So I've been day dreaming of my own kevlar canoe lately after having been out for a week on a SR Quetico 17, I was in love. I could even stand up and cast with ease. It was sturdy in the 20 some mph wind gusts, got us from A to B without a worry of ever tipping over, BUUUTTT it did feel like kind of a tank to paddle. I'd still buy one.

I haven't paddled a Northstar tandem but I have paddled a Magic and it was a smooooooth ride. What do you think of the Northwind? I have always really liked the Blacklite look, then again the SR Le Tigre's look pretty damn cool too....! Ideally I'm looking for a canoe that we can fish out of, that wont feel tippy to a rooky paddler should I ever bring one along, and on the other hand, glides through the water. Speed is that little devil on my shoulder that wont shut up. What do you all recommend I paddle around before I buy?

If it feels like a tank but you love everything else about it, you should try a larger boat like the Quetico 18.5. It will sit just a little higher in the water for the weight you are hauling and might give you more speed and glide. It would sit better at the waterline is what I'm getting at.

There are plenty of others out there but with some glide and stability for fishing I'd say you've already been in the one of the best canoes for those waters. The Wenonah Boundary Waters would be a close cousin of the Souris in design but more stable and a little slower. The Wenonah Spirit II would be a little faster yet and still very stable for fishing. The Spirit II is my personal favorite.

There are other faster boats out there but you'll start to lose some of that rock solid feel we all like while fishing with a nearly empty canoe.

I always felt that my Spirit II was a little more of a barge than I wanted it to be but it's still fast enough and I like that stability for fishing. I valued stability at rest over speed so I loved that canoe. I always felt very confident and safe in it. For the load I carry, the Wenonah Champlain would have been better but the Spirit II was what I had. The extra length and volume of the Champlain would have handled the load better.

The Northstar Northwind 17 or 18 is also very much like these other canoes we're talking about. I hear it's a sweet paddling boat. I have not paddled that one yet but it's on my wish list for my next tandem. I love the Northstar canoes so check those out as well.

If you go with a faster craft, you'll have to trade off some initial stability for fishing to achieve it from my experiences. It all comes down to what attributes you value and in what order, then you'll have to accept some compromises. There will never be a perfect canoe per se, but when you get one you really like, the pluses will outweigh the minuses...then you know you found the right boat.

Thanks for the reply, I was reading other topics on here last night and came took the same conclusion after reading a post by Bogwalker talking about his SR 17. I might JUST have already been in the boat I was destined to buy!

a Wenonah Minnesota 2 is an awfully nice boat as well. I find it really stable and have been able to stand confidently in mine. It is pretty light if you get the Kevlar UL model. Another plus is there are a lot of boats for sale at the end of the season when the BWCA outfitters clean out their fleets.

quote zehyani: "Another plus is there are a lot of boats for sale at the end of the season when the BWCA outfitters clean out their fleets.
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When does this usually happen? I'll be in the market this fall anyways, might be perfect?

quote zehyani: "Another plus is there are a lot of boats for sale at the end of the season when the BWCA outfitters clean out their fleets.
"

When does this usually happen? I'll be in the market this fall anyways, might be perfect?

I got mine in early October from CCO - a basic SR Q17 - around $1300. 3 years old but refinished for sale. Seems they start culling the fleet in September. Priagis replaces theirs every year and take reservations from early in the calendar year. I see Voyageur North lists theirs on the internet. A few outfitters post in the for sale forum here - advertisers. Look at their websites - a lot have a page of stuff for sale.

Also check out Seagull Lake Outfitters if you find yourself on the Gunflint Trail. Deb clears out Northstar canoes annually and they seem to be in pretty good condition. As far as you choice in canoes, I love both the SR Q17 (a bit more stable feeling) and the Northwoods 17 and 18 (a bit faster). You can't go wrong with either manufacturer, and whichever you decide you will love it.

i got mine from spirit of the wilderness outfitters, sight unseen. I asked them to pick one out and it was great. I think I looked in August/September, and got the boat in late oct or so.

Some start selling them in August and some not until the end of Sept. /early Oct. When we bought our SR Q 18.5 from VNO we drove to Ely for a weekend at the beginning of Oct. and spent most of a day going from outfitter to outfitter. Some of them post what they have on their websites and some do not.

Before we bought our canoe we rented both the SR Q 17 and Bell Northwind (now the Northstar Northwind 17) and liked them both. We found the SR Q 17 to be more stable when getting in and out and the Northwind more enjoyable to paddle (faster and easier to keep going straight). I think you would be happy with either one. If I was going to buy one and I found ones similar in price I would pick the Northstar Northwind 17 or if you found one a Bell Northwind.

quote ducks: "Some start selling them in August and some not until the end of Sept. /early Oct. When we bought our SR Q 18.5 from VNO we drove to Ely for a weekend at the beginning of Oct. and spent most of a day going from outfitter to outfitter. Some of them post what they have on their websites and some do not.


Before we bought our canoe we rented both the SR Q 17 and Bell Northwind (now the Northstar Northwind 17) and liked them both. We found the SR Q 17 to be more stable when getting in and out and the Northwind more enjoyable to paddle (faster and easier to keep going straight). I think you would be happy with either one. If I was going to buy one and I found ones similar in price I would pick the Northstar Northwind 17 or if you found one a Bell Northwind.


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It's posts like yours that make me second guess myself about the SR17. I know I'd really like the speed and ease of paddling. How is the Northwind when not moving and fishing?

Note, some outfitters let you reserve now, to pick up in the fall. It isn't too soon to start shopping. Enjoy the process.

quote Fizics: "

quote ducks: "



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It's posts like yours that make me second guess myself about the SR17. I know I'd really like the speed and ease of paddling. How is the Northwind when not moving and fishing? "

It worked well while fishing. Not as stable as the SR but still stable. In my observation/opinion..... the Northwind is closer to the SR in stability than the SR is to the Northwind in how it paddles.

That being said it was a calm day and we were on small lakes when we paddled the Northwind. So I do not know how it compares on big water and/or big waves.

quote Fizics: "It's posts like yours that make me second guess myself about the SR17. I know I'd really like the speed and ease of paddling. How is the Northwind when not moving and fishing? "

I've got a Bell Northwind and have never found an issue fishing from it.

Do you guys have any suggestions of outfitters that sell souris rivers/northstar canoes? I see Piragis of course but does 2k for a used SR sound right? For that price I'd have to consider going new, with a Le Tigre

If I was ever interested in using the canoe as a river boat which would you suggest?

If I was ever interested in using the canoe as a river boat which would you suggest?

quote Fizics: "Do you guys have any suggestions of outfitters that sell souris rivers/northstar canoes? I see Piragis of course but does 2k for a used SR sound right? For that price I'd have to consider going new, with a Le Tigre"

Yes, Piragis is more expensive than most but they sell all of them after 1 year and other outfitters are selling older ones. We bought our SR Q18.5 from Voyaguer North Outfitters for $1250 in Ely about 8 years ago and it was 4 years old at the time. Still holding up well.

Sawtooth sells both and lists them online when they are for sale. Seagull lists them online. Rockwood has both and the new owners listed them online when they sold a few last year. Many do not list them online so you either have to call or make the trip up there and check out what they have. Spirit of the Wilderness usually has Northwinds for sale.

Maybe check outfitters websites to see what they have in their rental fleet and then call or email the ones that carry the SR 17 and Northwind to see if they are selling any this year .

So outfitter boats are a bit different from the ones sold directly to consumers. I don't know all the differences or their ramifications, but generally they're because outfitters have to prioritize durability more highly than most individual owners would, due to the substantially higher duty cycle. I've been aware in the past that outfitter canoes have integral skid plates that aren't present on consumer canoes. I noticed this year that our rental Northwind 18's seats were bolted directly into the sides instead of being suspended from the gunwales - again presumably to improve durability. How much does that affect their desirability when they're retired from the rental fleets?

quote Fizics: "Do you guys have any suggestions of outfitters that sell souris rivers/northstar canoes? I see Piragis of course but does 2k for a used SR sound right? For that price I'd have to consider going new, with a Le Tigre"

Mine at CCO 3 yr old Q17 refinished with yoke pads - $1300. Will last me the rest of my life and probably be used by my sons.