Bob Brown wrote:I got into canoe design because there were no good solo canoes on the market [...] The only solo canoes on the market at that time were by Gene Jensen, and they’re racers. Everything Gene designed is a racer; everything Dave Krueger designed is a racer. I wanted something other than a racing canoe and started playing around with my own designs.
I wanted something that would turn easier, number one; something that was more weatherly – not affected by wind nearly as much as the racers are and something that would handle waves better; and also something that was lighter.
Racing canoes, basically, are designed to fit the waterline dimensions that are established by the USCA racers or the pro class racers [...] I feel like the widest point on the boat should not be at the 4-inch water-line, it should be considerably higher in the boat, that makes the boat much more forgiving.
The interview notes the following Brown designs
- C.J. (Cliff Jacobson) Solo
- Ladyslipper (later Mad River Slipper)
- Fusion (Bell)
- Traveler (Bell)
- Rendezvous (Wenonah)
- Solo Plus (also Wenonah, but re-designed by Dave Kruger)
See Interview with Bob Brown.