I am looking to buy a Sawyer canoe that the owner doesn't know much about. It is described as 16 feet long. I have done some digging and believer Sawyer only produced a couple of tandems in the 16 foot range, the Sport, the 190 Cruiser, and the Canadian. I can't find out much info on any of the three models.

It looks like it has a foot brace in the stern. It looks to be in good shape but it is a 100 mile drive and wanted to try to do my homework. The photos are below. Any ideas about what model it might be?

It does not appear to be a 190. That boat has a more gentle turn at the bilge. and constant flare. The one in the pic seems to have tumblehome. The 190 was not laid in chopper mat. I have a 190.

It would really be helpful if the seller could take a closeup of the interior. From this long distance it looks like chopper gun fiberglass.

But the pictures don't really make that clear.

the Saywer Sport is the most widespread canoe..
this is kind of a fun thread linking Sawyer to K mart.

? Tough to tell from photos, but it probably isn't the sport, which was a wide ride. Canadian was a short class downriver racer at 16.5', Cruiser 190 a flared hull at 15'10", so tape measure should help here. Either will be a nice hull for compact folk.

Although it might be "described" as a 16' canoe, I seriously doubt that it is. I've seen many used canoes listed online that have been inaccurately described, (e.g. a Jensen J203 with "oars" included, and a Sawyer Cruiser described as a "Tom Sawyer" canoe.)

Judging by the profile of the canoe pictured, it looks to me like a Sawyer Outrage, which was 18' long and was most likely manufactured around 1982, give or take a couple of years.

Both the Sawyer Canadian and Sport models had a single center thwart only. The canoe pictured above clearly has three.

If it is in fact an Outrage, it had a very short lifespan and was last cataloged by Sawyer in 1984. The Sawyer Outrage was essentially designed to be a citizen racer and compete with the Wenonah Jensen 18. As much as I love the old Sawyers', it definitely wasn't on par with a Jensen 18 IMHO. I had a friend that owned one in the early 80's and he used it for citizen racing and light tripping.

Also, because it has the older Sawyer logo and striping on the sides, I'm sure it was a "Goldenglass" lay-up, (i.e. Sawyer's buzz word for their proprietary Kevlar re-enforced fiberglass construction). Sawyer would not have constructed a chopper gun canoe and then put that logo and striping accent on the side.

Even their "value priced" Oscoda line used hand-rolled mat and fiberglass roving. I doubt if Sawyer ever made a chopper gun lay-up, a la American Fibre-lite. If they did, it may have been in the very early years of the company and before I became interested in their canoes.

The catalog pictures below are from a 1984 Sawyer catalog, but they're not very clear. I have a better picture and description in the old "Canoe Specialists" catalog. Unfortunately, I've recently borrowed that catalog to a friend so he could make copies, but he has yet to return it to me. Sorry!

For what it's worth, the white Sawyer canoe in the color photo below shows my friend Paul seated in the stern of a Sawyer Outrage. The picture is from a Labor Day weekend Kickapoo River trip. Please excuse the "short, shorts". It was 1985 and they were somewhat en vouge at that time! :-)

Hans Solo

HansSolo: "
Although it might be "described" as a 16' canoe, I seriously doubt that it is. I've seen many used canoes listed online that have been inaccurately described, (e.g. a Jensen J203 with "oars" included, and a Sawyer Cruiser described as a "Tom Sawyer" canoe.)

Judging by the profile of the canoe pictured, it looks to me like a Sawyer Outrage, which was 18' long and was most likely manufactured around 1982, give or take a couple of years.

Both the Sawyer Canadian and Sport models had a single center thwart only. The canoe pictured above clearly has three.

If it is in fact an Outrage, it had a very short lifespan and was last cataloged by Sawyer in 1984. The Sawyer Outrage was essentially designed to be a citizen racer and compete with the Wenonah Jensen 18. As much as I love the old Sawyers', it definitely wasn't on par with a Jensen 18 IMHO. I had a friend that owned one in the early 80's and he used it for citizen racing and light tripping.

Also, because it has the older Sawyer logo and striping on the sides, I'm sure it was a "Goldenglass" lay-up, (i.e. Sawyer's buzz word for their proprietary Kevlar re-enforced fiberglass construction). Sawyer would not have constructed a chopper gun canoe and then put that logo and striping accent on the side.

Even their "value priced" Oscoda line used hand-rolled mat and fiberglass roving. I doubt if Sawyer ever made a chopper gun lay-up, a la American Fibre-lite. If they did, it may have been in the very early years of the company and before I became interested in their canoes.

The catalog pictures below are from a 1984 Sawyer catalog, but they're not very clear. I have a better picture and description in the old "Canoe Specialists" catalog. Unfortunately, I've recently borrowed that catalog to a friend so he could make copies, but he has yet to return it to me. Sorry!

For what it's worth, the white Sawyer canoe in the color photo below shows my friend Paul seated in the stern of a Sawyer Outrage. The picture is from a Labor Day weekend Kickapoo River trip. Please excuse the "short, shorts". It was 1985 and they were somewhat en vouge at that time! :-)

Hans Solo


Salvaged a 73 cruiser that was in great shape except for a missing rear thwart and a slightly stove in side ....straightened that out when I got it last fall, and just threw in temporary thwart, and a meditation seat in center so I could paddle it fore winter Set in...great boat, in love after 3 solo/2tandem paddles...

Would love to have the beam at the rear thwart so I could put her back to new

Get the HIN #. Someone might be able to tell you the model from it.

I'm only here to kill the quote. :)

i have a saw09865m81j 17 footer bow sticker reads the Oscoda. i think the m is for mat. the inside looks like a close up of burlap. less than 50#. beat to hell for 80 dollars. probably the only one in south Alabama. it's a keeper!!