StarFire

The last StarFire? Well, maybe not.
As some of you know I drove over to Placid BoatWorks during our annual 4th of July trip to Lake Bonaparte NY to pick up the LAST STARFIRE. Severe, likely terminal problems with the mold made it look like the end for the StarFire model.

My new StarFire paddled even better than I remembered I had the opportunity to paddle a half dozen times in a friends StarFire a few years back, but none since then. It was light, strong, quick, very responsive... a real pleasure as I remembered, plus. Played a lot in the shallows exploring the marshes. With my 210 pounds, a few paddles, and a day bag (essentials, food, and water) it barely drew 3-1/2" of water. I soloed early every morning on glass lakes and later in the days winds. My 13 year old and I paddled the rivers and lakes a couple days. It is everything the MorningStar could have, would have, should have been with just the correction of a few dimensions. DY sure designs damn good hulls. Charlie and Joe do excellent job of translating those designs in very pleasurable finished hulls. StarFire, what a great boat, solo or tandem.

I was not going to write about it on paddling.com as it was to be the last made. No sense in wetting appetites for nothing... Well, I called Placid to ask about a fabric portage yoke for my solo canoe. Charlie Wilson mentioned that there was a chance the StarFire mold could and would be saved with a lot of work over the winter. So if you are so inclined check with them next spring, the StarFire might just be back in 2008.

A word about the rating: I do not like the ratings. Everyone rates 10, so if I do not then readers wonder what is wrong. Therefore a rating of 10. My actual rating is: This is the best solo/tandem in my fleet. And if a boat is not good it is not in my fleet at all.

Specs:
Top View
length: oa =15' (wl = 14'9"); length/width ratio: 6.0; weight: 40-45# (depending on seat options)

Side View
shear: bow 19"; center 13.5"; stern 17"; rocker: 3"/3"

End View
max 34"; 4"wl 32"; 3"wl 30.5"

Displacements
6" freeboard 750#; 5" wl 500#; 4" wl 370#; 3" wl 260#; 2" wl 160#