Savage River Works

Savage River Works is a canoe builder at 581 Clifton Drive in Oakland that has designed and handmade ultralight racing and tripping canoes for more than 35 years. If you paddle seriously, whether that means marathon racing, wilderness trips or lighter-weight family boating, this is a place to order a boat built to your own specifications.

Canoes, Kayaks and a Paddleboard

The lineup covers solo canoes (Wee Lassie, June Bug, Illusion, Harmony Solo, Blackwater 15, Deep Creek Solo and Blackwater), tandem canoes (Harmony, Deep Creek, Blackhawk, Susquehanna, Muskoka and Voyageur), the four-person Saranac, and racing hulls including the Racing C-1, JD Pro 2, JD Pro 3, Diller Pro 2020 and Corbin 95. There are also three kayaks (Loon, Falcon and Osprey) and the Edge, a 14-foot stand-up paddleboard for touring and racing. The tandem Deep Creek, named for the local lake, is pitched as a family, fishing and tripping canoe, and it is light enough to load and portage on your own.

How the Boats Are Built

Founder and designer John Diller has been a whitewater paddler, marathon racer and wilderness tripper for over 45 years, and his designs focus on speed and handling. The boats are built with resin-transfer vacuum bagging, using carbon fiber, Kevlar, a high-strength foam core and epoxy resins. That matters if you carry your canoe to the water, because it keeps the weight down without giving up stiffness. Each boat is custom built, with a long list of layups, reinforcement options, seats, yokes, footbraces, rudders and covers to choose from.

Ordering and Stock Boats

Most boats are built to order, with a backlog of roughly one to four months depending on the season. The Stock page lists new, demo and used boats that are ready now. You can order online, or call or email the sales team to talk through a design.

Get in touch before you drive over, so the team can answer your questions and check what is on hand.

Call Us!

• Website
• (301) 334-2335
• Email