Chad Smith has close to 20 years of experience in light weight boat building. Having been fortunate to grow up in the Adirondacks around canoes and also work in a canoe building shop since his late teens, Chad started Adirondack Canoe Company to create light weight, durable and efficient canoes to take people on their own adventures.
Currently, Adirondack Canoe Company has four designs in production, a 10'6" and 12' solo pack canoe, a 14' solo canoe or kayak, and a 16' tandem canoe. Future plans anticipate designing more boats, and developing the niche market for friends and families need for adventure and paddling experiences! To obtain the light weight durable hulls, Chad builds primarily with Kevlar and carbon fiber.
Much of the water in the Adirondacks is remote - many lakes, ponds and rivers aren't conveniently located right next to an access road. A short hike through the woods often leads to those special ponds, hidden lakes and Adirondack gems. Put-ins and take-outs can range from sand, to rocks to mud, and of course the carry (portage) routes come in many lengths and a wide array of elevation and footing. Adirondack waters also range dramatically in size which means seaworthiness and paddle-ability cannot be sacrificed for weight.
Our canoes are designed to hold up and perform in these varied environments and provide you the platform needed to create your own adventures – from the Adirondacks, to the Boundary Waters, or the spring fed streams of Florida - whether by yourself, or with your family and friends.