I've been looking at Wenonah's catalog for a solo canoe. I'm been looking at between a Prism and a Voyager. I plan to use it mainly on rivers, streams, and lakes. If I plan trips, it might be used for a smaller rivers/streams with occasional faster waters (not whitewater). It would be nice if it could handle some wind but its non-essential and I don't expect a canoe to do everything.

I liked how one user in a forum put it that for performance, 80% of it is the same and the rest of 20% is tradeoffs. Canoes are also basically like bikes. You can choose a mountain bike to go off-road or a road bike to go fast. You can't expect a bike to perform well on opposite sides of the spectrum. The trade off with canoes is maneuverability and speed.

A prism seems more versatile has a little more maneuverability but is slightly slower and voyager is vice versa. From doing some research, both has great reviews from paddling.com but the dilemma for me is trying to pick the 'perfect' or 'right' canoe for me. The voyager is longer so it would harder to turn but I heard no complaints or issues about this in the reviews.

Reviews in a nutshell:

Voyager: Its fast, it does exactly what it says it can do, some good results from trying in rougher waters, might not handle wind well.

Prism: Great on flat water, somewhat fast, initial stability might not be good, turning is ok, can handle some faster waters but not whitewater.

To me, I don't see turning a problem, its just keeping it straight. I don't understand all the concerns for maneuverability. If it takes less effort to keep it straight, there will be a better paddling experience for me. When I paddle, I like to go faster than a leisurely pace like most people do so I might have a thrill with a faster canoe. On the other hand, I also like versatility. If it can do a little but of everything then I will happy if circumstances changes. I know specs aren't everything and the best way to find out is to try it out myself but what do you guys think?

With (what I presume is) your last name, get a Loon!

I am 190 LB’s and 5’ 10” and carry about 75 LB (max) gear. The boats you mention are TOO BIG for me. For creeks and river you want to be able to turn so a smaller boat with some rocker will turn easier. Many people will imply that a longer boat is faster but very few people can make them go as fast as a shorter boat. Longer length does not equal speed or ease of paddling. If you are a big person or carry a lot of gear you may need the bigger boat. Look at your maximum load and get a boat that will displace less than 4 inches of water. Many manufactures will give displacement at different weights or optimum load values. If your load will vary your max load can be over the optimum value by a max of about 20%.

This loon? http://www.navarrocanoe.com/navarro-loon Yes that is my last name. So, why exactly?

I'm 6' 5" 245 and I'm thinking of day trips or extended trips. I know longer boats don't turn as easily but is its turning ability really that much worst? Are you saying that there's no difference with longer boats other than that it has more room? I don't care about other people's lack of skill, does it go faster if used properly? From my experience, most people aren't very good and only paddle at a leisurely pace so maybe they don't have the competence or desire to go faster.
I've heard completely opposite facts about longer boats where someone said that longer length doesn't always mean less maneuverability. I think the best thing to do is to try it out myself. All this information is only theoretical.

The loon comment is because of your last name. A copy of the famous explorer and canoeist boat is the Sawyer Loon. Google Sawyer Loon.
http://www.krugercanoes.com/Welcome.html
http://www.krugercanoes.com/About_Us.html
You are a big guy and most of your weight is above your belt which will most likely put it above the gunnels. A boat that is very stable with me in it will be tippy with you in it. Because of that you are going to want a bigger boat than I would like. I let a guy about your size go for a paddle in my Magic. He was a novelist paddler and he was nervous. The magic was tippy for him. The Magic is a little big for most of my trips of 14 days or less. If you had a magic you would probably be more comfortable with the seat lowered from the stock position. Big guys generally do not like setting with the seat and feet at near the same height so a wider boat will allow stability with the seat a little higher at the cost of speed and ease of paddling.
Longer boats have a faster theoretical speed but for a given volume they have more wetted surface area. The more wetted area will create more drag. The more drag will require more force to get them moving ½ their theoretical speed which is closer to the speed of a non-racer. Extremes in either direction will slow you down.

The question was asked by JK13 “So what solo canoe do you recommend for me?”
With my limited experience with larger people I believe the Magic size boat will be tippy. The Prizm would be a little better. The Encounter lists in the Wenona catalog “Roomy enough for large people “. The Solo Plus would be more stable boat. The Voyager would carry the load but with its narrow width at water line and max width I think it would be tippy unless the load was below the gunnels. You would probably profit more from a few test paddles than most. If you are willing to wet foot it so you don’t scratch their boats most people would be willing to let you test paddle their boats. Some dealers have boats for rent.

I found the Wilderness to be a good choice, I am 6'2" 240. You can get better speed from a voyager or prism, but the Wilderness also seems to impart a good balance of speed, maneuverability, and stability. It had good weight capacity, and can be paddled sitting or kneeling. It is available as a rental from several outfitters in the bwca.

Just my two cents...

If you're set on Wenonah check into The Advantage. I think it might be listed in their race section but don't let that deter you. If it's not listed you can still get one.It tracks great, is fast, and I've used mine several times for BW trips. I usual shake my head when I hear people saying you won't like it on twisty streams. Any canoe can will work on twisty streams. You just to have to have the skill set.

I paddled a couple of weeks with a very experienced guy who had a Prism. Nice boat, looked like it could handle a bit bigger water than typical solos. Seems like it would be good for a bigger type paddler as well. I considered getting one but will just stick with my Merlin.

i have a prism and for my speed and activity i love i. very stable fishing boat for me as well, loaded or not, you have to be comfy and relaxed in any solo you have.

I've paddled both Northstar Magic and Wennonah Prism. I don't like bucket seats much, so prefered Magic. On a longer solo trip, think Magic tad tight, so planning on buying Northstart Northwind solo.

quote Lailoken: "I've paddled both Northstar Magic and Wennonah Prism. I don't like bucket seats much, so prefered Magic. On a longer solo trip, think Magic tad tight, so planning on buying Northstart Northwind solo.
"

You'll dig the Northwind Solo

You're interested in a do it all type of craft for mostly lakes, rivers and streams and like to go fast. I was in that same camp this past year. I started out with a Wilderness and really liked it a lot. I then realized I wanted more speed for lake travel which I found myself using the Wilderness for the most. But, on some smaller streams I paddled, I wanted something with more maneuverability to turn. So it's always a compromise. I wound up getting a Magic for traveling fast on lakes and I love it. I'd like to get a smaller canoe now for using on moving water.

Magic is not a do it all type of boat per se, it's a lake traveler. If you want a compromise on both sides, the Wilderness or the Northwind Solo are just fine. They are very usable for either type of water.

If you want more speed and travel lakes more, then the prism or Magic would be better. If you are paddling streams and creeks more often but still want something usable on the lake, the Phoenix or Argosy might suit you better.

If you want flat out blazing speed on the water, then the Advantage, Magic, Prism or Voyager would be towards the top of the list but they wouldn't do as well on smaller streams.

I love my Magic and I'll paddle this anywhere if I have to until I get another boat. When it comes to compromises, you have to find a watercraft that you truly love that gives you the most of the main attributes you want and then you learn to overcome their deficiencies in other areas. It sounds like you want a faster canoe. That's where I was and went with a Magic. It paddles so nice and it covers more water than I expected it would. The next closest canoe on my wish list was an Advantage. Man, there is just something about the lines of that canoe. It just looks fast sitting on shore. It looks like the Savage Blackwater only much more affordable.

I think you should do what I did and get something fast that tracks straight. Enjoy the speed then learn to make it turn. I have to admit I still struggle to turn that Magic but I like that it keeps on course.

It's easier to make a straight tracking canoe turn then it is to make a maneuverable canoe go faster.

I currently own a Voyager and an old C1W (actually a WWC-1, precursor). I've owned the Advantage and the Encounter. I've used the Advantage for day paddling, and the other three for trips. The Voyager is the least versatile of all the boats, but is also the fastest. It loves being loaded and cruises wonderfully. It is pretty squirrelly empty and keeps me on edge without a load (even after spending 30 years in the C1W). I used the Encounter last summer on a 5 day trip just after I got it, and I was looking for more speed (a bit concerned about keeping the tandem boats behind me), so I got the Voyager (I used to race marathon boats, so I like them fast). The Encounter is still pretty fast (don't know how it compares to the Prism--spec suggests a bit faster), and might be a boat to consider. It's certainly a more relaxing boat empty than the Voyager.

Turning with all these straight keel-lined boats is different from a rockered boat and comes primarily from leaning the boat to shorten the waterline and produce rocker. You won't be making bow eddy turns in any of them! For flat water and open rivers, they're all adequately maneuverable with the right paddler. For rock gardens you'll have some difficulty. For tight slow streams, they require more effort, but get the job done. I really enjoy paddling fast and tightly hugging shorelines, using the lean to steer--you can get the stern to slew around nicely.

Had an Encounter for a number of years. I did some pretty difficult trips with it and worked good. But switched first to a northwind solo and then a prism. I absolutely could not paddle more than twenty minutes in it and my legs were beyond sore. I paddled and paddled it to no avail. I paddled a prism and for me it was the glove that fit. The northwind solo handled well and no trouble with stability. I'm just old and don't bend. The encounter had one thing that almost was a very bad thing. It was just enough longer to make those creeks with tight tight turns a bugger. Trying out boats is a must!

My next solo will be a Swift Shearwater. Check out their website. They have other solos too. Really sweet boats with great lightweight options like a carbon yoke and carbon gunnels and deck plates.

Did a recent 2 week solo with the Souris River Tranquility. It tracked beautifully, was very fast, and in the beginning seemed incredibly tippy. By the end of two weeks the tippiness was better but not perfect. My only real complaint was the challenge of turning in a strong wind. It really wanted to stay broadside to the waves... Not sure about fishing in it, since I didn't.

I am a novice paddler other then the short trips downriver as a youngster in aluminum canoe. I bought a carbon fiber prism. I am 250 with most of my weight in a barrel shaped chest.

I fell out of that sucker every 10 feet for the first hour. Mad that i spent that money!

I paddled for a couple more hours, and grabbed a kayak paddle. That thing hauls butt! When i got the seat adjusted and quit falling over,,it was great! I now like the prism, and am impatient for warm weather again. As soon as i relaxed and my waist got looser,,i quit falling out.

Watch your head.. Getting that out of bounds and the body follows.
Which canoe? Ehh we all develop preferences over time . It really does not matter. But get a solo matched to your size.. too wide and your stroke suffers.
Seats are fiddleable with..

The reason you liked the kayak paddle is you had a instant brace on each side.
Beware the canoe police
LOL.
Its all good.