Hurricane OC1 – History

Dating back to 1991, the Hurricane is one of our earliest OC1 designs, designed by Mike Giblin (Ozone’s founder) under his previous brand – Mike Giblin Canoes. One of the first OC1s to be distributed worldwide through our global dealer network, much of the success of subsequent OC1 designs benefitted from design features that came about from the creation of the Hurricane.

Over the years there were several improvements made to certain parts and features of the canoe, while the hull shape remained the same. Below is a guide to help you determine which version is which, a helpful reference when purchasing replacement parts, or purchasing a Hurricane of your own. 

Overview of Versions 1-3

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Version 1

  • Seat: Our first model had a harder foam seat that was mounted on a track system, giving paddlers the ability to adjust forwards or backwards depending on their height and paddling style.
  • Iako: Push-pin iakos with adjustability on the hull and ama side
  • Tiller: External T-plate, making it easy to replace your steering cables as needed (most older OC1 models had stainless steel steering cables, pre-dating our new lighter & stronger Dyneema cables)
  • Steering Cable: Stainless steel cable
  • Rudder: Version 1 and 2 have the same rudder location
Track Seat

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Version 2

  • Seat: Softer foam seat with velcro attachment that makes adjusting your seat location a breeze (this is the same system we use for our current models)
  • Iakos: Twist lock iakos with adjustability on the hull and ama side
  • Tiller: Internal lever steering system with a cover plate (shown in photos below)
  • Steering Cable: Stainless steel cable
  • Rudder: Same rudder location as Version 1

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Version 3

  • Seat: Softer foam seat with velcro attachment that makes adjusting your seat location a breeze (this is the same system we use for our current models)
  • Iakos: New twist lock iakos with adjustability on the hull and ama side
  • Tiller: Updated internal T-plate system
  • Steering Cable: Stainless steel cable
  • Rudder: New rudder location – moved forward, slightly closer to the seat of the canoe

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How to determine the version of your Hurricane OC1

The easiest way to determine which Hurricane you have is by looking at the steering system:

Version 1

  • External steering system with metal T-plate and stainless steel cables (unless previously replaced with Dyneema cables)

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Version 2

  • Internal lever steering system with cover plate and 2 screws

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Version 3

  • Internal metal T-plate with access points to replace steering cables.

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Need replacement parts? Shop Hurricane parts in our store here.