ESQUIF PROSPECTEUR 17

PROSPECTEUR 17

This boat has excellent dryness and carrying capacity in addition to superior whitewater performance. It is the boat for the great Arctic rivers such as the Nahanni, Mountain and Hood and offers predictability, dryness and stability for short river trips. It also has excellent cruising speed for flat water.

Wally Schaber`s favorite canoe:

(founder of not-for-profit Friends of Riviére du Moine)

There are many great canoes out there that may appeal to your specific needs for weight, load capacity, price or performance characteristics but for me my choice is the ESQUIF 17’ PROSPECTEUR

In the 1990`s ,when Chris Harris and I owned Black Feather and Trailhead with Wendy Grater and Fred Loosemore we felt our programs needed a high volume, extremely tough canoe with canoe tripping whitewater performance characteristics and the ability to nest a 16`6 canoe inside. Following the advice of Bill Mason we chose the lines of the 17’ Chestnut Prospector Canoe to modify into a royalex friendly mold  and build in limited numbers.

It was Jacques Chasse at Esquif canoes that really launched the mass production of this canoe then saved it with the invention of T-Formex  in 2014 ,when Royalex stopped production.

The 17` Prospector at 35” wide and 15.5” deep is rated for carrying a load of 1000 pounds . “There have been many times at the start of the Nahanni, Coppermine, Mountain or other long NWT Trips where the guides canoe was loaded for a day or two with over 1000  pounds ; four barrels , a wannigan, a canoe pack, two people and all the loose gear that wouldn’t fit in the clients canoes”

With 8.9 cm of rocker the Prospector has the ability to turn nicely into an Eddy,Ferry smoothly across the current yet track in a straight line with or against the wind while loaded. An Esquif Canyon will nest inside for Twin Otter Flights.

Its not light at 76 pounds before custom accessories are added but you are  choosing this canoe primarily for its toughness, reliability and load capacity.

Friends of Riviere du Moine rents exclusively Esquif 17` Prospecteur Canoes with yokes, knee pads, air bags and skid plates for Dumoine River Canoe Trips.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Construction : T-Formex
Length : 5.18 m (17’)
Width : 88.9 cm (35”)
Depth : 39.4 cm (15 ½”)
Shape : Rounded
Rocker : 8.9 cm (3 ½”) bow and stern
Gunwale : Vinyl
Couleur : Red
Weight : 34.47 kg (76 lbs)
Carrying capacity : 455 kg (1000 lb)
Seats : Webbed seats
Option : Wood gunwale

T-FORMEX

T-Formex is a high tech laminated material consisting of an ABS foam core, ABS sheets, and a protective outer plastic skin. Its resistance to abrasion and heavy impacts make it an excellent material for recreational, whitewater, and expedition canoes. Once heated and molded, T-Formex sheets form a hull that has an unmatched structural memory. So even after being folded around a rock, an Esquif T-Formex canoe will return to its original shape with minimal distortion. Stronger than fibreglass and lighter than polyethylene, T-Formex gives Esquif’s designers a material with superior characteristics.