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Van Dusen · Surfski

Van Dusen Mohican

21'2.5" x 17.5", 6.46m x 44.45cm: with a 21ft waterline and a beam of 16.1" at the 4" waterline, in autoclave-cured carbon over core. A decked unlimited racing kayak with a self-bailing cockpit rather than an open ski, so the beam figure is not directly comparable to the open hulls beside it: you sit in this one. Under-hull rudder as standard, kick-up optional, tiller or pedal steering, and a 6" inspection port behind the seat.

Length
6.46 m
Beam
44.45 cm
Deck
33.5 cm
Side view unavailable
Top view unavailable
Van Dusen Mohican, Outline drawn to scale from published length and deck height
Outline drawn to scale from published length and deck height · Surfski Index

Specifications

Length
6.46 m
Beam
44.45 cm
Deck height
33.5 cm (est.)
Category
Surfski
Usually paddled by
Racers
New price
US$6,300

On-water profile

Stability
5–7
Dimension estimateLow confidence
Speed
8

Modelled from published beam, length and deck height. Low confidence. Speed is our rating. Both are given at the hull's own design weight.

These ratings are Surfski Index estimates, worked out from published dimensions, traced hull shapes where we have them, and reviews. They are not supplied by the maker or timed on the water. How a ski feels depends on your weight, skill, set-up and the conditions, so use them to shortlist skis and paddle one before you buy. How we rate.

Stability here means how steady the ski feels sitting still on flat water. Where two craft have overlapping ranges, we can't say which is more stable. Downwind handling is a separate thing, covered in the evidence note below.

Evidence note

This band is estimated from published dimensions. Qualitative context includes 1 paddler report and 3 linked sources.

Suits: Marathon, multisport and open-water racing; the self-bailing cockpit is what makes it safe offshore.

Paddler weight

The estimated sweet spot is 81–94 kg, with a broader estimated guide of 66–98 kg. This estimate is a guide, not a limit. Seat fit, conditions and paddling style matter. Lighter paddlers can still enjoy a larger hull, especially downwind. A test paddle is the best check.

Estimated from hull dimensions using a formula fitted to makers’ own paddler limits. It does not establish the designer’s intended paddler weight. How this is worked out.

Generations

2006-present

Ted Van Dusen has built racing boats as Composite Engineering in Westport, Massachusetts since the 1970s. The Mohican arrived in 2006, drawn to the USCA unlimited class rule, and is the only self-bailing hull in the range.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Published price, from the builder, in writing
  • Autoclaved carbon construction
  • Legal in USCA unlimited class as well as surfski racing

Cons

  • Decked hull: a swamped cockpit is a different problem from a ski's
  • No published weight
  • One small US builder, so no dealer network

What paddlers say

Reviewed by SurfskiRacing.org in 2012 alongside two Nelo Vintages. No owner quote is reproduced here because the review itself was not reachable when this record was written.Reported experience

Where to buy

We don't have a dealer listed for Van Dusen yet. All makers and dealers.

US$6,300 base from Composite Engineering's own order page. Steering, rudder and seat options are quoted separately on the order form.

Sources

BetaRatings are estimatesRatings are estimates. How we get the numbers. Prices checked October 2026, may be out of date.