Kruger Canoes

Early in his career, Kruger moved from racing shells to marathon canoes to learn more about performance and efficiency.  "I tried to find a canoe better suited to the kind of paddling I enjoyed," Kruger says.  "When I couldn't find it, I started to build my own.  At first, I didn't know one end of a canoe from the other.  And I certainly didn't understand what made a difference in terms of design."

Kruger's criteria for success centered on his love of canoe tripping.  "I wanted to live in that canoe for a couple of years," he says.  To accomplish his objective, the designs needed to be stable, reliable, comfortable, and efficient.  Eventually, Kruger created a seaworthy hull at the expense of directional stability.  Adding a rudder solved that dilemma.  "For a traveling man, a rudder is the most efficient piece of equipment on the boat."

Advocating function over form, Kruger says: "My boats don't necessarily look like canoes, but the design serves the purpose of long-distance touring."  A rounded hull is integral to his vision.  "There are no hard lines on my boats for the wind, waves and whirlpools to get a hold of it.  I tried to build a canoe tough enough to withstand unexpected conditions.  You don't want rough water playing tricks on you."

Today, his favorite boat is a partially decked Sea Wind.  Already in its fourth generation, Kruger is experimenting with a deeper hull.  "The extra depth adds something to the final stability and helps keep me drier out on the Great Lakes," he says.