a boat, maybe the best...
But just not easy for a production purpose. A wooden Pueo could challenge a carbon one, but would just take a entire year,
and cost an arm to make.

#10 Tue, 08/04/2009 - 3:24am

Heck I find that there are not enough hours in the day to paddle...and you guys have time to build your own ornament OC1's.
Storage is premium with me as well. That big boy will also take up some room when building

You are obviously well organized.
let us know how you go.

#11 Tue, 08/04/2009 - 9:54pm

one of the Key Ideas with the CLC boats is to create a "class" of racing, it is not intended to go head to head with Carbon boats, But could easily be raced against other CLC. I would not consider this and "ornamental" boat. CLC are very much designed to be paddled, NOT sit on a wall and look pretty. CLC has done very well in the Kayak and SUP designs,
In response to canoemaker, If 1500 bucks is too much money, I suggest you offer an alternative, Considering it will be the only boat under 2000 available, it can take out the kids, and it will do anything a 4000 boat can do, Just not as fast.
The sport of OC-1 racing is lacking one key component to larger growth, That component is affordable boats, The problem is that anytime someone suggest an alternative it gets compared to all carbon canoes and is put down.
The sport needs ENTRY level equipment, wood, Roto molded, and fiberglas designs need to be accepted and not compared to the higher end carbon boats.
One reason SUP paddling grew so quick was this exact reason, The consumer was concerned more about just paddling, Boards range in price from 500-3000, a board for everyone and just about any price range. At one point Costco had them, and inflatable designs are also available,

#12 Tue, 08/04/2009 - 10:41pm

OceanOhana, you said it all...
It's the same with bicycles.
You can buy a carbon one, 4000 bucks and enjoy riding it.
But you can sincerely buy a 400 bucks one, and do exactly the same.
Only top racers will feel a difference.
The most expensive will only make you dream you are Lance Armstrong for a moment.

Top of the line boats are great, but does the average paddler really need one ? It depends of each individual money, needs and dreams.
I would love a Pueo, I admit it, but I think I'll need to sacrifice a lot of things to get one.... Not sure I want to go there yet.
In Tahiti, you can buy a fiberglass homemade V1 for 1500 bucks. Simply cause the average tahitian don't have more money to spend... And almost all the tahitians want to paddle..;-)
No worries about the ultimate performances, it's just to train and enjoy the sea.
The better paddler I've seen in Borabora used one of these low priced vaa... And he was several minutes ahead everyone,
including the carbon guys.
I still remember how he explained me his paddling method:
"Just plant firmly your paddle ahead, then move your boat"...
It was like paddling in the sand, if you can figure it.

I am definitely one of these guys, who paddled during years, and doesn't really want to go into the only performance.
I just want to enjoy my boat, the water, the wind, and give my max. OC1 world definitely needs lower cost boats, just to catch more people, and I hope it's just a question of time.

By the way, I finally get an answer from the Marzan boats owner, and he told me he had a couple of kits in stock. His business is not down, It seems he just doesn't have a lot of orders, and he's doing something else (he's a boat designer).

CLC boats drop me a answer too, and told me their wooden outrigger kit was first announced for may, but they are just late... They don't want to give a delay for now.

#13 Wed, 08/05/2009 - 3:30am

I am really impressed with the conversation resulting from my request for plans, etc. Mahalo. I'm an older guy and used to race single rowing shells when most were made of wood. Beautiful just to walk into the boat house and see all the mahogany and cedar. More recently, had a conversation with a rowing coach in Philadelphia about the carbon, kevlar composite boat. His opinion: they are lighter and, depending on conditions, can be faster, but they turn over their stock of top competitive boats every three year because they start to flex, which means less speed. He had wooden boats, like a King single, that stayed competitive for twenty years.

#14 Sat, 09/26/2009 - 8:01pm

Great thread Richard
I love wood canoes especially dug outs. believe it or not they have a life of there own. we have a old single that still goes out frequently and had 4 people win on her and her name is cheers. it was made in the early sixties. I think it is the best feeling in the world to make a canoe and design one . if you can show up to a race and have a fast canoe that you made. Its a whole different race. I sure would have liked to do a couple of season's in the rowing shells.

#15 Sun, 09/27/2009 - 6:03am

Hey mulus, speaking of wooden dug outs, I just heard a story about a northwest coast canoe that is self righting and bailing. I don't anything other than it was at a museum in the Washington/BC/southern Alaska region. Have you ever heard of anything like this or know anything more? Because that is coolest design innovation for a dugout I've ever heard!

#16 Sun, 09/27/2009 - 8:24am

Anowara
Not really, but I could be mistaken. maybe the story grew. our North west dugouts are missing a ama,rudder,and deck... but are made from a solid log and get down to 40 pounds or so and look similar to a surf ski from underneath. but our racing has been handed down from generation to generation and one of the first things we learn ( at a young age) is to get back in and also to bail with your foot even while racing. as our waves get up to 3 feet at times and our bow is 10 inches or so. bailing is essential. At some races we have a tip over race where the teens or light enough guys,are signaled to flip and get back in, and some of them can do it in under 5 seconds or so. not old guys like me but some do.

#17 Sun, 09/27/2009 - 5:55pm

MBT based on the barefoot Masai foot strength. Shoe flaw #1. Why base your whole premise on a shoe when the people you base it on never wore a shoe in their life......

I emailed the marzan guy last year ( no reply) and there was chat here I think about their lack of response last year as well,

#18 Tue, 07/13/2010 - 7:21am

Lack of passion for the craft.....type of craft, style, etc.. may be the reason why effort is lacking

#19 Tue, 07/13/2010 - 11:08am