DY Special

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DY Special Description

The DY Special is a canoe brought to you by Sawyer Canoes. Read DY Special reviews or submit your own review to share with the paddling community. Check out a few other canoe recommendations below or explore all canoes to find the perfect one for you!

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DY Special Reviews

Read reviews for the DY Special by Sawyer Canoes as submitted by your fellow paddlers. All of the reviews are created and written by paddlers like you, so be sure to submit your own review and be part of the community!

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4

I've had a DY Special…

Submitted by: paddler237099 on 9/8/2016
I've had a DY Special Goldenglass for about 5 years now. Bought it used with wooden trim. The trim is shot and was very poorly 'restored' by the previous owner, but the old girl has held together like a champ. At 6' and 275lbs I'm over the weight limit for this boat but have never encountered any issues.

The boat is FAST and tracks like a champ but turns like a freight train (not surprising at over 17'). A heavy lean helps the turn but going through some of the windy Adirondack streams I like to explore can be a little challenging at times.

A little heavy and unwieldy for portages with no good yoke built in, I'm considering buying a removable yoke.

All in all a great canoe. I paid $150 for it and it was worth every penny.

5

Me: 5'7, 180lbs. I've had it…

Submitted by: peedeekayak on 11/25/2014
Me: 5'7, 180lbs. I've had it a little over a year, and the DY Special is a blast to paddle. Although it is a little big for me, it's easy to get up to speed and cruises with great glide. I have the "Goldenglass" layup which weighs 49 lbs. I love the height adjustable seat, though I've only used the lowest setting.

It tracks on rails, but will turn decently with a substantial lean. It works well with both a bent shaft or straight canoe paddle. But I prefer a long kayak paddle going upstream in a strong current or canoe.

Primary stability is very good, and it can be leaned over to the gunwales smoothly. Its pretty easy to cartop, and I usually carry it on my shoulder, like a kayak. The tractor seat is comfortable, and still in good shape for a 1983 boat. The hull and aluminum gunwales are also solid, like a much younger boat. It has enough room for extended camping, though I've yet to try it. The narrow sides prevent loading anything wide, however, so that's something to keep in mind while packing.

I only had it out in mild rapids and large lakes and rivers with moderate wind, which were no problem. She was a bit squirelly in following seas and Class II rapids, but didn't take on water.

All in all a great boat to go fast in, for touring, rec racing or workouts. She's stable enough for fishing and photography. An excellent solo canoe.

5

I built a wood strip DY Special in '08. The hull is western…

Submitted by: paddler233764 on 8/16/2010
I built a wood strip DY Special in '08.
The hull is western Red cedar with 3.25 oz cloth in and out, all mahogany trim.. It weighs 31 Lbs. The boat is a joy to paddle or carry. It could use more secondary stability, but that would spoil the lines. I have used this boat for extended wilderness trips in the Adirondacks and daily training, it does it all. This boat is everything I ever wanted in a solo sit 'n' switch!!
5

I've owned 2 DY's over a…

Submitted by: paddler232616 on 6/3/2008
I've owned 2 DY's over a twenty year times span and still will take my DY no. 2 for either a river run, both up and down stream, or for an extended trip in Boundary Waters despite it's near 40 lb. weight. My kevlar ultra-lite Voyager hangs in the garage and is gathering dust.
4

Great boat to paddle and work…

Submitted by: paddler230962 on 2/21/2005
Great boat to paddle and work out in. Fast as it looks. I am about 200 lbs. and the boat will almost fly.
4

Great to look at and great to…

Submitted by: paddler230361 on 9/17/2003
Great to look at and great to paddle. Very fast, surprisingly seaworthy, and tracks like it's on rails. Two complaints...reluctant to turn unless you lean it which is not a problem unless you have gear loose on board that may shift....and gunwhales are so narrow you may have to downsize your gear ie. coolers and tackle boxes may be a awfully tight fit. A good workout boat.
4

I've had my DY for 6 years. I…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 8/23/2001
I've had my DY for 6 years. I have the kevlar foam-cored layup with gel-coat. This is a fantastic canoe. I use it primarily for fishing and just getting out on the water and getting a little exercise. It tracks great with excellent speed and glide but is still stable enough to use for fishing. I've waited to write a review until I'd tripped with it. Having now done that, I'm even more impressed with the craft. It easily handled the 250 lbs of paddler and gear. It even handled two foot whitecaps on a large lake. For the vast majority of lake paddling, you don't need more depth than this canoe gives you. I owned a deeper We-no-nah that had more capacity but was a bear to control in the wind. The only drawback to the canoe is that it is awfully squirrely with following seas. The four-way seat is the best solo design I've seen. I don't understand why its not the standard of the industry.
5

This boat is a lot of fun! So…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 7/17/2000
This boat is a lot of fun! So far, it's the fastest boat I've paddled on flat water. Initial stability may not feel so good to an unexperienced paddler, however, this boat can teach much about paddling. It tracks very well and allows you to experience a FAST canoe. There are three seat height positions as well as sliding to adjust the trim. I had to replace the lexan seat in mine with a different plastic after it cracked but not a big issue. I've also carried a good amount of cargo in this boat. When camping for a few days and was able to outpace tandem kevlar companions. I wouldn't recommend for windy areas or an unexperienced paddler.
5

This boat very good on…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 4/2/2000
This boat very good on flatwater rivers. will handle class 2 water. On lakes it holds course nicely. You can carry a weeks worth of camping equipment. Mine is goldenglass 50lbs.
5

A great ex-racer turned…

Submitted by: paddler228189 on 7/20/1999
A great ex-racer turned recreation solo. If you see one for sale, buy it. It is especially suited for larger paddlers.