Since 1986, I've owned a 1984-vintage Dirigo 17 sea kayak. This unusual boat was made in Blue Hill ME by Dirigo Boatworks, a tiny shop begun by Elliott Speer and Peter Chase. I do not believe they had any previous experience with sea kayak design, but instead fashioned the boat based on a combination of canoe and melonseed elements modified to fit their idea of what might work as a sea kayak. The result was a 17-foot, 26 or 27-inch beam boat, shallow-vee hull, large cockpit, and pleasing lines. Heavy fiberglass layup, with attractive wood rails accentuating the boat's sheer, and a handsome wood cockpit coaming. I bought the boat as a distressed sale, and because I really liked the way it looked. The rudder was unique, in being operated by one foot only, working a custom pedal extension affixed to one of the Yakima footrests and working against a bungee cord. I quickly decided that this was a bad idea and got Dirigo to fashion a mirror-image pedal for the other footrest, and re-rigged the boat for two-footed operation. The boat had difficulty in straight-line tracking with the rudder up, so I've added both a stern and a bow skeg over the years so that my rudder use is strictly optional now. Despite its various flaws and idiosyncracies, I continue to enjoy my boat's reliability in severe conditions, and its pleasing overall appearance.

Dirigo never sold many boats, and Speer and Chase sold out to Mike Wigglesworth somewhere in the midwest, who continued with the design for some further years, before discontinuing the marque. (NOT to be confused with any of the current crop of "Dirigo" rec boats.) I've only twice encountered anyone who has ever heard of the boat, and have always been curious if there is anyone out there who shares a past with these boats? I continue to paddle mine, strictly as a winter/cold-water boat, and switch to my CLC Patuxent 17 (another extinct model) for the warmer-water seasons. Any other Dirigo 17 stories out there?

I have a Dirigo 17. I just purchased it from a former NY resident who now lives in Nova Scotia, Canada.It has the two-foot rudder controls.I would love to hear more about them.I am at mbwheaton@eastlink.ca.I live in St.Croix, Nova Scotia,Canada.

Hi there, D17! Welcome to the Dirigo 17 Owners' Club--so far it's just you and me. What year is your boat? You can tell by looking at the code etched onto the boat's stern (mine is on the starboard side). I don't know exactly when Speer and Chase sold the business to Mike Wigglesworth, so, unless your boat has an early date, it might have been made either in Blue Hill, Maine or in the midwest US. I've found virtually nothing on the internet when I punch in Dirigo 17, so what I've mentioned in my previous post will likely be all there is to know unless someone else out there can contribute further info.

I can tell you that, without a skeg, I found the boat absolutely would not glide forward in a straight line with the rudder up--the kayak would do a graceful 180 and swap bow for stern. As I didn't want to paddle any kayak that depended on having the rudder deployed at all times, I added a skeg to the stern. And as the bow does not have a good grip on the water and can be easily blown off when paddling an angle into a headwind, I also later added the bow skeg. Some may say, with defects like those, why keep such a boat? I did replace the Dirigo as my primary kayak with my CLC Patuxent 17, but have retained the Dirigo as my cold-water, winter, drysuit-season craft, due to its extraordinary stability. I paddle solo most of the time, winter included, and prefer the Dirigo so as to increase my margin of safety on ultra-cold water. And I make sure to stay well within my personal safety envelope. No heroics for me on the water, especially in winter.

Hello-I too own a Dirigo 17! I'm on my 2nd one. My 1st was destroyed by the U.S.Coast Guard.(Long story.) I only broke two ribs. The one I presently own is on its 2nd (refiberglassed) bottom. The 1st took me from R.I. to Block I. then to Montauk L.I.N.Y. and around it (L.I.) and back to my then home of Newport R.I..
While working on a 105' charter fishing boat out of San Diego CA. the owner of the boat had no problem with me keeping my kayak on top of the wheelhouse for the 3 yrs. I was onboard . It had been places no other Dirigo17 has ever been. The wildest was probably Clipperton Atoll or maybe the Revillagegidos I..After that I lived in coastal WA. for 2yrs. so I paddled around the San Juans a little. Now my second boat takes me around the Adirondacks , Lk. Champlain,St. Lawrence R.+Seaway,and occasionally back to where it all began in S.New England and Eastern L.I.. I'm leaving out places I forgot and some I'm trying to forget.
Quite simply I love my kayak and would like to join the prestigious Dirigo17 Yacht Club.
All the best, Bill Stahl

Bill, Welcome to the Club! In fact, with your history in the boat, you're now the President. My Dirigo, the White Whale, has only been as far afield from New Jersey as the Norwalk Islands in Long Island Sound, the Tappan Zee, and upper reaches of Chesapeake Bay. Please do fill us in with more detail both on your boat(s) and on your adventures in them, as well as why you like them. I look forward to more Dirigo dialogue, and maybe we'll be able to attract other members and stories.

Wow- Sorry about the late reply. As Pres. I've been busy. I've been busy duck hunting (in the Dirigo of course). Its also an amazing layout\duckboat . I'm looking for a used one lately with only one found so far.(Fla. , too far)
I'm not really sure why I love my boat so much. I'm a large hombre (6'2'',230-40) and feel comfortable in its lg. cockpit. The capacity in the aft compartment is nice also.
It easily holds a dozen decoys or a weeks worth camping gear. I can slide down and
''layout'' for ducks also.(covered in grass or seaweed of course) But one of my favorite things is being able to get out in adverse weather conditions when most people just head home. I've been out in some big questionable stuff with no problem.
Gotta go for now-Bill

I guess membership is open to me with my 1987 Dirigo kayak - has kevlar hull, fiberglass deck, and Mahogany? coaming

I am interested in how both the bow skegs and stern skegs were constructed - my rudder assembly is terrible! - has toe pieces attached to foot braces - lines at top of each toe piece thru deck behind cockpit (each side) around grooved disk to which rudder is mounted - flies high when out of water, pulls down by port line cleated just behind cockpit.

I've paddled in Casco Bay Maine - Inland quiet water in Maine, Cape Cod, and Connecticut, Long Island Sound off Connecticut, Fisher's Island Sound, winter as well as other seasons - love the stability.

Lee, welcome to the club! How long have you had your Dirigo, and what color(s) is it? I agree that the rudder does not equal modern standards in design or utility, but Dirigo was on to something when they devised the toe-operated rudder pedals affixed to the Yakima footrests, and I think other rudder systems are now using that same idea--too many people complain about the squashy, non-rigid feel of sliding footrests/rudder controls. you really need to have your feet well-anchored on immovable, rigid footrests in order to paddle efficiently and securely, and the Dirigo offered just that.

I affixed my bow and stern skegs permanently onto the hull by just sanding the gelcoat to roughen it and then gluing on the skegs with thickened epoxy, and using more epoxy to fair-in the angles. The rear skeg is quarter-inch plywood, the bow skeg is oak. The result is not beautiful, but I care only for strength and utility.

Later, I'll tell some tales about some of my early adventures in my Dirigo (nothing dramatic!)

Howdy guys- For what its worth I haven't had my rudder in use for 10yrs.
(anchorless+rudderless is my motto in life)
All the best- Bill

Bill, when you get a chance, it would be great if you could tell us more about your various adventures in your Dirigos. I'd like to read more about how you lost your first boat, and, for sure, about your trips in the Block Island/Long Island area.

My own trips have been pretty quiet, but my first trip out I remember well. In looking back at my log, I see that I acquired my Dirigo in summer 1985, and first went out in September with 4 others to circle Little Beach on the Jersey shore. We exited onto the ocean via Little Egg Inlet, paddled south to Brigantine Inlet, then played there a while. Heading more offshore, we ran into breakers over a bar, and 3 paddlers went over and came out of their boats. No problem, as the water was bathtub-warm, and the 2 of us remaining upright got everyone else back into their boats quickly. We headed back toward Little Egg Inlet, as the weather started to look menacing to the west. Sure enough, just before reaching the inlet, a nasty squall line raced through, with black clouds, high winds, rain, and lightning! We were a couple hundred yards out, and raced for the beach. We tied our kayaks together and huddled in the dunes, hoping for the best, as the winds became really strong and lightning was everywhere. After the squall passed, we re-entered the inlet and paddled past the old abandoned fishmeal-processing factory that sits on an island in Great Bay. The lightning had struck the old rotting wharf, setting it on fire, and the Coast Guard had a Zodiac racing around trying to figure out what was going on. Nothing much they could, or needed, to do. Anyway, we made it back to the launch site OK, and agreed that it had been a relatively busy and exciting trip.

Hey guys, I am on my way to go buy a 17' Dirigo, and have been interested in your posts about them. I really like the idea it is a vintage kayak and has so many quarky features. I am buying this one (which appears to be in real good shape) for $450.00. Hopefully soon I can posts some good adventures (with no broken ribs) to the site

Congratulations, Bill!! Tell us all about your new boat when you get a chance. The club has gained another member--Dirigo rules!

Here's another quirk I've dealt with over the past years--always had trouble with the sprayskirt not holding onto the cockpit coaming lip tightly enough. The coaming lip was just too narrow and didn't offer enough purchase, so I got some 4 mm plywood and cut 2 pieces approx. 7/8th inch wide and 20 inches long, curved to match the curvature of the sides of the coaming. These I epoxied right under the existing coaming lip., on either side of the cockpit. The sprayskirt always held tightly at the fore and aft ends of the cockpit--it was at the sides that it always wanted to pop off. The two added strips widened the coaming perfectly and the sprayskirt now holds securely. I have a Snapdragon, with nylon tunnel and neoprene deck. Maybe later versions of the boat corrected this problem, but that's how I fixed mine.

I bought the Dirigo, and am pretty excited about getting it on the water. It is missing the cover for the front hatch, which I would assume would be nearly impossible to find. I am hoping to find one of the same dimension that is used on another brand. Also I can not find the serial numbers you refer to on the bow. Quick further question...would it be blasphemy to repaint it to another color than a dull white? Also, there is no skeg or rudder on the boat, and has what appears to be mast base for a sail on the bow?? The foot pedals are stationary (haven't tried to adjust them), and there is a tube that runs out a "porthole" behind the kayakers right back area. I figure that would be where the cable would come out for the rudder? Thanks

Congratulations Bill! Just remember that you've not bought the "perfect" boat, but instead one with a lot of character.

I suppose that your boat has the standard Becton hatch at the bow; if so, you can probably get another hatch cover via West Marine or somebody like that, though you may have to buy the whole hatch assembly. The porthole and tube undoubtedly led from the rudder pedal once attached to the right-side Yakima footrest, to the now-gone rudder. There should be a socket at the stern where the rudder was once inserted. It might be a fine idea to re-equip the boat with a modern rudder. Regarding painting the boat, I don't see why you couldn't, but I'm no expert on painting fiberglass boats. The boat identification number and date of manufacture should be scribed onto the stern.

Have a blast getting your Dirigo into shape for the coming season. I envy your opportunity to repair/upgrade/modify the boat, starting from scratch. Let us know how it goes.