Rob and Amy Scharges had a vision of reviving the art of canoe building in Vermont's Mad River Valley, former home of Mad River Canoe where Rob had been a regional sales representative. In a barn just 150 yards from the Mad River, the couple established Vermont Canoe & Kayak in 2003, enlisting veteran canoe craftsmen Greg Wagner and Jacob White-Rogers to oversee production. The first model, the 16-foot Encore, hit the icy waters of the Mad in March 2004. Vermont Canoe has introduced two new models for 2006, the Tupper, an Adirondack-style pack boat, and the Sokoki, a beamy sport canoe designed by Jim Henry.
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The Encore is a versatile tandem design, a roomy 16 footer at home on lakes or in moving water. Ideal for family outings, it holds enough gear for a week-long expedition. The symetrical, shallow-vee hull configuration gives it exceptional maneuverability in flowing waters, solid straight-line tracking on lakes and ponds and excellent secondary stability. A great all-around canoe, the Encore is forgiving to the novice and rewards the skills of more accomplished paddlers.
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