BWCA Northstar Northwind 17 Gunwales - Wood or Aluminum? Boundary Waters Gear Forum
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SilentPaddler
member (25)member
  
03/31/2018 11:20AM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
My wife and I are going to purchase a new Northstar Northwind 17 in the Blacklight layup. We have had great success with Northstar canoes and were looking for a new tripping canoe to use in the BWCA/Quetico, etc. We also plan to use the canoe on some tamer rivers such as the Namekagon, Mississippi, etc. This canoe met our needs. Once we make a decision on a new canoe the agony starts as I over think wood vs aluminum gunwales. I like how wood looks and I guess I don't mind the 3# of extra weight but then I start thinking why buy a light weight and strong layup and then add 3# to it and the associated maintenance. Most boats I have owned have had aluminum gunwales and they have worked great but they look no where near as nice as a wood gunwale boat. How much maintenance is needed with a wood gunwale boat? I assume 15 minutes per year to lightly sand the gunwales and another 10 minutes to run over the gunwales with an oil rag. That I can handle. If it is 4 hours every year that would get old. I would store the boat indoors in an unheated garage. What do you use for gunwales? Wood or aluminum?
 
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muddyfeet
distinguished member(742)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
03/31/2018 04:31PM  
I just ordered a second NorthStar (a northwind 18), and both of mine have aluminum- wood does look/feel nicer, but with these canoes I am almost strictly function over form. Some people think the inside edge is too thin to comfortably rest your knees against, but you seem to be familiar enough with the Northstar boats to know if that is a problem. I think there are some small differences in how seats are hung from wood/aluminum too.

I can't help you on the maintenance schedule, but I understand it doesn't take much to keep the wood in good shape for a very long time.
Very exciting to be making those kinds of decisions, though!


 
03/31/2018 05:08PM  
I agonized over the same thing until I remembered that once it's not new, I have a hard time getting excited to do the maintenance on things like wood gunwales, and I'd really regret if they went bad. So I got the aluminum gunwales on my Blacklite NW 18. And while the wood does look *better*, the blacklite with aluminum still looks amazing, and as a bonus it's both lighter *and* less likely to get damaged.
 
jhb8426
distinguished member(1440)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
03/31/2018 07:25PM  
The 3 lb difference is nothing to loose any sleep over. Looks good and takes 20-30 minutes a season to oil. Much preferred over the aluminum.
 
03/31/2018 07:32PM  
I think the Aluminum on the Northstars looks good. I have it on both my Northwind 17 and Northwind solo. Actually I think the Aluminum would look better with the Blacklite than the wood. I have nothing against wood trim, but I feel I would be babying it to much if I had the wood
 
SilentPaddler
member (25)member
  
03/31/2018 09:35PM  
I drove to Rutabaga today. I have decided to go with Northstars new carbon fiber gunwales. They look great to me, they are 2 pounds less than the aluminum gunwales, and 5 pounds less than wood and require no maintenance. They are also quiet. I like how all the gunwales look! Thanks for all of the comments!
 
Nozzelnut
distinguished member (151)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
03/31/2018 10:27PM  
Are you planning on storing inside or outside?

If it's stored inside you might not have to do anything for several years; outside might need annual attention.
 
Arcola
distinguished member (295)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
03/31/2018 10:30PM  
Nice choice!!



 
campnfish
distinguished member (487)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
03/31/2018 10:52PM  
I have aluminum on my canoes, i would take the wood gunwales any day. I would give up the few pounds, i cant make aluminum look good easily or at all, wood on the other hand is sanding and choice of finish.
 
krole
senior member (55)senior membersenior member
  
04/01/2018 08:03AM  
SilentPaddler: "I drove to Rutabaga today. I have decided to go with Northstars new carbon fiber gunwales. They look great to me, they are 2 pounds less than the aluminum gunwales, and 5 pounds less than wood and require no maintenance. They are also quiet. I like how all the gunwales look! Thanks for all of the comments!"


How new are the carbon gunwales? Newer than Canoecopia? Whats the pricing on them?

 
Arcola
distinguished member (295)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
04/01/2018 08:55AM  
Carbon gunnels were unveiled at CanoeCopoia
 
04/01/2018 09:44AM  
Arcola: "Nice choice!!



"


Beautiful! How much do they add to the price? I'd have seriously considered that.
 
04/01/2018 11:11AM  
SilentPaddler: "Northstars new carbon fiber gunwales"


Neat...this does not appear to be listed yet as an option. Very curious about price, etc. There is a Northwind in my future...
 
SilentPaddler
member (25)member
  
04/01/2018 11:38AM  
Cost premium is the same as wood. As mentioned the first I saw of the carbon fiber was at Canoecopia. Swift has had carbon fiber on some of their canoes for awhile now. I really like how they look!
 
yellowcanoe
distinguished member(4984)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
04/01/2018 12:24PM  
alu is nice until you bend it.. You really can't bend it back.. Where it creases stays weak

I like wood but it is heavy

I have broken an older CF gunwaled canoe (Placid) and gunwale repair is very easy
 
DrBobDg
distinguished member(850)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
04/01/2018 12:58PM  
Every year I keep thinking I should do something about the one piece of wood on my SR (the portage yoke)... still haven't done it.
Maybe will re-varnish the Kevlar SR and repaint the fiberglass SR this year but likely I will procrastinate again.
yep....maintenance free is good.

dr bob
 
04/01/2018 11:08PM  
Arcola: "Nice choice!!



"


That looks awesome
 
Moonpath
distinguished member (329)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
04/02/2018 08:39PM  
I have the northstar 17 with all wood and really think it looks great. I spend maybe 2 hours per year maintaining them. I find wood creates a softer, warmer feel, it feels good in the hand while portaging. Of course, all of this is preferential. I can see where many folks like the alum gunwales and that is fine. Go with what appeals to you. Jerry G
 
oldguide2
distinguished member (119)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
04/03/2018 12:23PM  
A few comments. First, if the three extra pounds is to your entire setup, then you are fretting over nothing. Second, one thing not mentioned about aluminum: it makes noise. I go back to the days when folks all paddled Grummans and you could hear trips coming before seeing them because of the paddles banging on the aluminum. Third, wood is a lot easier to repair in an emergency. Fourth, I would much rather portage wood gunnels than aluminum. Maybe I'm just an old timer who paddles a 1935 Old Town, but wood is the only way to go.
 
04/03/2018 01:38PM  
SilentPaddler: "I have decided to go with Northstars new carbon fiber gunwales. "


Lots of pictures, please, when you get the new toy!

Like you, I see the weight difference as a very big deal. Especially as I seem to be aging at the pace of at least one year per year.

Plus that one teaser photo...they look good from what I can see.

Cheers
 
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