Blackhawk

Blackhawk

Tandom (C2) / Asymmetrical
Performance Touring, Downriver Whitewater, and Wilderness Tripping Canoe

Overview

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This tandem canoe has versatility and efficiency. If you're looking for a stable canoe that has good cruising speed, this is the one for you. Designed by using some of the same basic concepts as our award-winning racing canoes, only wider, assuring good stability and speed while requiring less effort to get where you're going.

The higher sides and flared bow make it very seaworthy on a choppy lake or swift flowing river. The Blackhawk is 18' long, and with a 34- 5/8" water line, it has the capacity to haul extra cargo for a day trip or an extended wilderness experience. This canoe also meets the racing specs. for most recreational races with a 16% width to length requirement.

Whether you are going on a wilderness excursion or just out cruising around the lake, the Blackhawk will do the job well.

Technical Specs:

Length:
18'
Weight:
32-39 lb
Max. Width:
37"
Max. Gunwale Width:
35"
Height:
18" / 13" / 17"
4" Waterline: 34.5"
How to Order

How to order your custom built Savage River canoe.

  1.  Choose the model you want
  2. Choose a layup, that works best for for you, from “Layup Options”. You can click on “Layup Description” to compare layups as well as looking at the “Layup Comparison "chart. Our standard layup is the first one listed.
  3. Check the “Extra Reinforcing Options”, if you want to increase the stiffness and strength of the boat. These will be needed for rocky rivers and whitewater.
  4. Choose an inside layer. Details can be found under “Layup Description”.
  5. Pick your desired seat style.
  6. Pick any seat options as well as other options from the lists that you would like to add.
  7. If you have questions or are ready to order feel free to call us at 301-334-2335 or e-mail at [email protected]
  8. Payment:
    We require a $2000 deposit on orders over $4500 and $1500 for orders under $4500.
    You can send a check to:
    Savage River
    581Clifton Drive
    Oakland MD 21550

    We also take credit cards but charge a 3%processing fee.
    Balance is due before shipping or at time of pick up.
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Layup Options

Layup Description
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A plain weave carbon fabric is the standard for the outside layer. Backed up with Kevlar. It is tough and stiff. Good basic layup for C-2s and durable C-1s
Layup Description
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A lighter weight version of the regular carbon. Not as stiff or strong but lighter weight. Backed up with Kevlar. Good option to lighten up a C-2 with out sacrificing a lot of durability. A good intermediate layup for C-1s to balance weight and durability.
Layup Description
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Flat woven carbon that has a beautiful checkerboard appearance. The same weight as regular carbon with greater stiffness and durability. Slides over rocks and stumps easier with less damage. Backed up with Kevlar. The checkerboard appearance increase in durability is the big draw for TeXtreme, but comes with a higher price.
Layup Description
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Same appearance as regular TeXtreme with less weight. Similar durability but less stiffness as light carbon with a little less weight. Lightest outer skin we use. Backed up with Kevlar. Good for a light weight C-2 where light weight is more desired then durability and stiffness. Good option for lighter C-1s for balance between durability and weight.
Layup Description
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A little heavier and not as stiff as carbon but a lot tougher. White and black weave which gives a gray appearance. Backed up with Kevlar. Good for C-2s where durability is more desired then light weight. May fuzz up a little when scratched and harder to patch. A glass skin reinforcing is recomended.
Layup Description
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Same appearance as TeXtreme with a silvery/gray color. Same stiffness but slightly heavier then light TeXtreme but stronger because of the Inegra blend. Backed up with Kevlar. Good option for lighter C-2s and Mid weight C-1s. The beautiful silver checkerboard appearance is stunning but is our priciest outer skin. May fuzz up a little when scratched and harder to patch. A glass skin reinforcing is recomended.
Layup Description
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A non woven carbon fabric where fibers are oriented 45 deg from center line of canoe. This gives greater torsional stiffness and strength while saving weight. Backed up with Kevlar. Good layup for c-2s where you want to save some weight without sacrificing stiffness especially in racing canoes. Good tough stiff durable layup for c-1s.
Layup Description
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Woven Kevlar fabric with a fiberglass skin. Similar strength and less stiffness than carbon skin with greater weight and less cost. Yellow appearance on outside. Great entry level layup or whitewater layup with added layers of Kevlar.
Layup
Weight
Price
Carbon
Light Carbon
TeXtreme
Light TeXtreme
Carbon/Inegra
Textreme Inegra
Uni Biaxial Carbon
Kevlar
32-39 lb
1
250
350
350
0
400
150
-250
25 lbs.
000
000
000
000
000
000
000
000
000
000
000
000
000
000

Layup Comparison

Strength & Stiffness

Carbon
Light Carbon
TeXtreme
Light TeXtreme
Carbon/Inegra
Textreme Inegra
Uni Biaxial Carbon
Kevlar
Extra Reinforcing Info
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Glass Skin
A clear layer of s-gass on the outside to make a tougher skin and protect the laminate. Adds strength but also adds weight
Rock Guard
An extra layer of Kevlar under the foam core on the bottom. This will greatly increase the durability of the bottom when scraping over rocks, gravel bars and logs.
Expedition
One full extra layer of Kevlar. Adds a lot of stiffness and durability to the canoe. Great for extended wilderness expeditions as well as mild whitewater. This layup has been tested in rental canoes in the Boundary Waters with great success.
Whitewater
Extra layers of Kevlar are added with an s glass skin to build a very durable canoe capable of using on class 2 and 3 whitewater.

Reinforcing

Rock Guard
Price:
$125
Weight:
4 lb
Expedition
Price:
$225
Weight:
7 lb
Whitewater
Price:
$525
Weight:
11 lb
Glass Skin
Price:
$225
Weight:
6 lb

Inside Layer

Layup Description
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Basic inside layer for racing C-2s. Uni-Biaxial is lighter and stiffer then Kevlar or regular carbon. Used over the foam on the floor and over ribs. Color: Black with yellow between ribs
Layup Description
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Same weight and stiffness as Uni-biaxial Carbon w/ checkerboard appearance. Color: Black checkerboard with yellow between ribs

Seat Style Options

Seat Options

Other Options

Carbon Outfitting

All aluminum is replaced with carbon were possible. Thwarts, tubes and angles. Adjustable footbrace can not be changed.
Price $400
Small Carbon Deck
Description
Small flat carbon deck for mounting flash light or other accessories to. Bow up to 16" / Stern up to 11"
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Small Carbon Deck
Price
$35
Large Carbon Deck
Description
Larger flat carbon deck for mounting flash light or other accessories to. Bow up to 32" / Stern up to 28"
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Large Carbon Deck
Price
$75
Parallel Sliding Footbrace **
Description
Footbrace slides with the seat when changing trim. Slides easier than telescoping footbrace.
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Parallel Sliding Footbrace **
Price
$175
Telescoping Sliding Footbrace**
Description
Footbrace slides with the seat when changing trim. Expands and contract with the width of the canoe for widest foot spread.
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Telescoping Sliding Footbrace**
Price
$250

Outfitting

Testimonials

"My brother-in-law and I paddled down a good stretch of the Delaware River from Milford PA to just north of Philadelphia at William Penn's old house. We used our new Savage River Blackhawk Kevlar canoe which weighed only 34 lbs. it was everything we'd hoped for--both the canoe and the trip. We figured it was about 120 miles, which we did in three days. We did have a favorable if variable current (and some medium white water) as far as Trenton NJ, but still for a couple of older guys (69 and 49), an okay showing, for which the design of the canoe can take a lot of credit." - John Casey, VA
- John Casey, VA
"I bought a Blawkhawk from you several years ago and it has been great. I just did the complete Allagash system in Maine in 4 and 1/2 days so it really moves when fully loaded with camping gear."
- MA
Review on http://bwca.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=forum.thread&threadId=642840&forumID=15&confID=1
- Ragged
"Hi guys, thanks for putting up with all the emails from me over the summer, bugging you about everything. My wife and I just returned from two weeks in Quetico park (across the border from Boundary Waters). We had some really high winds and big waves and I would not have felt safe in my Wenonah MN II. The Blackhawk sliced through the waves nicely, the bow didn't bounce the way the MN II does. In Minnesota we drive as far north as we can and when we get to the end of the road, the Outfitter puts the canoe on a rack on their boat and takes us up to the border at Prairie Portage, Ontario. At the outfitter, everyone came over to look at and pick up the Blackhawk. People would yell to their friends to come over and see the canoe. They couldn't believe how light it was. One guy said, "I didn't even know they made canoes like that" Same thing at Prairie Portage, everyone was very impressed and people wanted to lift the canoe. One guy said he just hauled a MN II around for a week and he wished he would have had the Blackhawk instead. Sometimes when you are canoeing in the BWCA/Quetico, you hit a rock that is a couple inches below the surface of the water, you don't see it coming and the canoe slides right on top of the sharp rock and gets stuck. I was very concerned about this happening with the Blackhawk and, of course, it happened several times and all we got was a few little scrapes, no big deal. We also had a few rough landings where the bow scraped into rocks and again I was surprised to take a good look at the underside of the canoe after the trip and see how well it stood up to the tough conditions."
- Rick Cheney
".…(the Blackhawk) is a great boat and helped us to have the fastest time down the course."
- Steve Corlew, MI
Got back from our first paddle (embarrassing) this past weekend. I wrote up a brief trip report here: (Link at end) but wanted to write to tell you and John and the rest of the crew that we are thrilled with our Blackhawk, just so incredibly happy with the boat, the process, everything. Toasting you all tonight, thanks again!
bwca.com Brief Trip Report
Karl B. CT
06/06/23
Our annual island camping trip in the Adirondacks featured a new family of four and their dog to join my wife, brother and nephew. Their kids are too young to paddle, and the dog weighs in at 75lbs, as you might imagine, that didn’t leave a ton of room in the 17’ Grumman they had rented. Having never towed a canoe before, we rented another and took turns towing it to the island five miles away. The long weekend proved to be prime for fishing, paddling, hammocking, and s’more making by the fire. When we woke on Monday, sun and calm were replaced with rain and 20 mph gusts. Unsure of how to best manage the return trip to the marina, we scrapped the idea of towing. Instead, Tom, his dog, and his youngest boy, 7, loaded up a rental Gruman and I took the other with his other son, 9. My brother and nephew shoved off in their 17’ Northstar Northwind, and the lone women took to the lake in our Blackhawk. Tom and I bailed almost immediately, the wind, directly in our faces and the waves made it impossible for either of us to keep the nose facing forward. Lucky for us, there was an alternate marina downwind a few miles that we headed for, assuming we’d hitch back to the original parking lot. It was a harrowing paddle, but we made it with only a little water in the boats. A few minutes later my brother and nephew showed up with paler than usual faces exclaiming they couldn’t make it and turned back to join us in our bailout plan. The ladies were nowhere to be found. My wife has logged plenty of miles in the front, but our friend Emily has never so much as sat in the back of a canoe. Without cell service we did our best to hitch a ride to the cars and start shuttling people and boats back and forth hoping we could get a status report on the women somehow along the way. On the drive back the trees cleared a mile or so before the lot, and off in the distance, now protected from the wind, two pretty ladies, and one majestic boat. They made it with ease, the only boat to do so. This Blackhawk continues to impress. Thanks again!
Karl B. CT (2nd year of Ownership)
05/31/24