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Nova Craft Bob Special 15

Versatile Solo/Tandem Day Tripper

If you are looking for a versatile lightweight canoe that excels at tandem day-tripping and the occassional weekend paddling trip away then look no further than the Bob Special.

Fibreglass Construction: £1999.00

TuffStuff Construction: £2,699.00 (RRP £2,999.00 - Saving £300.00)

Nova Craft Bob Special - Green

Nova Craft Bob Special - Tuffstuff Construction in Ox Blood

Nova Craft Bob Special - Top View
Nova Craft Bob Special being paddled solo on a river
  • More info
  • Features
  • Dimensions
  • Construction
  • Colours
  • Delivery

Nova Craft Bob Special 15

The Nova Craft Bob Special is an improved version Chestnut Canoe Company Original and is a very lightweight canoe well suited to solo tripping and casual tandem paddling. Available in a number of composite hull constructions with Fibreglass weighing 25.4kg and Tuffstuff weighing just 22.7kg! The weight makes car topping easy and it is a joy to portage to the water or between watercourses on long expeditions. The carrying Yoke has a small notch to accomodate your neck vertebrae when solo portaging, this is just one example of the attention to detail in this high-quality build.


The optimized hull shape, and width of the canoe, makes the Bob Special a stable but relatively fast boat. It is ideal for recreational touring and quiet stalking up river creeks and on lakes. The Bob Special is a fantastic tandem day tripper, with enough space to load up for a weekend on the water or even multi-day trips exploring further afield. It is stable enough for beginners but its edging ability also means that when a competent paddler gives it a go the boat comes into its own and shines. You can be confident paddling the Bob Special on tranquil lakes or down rapids which will get your adreneline pumping.


The Bob Special is a canoe that has a unique set of features which make it an enjoyable boat for new and experienced paddlers alike. Check the Features tab for a list of the various build and outfitting options available to customise the canoe to suit your own preferences.


Features

  • Aircraft grade Black anodized aluminium gunwales and aluminium reinforced ABS end deck plates.
  • Ash framed seats with nylon lacing.
  • Ash carry handles at bow and stern.
  • Deluxe sculpted ash centre yoke (In our opinion the best standard fit canoe Yoke on the market), shaped to spread the weight across your shoulders evenly and even got a small notch for the small bone in your neck.
  • Shallow arch shaped hull gives great stability whilst the slight rocker allows good manoeuvrability.
  • Raised ends and symmetrical design allowing for solo or tandem paddling.

Custom Options

All Nova Craft Canoes can be ordered with the following factory fitted options:

  • Wooden white ash gunnels with an oiled finish.
  • Kneeling thwart.
  • Colour matched skid plates.
  • Special Order colours available upon request.
  • Nova Crafts custom composite constructions such as Blue Steel or Aramid Lite
  • Choice of Webbed, Bootlace or robust ABS Plastic seats.

Please contact us to discuss any of these options in further detail, including prices and estimated lead times.

Dimensions

  • Length - 15ft / 457cm
  • Width - 35in / 88.9cm
  • Bow Depth - 21in / 53.3cm
  • Centre Depth - 14in / 35.5cm
  • Stern Depth - 21in / 53.3cm
  • Rocker - Minimal
  • Fibreglass Weight: 56lb / 25.4kg
  • TuffStuff Weight: 50lb / 22.7kg
  • Manufacturers Weight Capacity: 364kg Optimum weight capacity may differ - please contact us if you are unsure about the suitability of the Nova Craft Bob Special 15 for your weight

Other Construction Types

Available to special order - please Contact Us for pricing and supply times

  • TuffStuff Expedition: 56lb / 25.4kg
  • Aramid Lite: 40lb / 18.1kg
  • Blue Steel: 45lb / 20.4kg

Construction

Fiberglass

An affordable composite material with a proven track record of durability. Nova Crafts fiberglass hulls are among the lightest and most rugged on the market today, using woven fiberglass cloth to make a truly superior hull. Canoes constructed from fibreglass are great for recreational use and are a good choice for those wanting a lightweight canoe but are on a budget.


TuffStuff

A cutting edge proprietary composite made of basalt and Innegra fibers. Basalt fibre is made of melted basalt rock and Innegra is a fibre consisting mostly of polypropylene. When they are woven together into a cloth and infused with our high impact vinylester resin system, the result is simply amazing! TuffStuff canoes are a great choice for paddlers looking for a light canoe for extended flatwater tripping with more than enough strength to handle regular paddling abuse.



TuffStuff Expedition (TSE)

A more robust, heavier duty version of our standard TuffStuff construction. These canoes are an excellent choice for an expedition grade canoe for extended wilderness trips and some whitewater use. Stiff for great performance, incredible impact resistance and lightweight all in one canoe.


Aramid Lite

The lightest canoes that Nova Craft make and are intended only for flatwater paddling. Built by infusing Twaron fabric Aramid cloth with high impact resistant vinylester resin to create a canoe that has great strength to weight characteristics. Aramid canoes are a top choice for those only paddling flatwaters who want the very lightest canoe for easy portaging and car topping.


Blue Steel

A hybrid material of aramid and carbon fibre with a clear gel coat finish to reveal the truly stunning blue/black composite cloth beneath. Blue Steel canoes are light like Aramid Lite boats but are significantly stronger. Not only is the look of carbon fiber cloth very appealing but the carbon fibers add stiffness to the hull to increase paddling efficiency. Adding an inner layer of Innegra and infusing these hulls with high impact resistant vinylester resin makes a very rugged canoe. Blue Steel canoes are most at home in flatwater scenarios but have been proven very reliable on long river expeditions as well.


All Constructions Have A Gelcoat Finish

All Nova Craft composite canoes feature a gelcoat finish. Gelcoat is a resin that provides a smooth hard finish to a canoe. It protects the underlying composite cloth and acts as an abrasion layer. This can either be coloured (e.g, Green, Oxblood, Sand, Olive) to 'paint' the canoe a specific colour, or in some cases clear gelcoat is used to reveal the composite cloth beneath. Gel coats are suspectible to scratching, chipping and cracking if they impact a hard surface (rocks, slipways, pebbles etc). Luckily, gel coat is easily repairable, and coloured-matched or clear gel coat repair kits are available to remedy any scratches, chips or gelcoat cracks you may pick up during the use of your composite canoe. Sometimes gelcoat damage can look drastic if you have taken a particularly hard impact, but often any damage is limited to the gel coat rather than the much tougher composite hull of the canoe itself. Take a look at the Nova Craft Guide to Gelcoat Repairs for more info.


Nova Craft Canoes - Contruction Type Comparison

Colours

Nova Craft Bob Special in Ox Blood

Ox Blood

Nova Craft Bob Special in Red

Red

Nova Craft Bob Special in Green

Green

Nova Craft Bob Special in Olive

Olive

Nova Craft Special Edition Clear Colour

Special Edition - Clear

* Shown on a Prospector 16 with Optional Skid Plates Fitted

Delivery Of Composite Canoes

We offer a delivery service for Composite Canoes (Fibreglass, Tuffstuff, Aramid, Carbon) covering many areas of mainland UK using our own vans. Due to the increased risk of damage during transit, we are unable to offer a courier delivery service for this product range.


If you require delivery, please contact us with your address and we can advise whether a delivery service is available in your area.


Click & Collect - Stores Nationwide

We offer a collect from store service for the Nova Craft Bob Special 15. Collection for orders placed online can be made from any of our Canoe Shops UK Stores. For full details on our Click & Collect service, please see: Nationwide Click & Collect

Give us a call on 01726 862798 if you have any questions about the Nova Craft Bob Special 15