Nova 16 Review Canoe

Nova 16 Review Canoe & Kayak Magazine May 2000 Issue

This is a canoe that grew on me. My first impression was shaky because the Nova 16 "flopped" a bit along the gunwale line when I first pulled it off the rack at the Canoe & Kayak storage garage. That always bothers me because I like a canoe to be firm and rigid in structure. Since all of Mohawk's canoes can be ordered factory direct, with many different custom features,* I'd add two thwarts to this boat in order stiffen the gunwale line, and provide a balanced solo paddling position.

We first paddled Mohawk's Nova 16 in Seattle's Montlake Cut, a concrete-lined "canyon" that connects Lake Washington to Lake Union, and a wonderful site for testing canoes because yachts moving through it generate angled, intersecting, confused waves. Paddled by a novice partner and with a sandbag to keep it in perfect trim, the canoe handled quartering waves from the stern without broaching or sliding off the waves - just a smooth corkscrew action, returning to course with a predictably stable ride. It kept us dry, too, and we had about 450 pounds in the canoe. The bottom flexed while we were under way, but that's characteristic of a Royalex canoe. On the water, I really didn't notice that the gunwales weren't as stiff as I like.

Later, four paddlers of differing skills took the Nova 16 down a stretch of the Cowlitz River, which was running high and fast. That's where it won my heart. Heather and I used bent-shaft paddles but we paddled the river to play. Frequent boils, eddy lines, and junction lines proved to be no problem, this canoe absorbs current changes well and slips across smoothly and confidently wit a soft ride. Although it's not a particularly large-volume canoe, paddling conservatively, we stayed plenty dry in easy rapids and wave trains. Although I see the Nova 16 as an all-around recreational canoe, I couldn't help musing on its river performance; it reminds me of the "whitewater" canoes used when I was first learning rivers in the late 1970's. Which is to say that although the Nova 16 doesn't snap eddy turns and spins quickly, it handles Class II maneuvers with aplomb and security. The bottom line is that at the end of the day, we were thrilled with the fun on the river, and that's the best measure of any canoe!

The hull of the Nova 16 incorporates accent lines molded into either end, which dresses up what otherwise could be a rather ordinary look. The central portion of the hull has an accent shoulder line with a mildly tucked gunwale. A practical result is a little narrower canoe in the event of solo use. End caps are designed for a careful fit, and it shows in the finish. Gunwales are plastic, with a mild lip on the outwale to help deflect waves and keep the canoe dry. The gunwale shape is squared, but I didn't find that I hit it while paddling. Mohawk installs a wood yoke with detachable shoulder cups, which are wonderful for portages, but we took them off for simplicity while testing the canoe. Mohawk also sent a foam solo pedestal-knee pad combination that fits under the yoke. It's a clever design that located the solo paddler just behind the center of the canoe for best trim.

The underside of the end cap has been molded to be a carrying handle. It's simple, clean and comfortable enough when carrying the canoe. There's also a drip hole in the end cap and I can certify that the Nova 16 drips less in the morning than other canoes when stored upside down on the car through an overnight rainstorm.

Mohawk has a way of incorporating clever design features into its products in order to solve vexing problems. Mohawk seats are hung from the gunwales using an aluminum plate, which is bent at the lower edge to provide a shelf for the wooden seat frame. The seat itself is webbed nylon (which I found plenty comfortable, although a slender paddling buddy did not, so go figure). This hung seat design generally is not easily adapted to a different height without significant work, but Mohawk mounts its seats using long bolts and a round plastic spacer, giving four configurations to yield four different seat heights. Seats are adjustable with a Phillips screwdriver, an open-end wrench, and 20 minutes of time. Other companies are mounting seats using similar systems, and I'd like to see other manufactures pick up on the Mohawk concept.

After spending more time in the Nova 16, reflecting on its performance, I would highly recommend it as a first canoe, with good potential as an only canoe. This boat sits in the center of the performance spectrum and it does well. It's stable, handles well, goes on rivers or lakes, carries a load, and yet is small enough for the solo use. It weighs a reasonable 62 pounds and is available at a reasonable cost. If your first canoe needs to handle rivers as well as flatwater, it will serve you well, supporting you early on and responding well when you have good skills.

A note from Mohawk Canoes: We find stiffness on the water more important than a little flex while loading and unloading. Weight is a major issue with many paddlers, and an extra thwart adds weight. As noted by the test pilot, while on the water, (even moving water) the boat was stiff.

But as mentioned, we gladly do special outfitting, adding a thwart included.