I have a trip coming up with my father and brother at EP38 (Sawbill). I'll be in my solo and brother in a tandem. My father needs to come out a day early and is getting picked up by some other family members and my brother and I would like to stay one additional night if we can get a spot on Alton or Sawbill. So my solo would be paddled back and out by my father and placed on my truck rack for the night (strapped in of course). Curious if you all think this is a bad idea or being that it's Sawbill entry with many people around and the outfitter next to lot, would this be safe? Having some reservations about it since it's a new canoe and not a plain-jane kevlar one. I know outfitters have canoes laying all over overnight the entire summer with no issues but shitty people are everywhere, even the BWCA. Not sure I trust it there, it is really the only option I have currently though unless we decide to come out at the same time.

Brother paddling the tandem alone isn't an option either because this is his very first BWCA trip and almost zero canoe experience, and I have no interest in paddling it solo either. It's a freaking barge and a wind sail when not fully-loaded.

Someone with a better memory/more Sawbill time will have to confirm this, but I recall that there's a parking lot near the outfitter that gets a fair amount of foot traffic and the exit from the lot is within sight of the outfitter's operation.

Not very risky for only a day in my opinion, however, I have had a paddle stolen after just a half hour. That was at Kawishiwi Lake. A canoe takes a lot more to steal.

I lock my canoe to the rack using an old bike u-lock at all times. It's currently on my truck in my office parking lot here in St. Louis Park locked thwart to bar. Going fishing this afternoon.
I'm sure it can be defeated if someone really wants to, but why not make it a tad tougher. And it takes only seconds to lock it up.

I've used a combination cable lock for a canoe left on a car overnight in Minneapolis, multiple times.

ForestDuff: "I lock my canoe to the rack using an old bike u-lock at all times. It's currently on my truck in my office parking lot here in St. Louis Park locked thwart to bar. Going fishing this afternoon.
I'm sure it can be defeated if someone really wants to, but why not make it a tad tougher. And it takes only seconds to lock it up."

Yep, same here. If someone really wants it, they'll get it, but make it not easy.

gravelroad: "Someone with a better memory/more Sawbill time will have to confirm this, but I recall that there's a parking lot near the outfitter that gets a fair amount of foot traffic and the exit from the lot is within sight of the outfitter's operation."

They do, I frequent this EP but never left anything valuable there in the lot. I wonder if it's worth asking them if I can have it stashed up by the house/lodge for the night? Maybe I will give them a call and see if they are ok with that.

Otherwise I think I'll go with this bike lock idea being mentioned. I thought about one of those motion activated siren devices that people use for bikes, but figured with my luck some wild animal will bump into it and set the thing off while simultaneously waking up the entire campground and anyone within a mile. Canoe would be safe though! Worse case I can stick a couple air tags on it under the end caps should it be taken I can at least track it down.

ForestDuff: "I lock my canoe to the rack using an old bike u-lock at all times. It's currently on my truck in my office parking lot here in St. Louis Park locked thwart to bar. Going fishing this afternoon.
I'm sure it can be defeated if someone really wants to, but why not make it a tad tougher. And it takes only seconds to lock it up.
"

Heck, might even be safer down there! Someone transloading a canoe from car to care might look a little odd in a parking lot in SLP but I suppose anywhere in the BWCA or at an entry point, it would be totally normal at any hour to see it happening and nobody would suspect a crime was being committed. Let's hope the criminals don't catch on to that. I think it's the same reason there is so much bike theft in bike-popular towns. I lived in Boulder for a while and every day there there dozens of bikes being stolen right off unsecured racks, at trailheads, driveways, in front of buildings, etc. People witness it happening and just pass it off because they assume it's the owner. It's getting bad in Duluth too. Unfortunately.

If it concerns you, don't do it or lock it.

I absolutely would not leave a canoe in many BWCA entries but sawbill is a destination entry with the outfitter and the campground. For me, I would not be too worried. I'd still lock up the canoe but low risk at Sawbill IMO

These are not cheap but seem like they would do the job. Different lengths are available:

Lockable Tie Down Straps

Why not ask sawbill if they would store it for the day?

There is a "boat storage area" at Sawbill, where folks paddle in and out daily and leave their boats overnight while they stay at the campground. Recently, when there, I noticed maybe a dozen boats off to the side down by the water. I remember a couple of beautiful cedar strip kayaks down there, as well as other quality/expensive boats. I would think, if really worried, have your father bike-lock the canoe to a tree in this area, but my hunch is you have little to worry about. Sawbill has their entire fleet out each night. My take is that it is very safe. My son is a crew member at Sawbill this summer, I can ask if you would like - but I would think if you locked your boat to your car rack or a tree by the boat storage area, you would have very little to worry about...probably very little to worry about even if it is unlocked.

If you're worried about it, lock it to the rack as many have suggested, or ask the Sawbill people to put it in their yard. I have camped at Sawbill site #1 for many years and have left my canoe in front of the site by the road w/o problems. But in the parking lot I would lock it.

On the occasions I have left my canoe at the boat storage are I have locked it to a tree. Maybe I'm just paranoid.

I haven't taken my Yakima rack off in 6 years. That's when I switched it to my new truck

Outfitters drop off canoes at the Lake One landing some time before their clients arrive and pick them up some time after their clients depart. Most people who make the effort to go to the BWCA respect other people's property and would not steal another's canoe. However, since a canoe has a relatively large value and a cable lock is so cheap, why not make stealing it a lot more difficult? Cable lock to canoe rack

I would bike or snowboard lock it to the roof rack just to be safe.

It'll likely be safe (95% sure?) but, like others said, since you're concerned, just have it locked via U-lock or simple cable lock. If they're gonna steal it, make'em earn it. Or just ask the Shirely's (owners of Sawbill) to store it for a night. Peace of mind might be worth a few bucks.

We've left many canoes at the landing of Sawbill overnight without issue, and I suspect this would be the case with yours as well.

Lots of really good ideas and points here. Ultimately, I was able to guilt-trip my dad back into the original plan so that we will all stay in for the total length of the trip and we dont have to leave the canoe anywhere. When I am up there though, I am going to ask one of the outfitter employees about the storage so I know for next time.