Our faithful family canoe was crushed during a small tornado. There were tears shed at the loss of the old friend. It was a 80 pound aluminum Smokercraft and my brother gave it a fitting tribute “You carried many a family safely through many a wave, and you wore out many a man carrying you.”

I could never flip it even when I tried, so my family is used to an ultra-stable canoe and we are now looking for a new family canoe. This time though I am hoping for a Kevlar canoe this time. Is there any ultra-stable Kevlar canoes out there? If so, what would you recommend.

Thanks in advance,
CanoeViking

The Sourish River Quetico 17 or 18 would seem to fit this well.

Wenonah Champlain for tandem, or their MN III for a three man.

There are many other options and even more opinions!

Re Kendis' recommendations, I've rented both Champlains and Minnesota IIIs.

The Champlain would be a good boat for you right now, but the children will have to sit on packs. Still, there would be plenty of room for kids and gear. It has excellent initial stability, and it has good secondary stability. The advantages of this canoe over the MN III is that it is 2 feet shorter at 18' and 9 pounds lighter at 46 lb (ultralight layup).

The Minnesota III has a 3rd seat that is wider than either the bow or stern seats, but you might want to swap it out for something even wider so two young children can sit together easily. At 54 lbs in ultralight layup, this is still very easy to portage, although the 20' length requires some careful maneuvering on twisty portages. Still, I've been able to manage it and I'm not an especially athletic guy. The area between the yoke and the bow seat swallows a lot of gear.

Wenonah's Seneca sits midway between the Champlain and the MNIII. It looks like it would be a good choice, too, but I have not had a chance to paddle one on a trip.

I've also rented a Northstar Northwind 18. The length is 18'9" is longer than the Champlain but its width is narrower. Its initial/secondary stability profile would be different than the Champlain's but I thought it was OK. You could put a 3rd seat in it (a typical option) for the children. It has a massive cargo capacity.

Northstar's B19 might be another possibility. The middle seat is very wide, the length is 19'6", and the cargo capacity is massive.

My final suggestion would be a Souris River Quetico 18.5. Three seats and their Quetico canoes are designed to have good initial stability. I've never paddled a 18.5, but their 17 seemed stable to me.

Kendis: "Wenonah Champlain for tandem, or their MN III for a three man.


There are many other options and even more opinions!"

I forgot to mention the MN IV if you need four seats.

Is initial stability how stable it is when you’re getting in and secondary stability when you’re paddling?

CanoeViking: "Is initial stability how stable it is when you’re getting in and secondary stability when you’re paddling?"

Quick video explanation

Unless you just get a deal on a canoe, I’d try to paddle a few and compare.

The more stable canoes based on my personal experience are
1. Any of the Souris River Quetico line of canoes
2. Wenonah Boundary Waters canoe
The Champlain looks stable, just haven’t used it.

I have the Northwind 17, it’s stable but it doesn’t feel as stable as the ones above. The MN II/III even more so. From your description it would take time to get used to those canoes.

T

billconner: "The Sourish River Quetico 17 or 18 would seem to fit this well. "

+1

timatkn: "

CanoeViking: "Is initial stability how stable it is when you’re getting in and secondary stability when you’re paddling?"

Quick video explanation "

Thank you this was very helpful. I have been canoeing rivers and lakes for the last 25+ years and it goes to show you can always learn something new.

timatkn: "Unless you just get a deal on a canoe, I’d try to paddle a few and compare.


The more stable canoes based on my personal experience are
1. Any of the Souris River Quetico line of canoes
2. Wenonah Boundary Waters canoe
The Champlain looks stable, just haven’t used it.


I have the Northwind 17, it’s stable but it doesn’t feel as stable as the ones above. The MN II/III even more so. From your description it would take time to get used to those canoes.


T"

These all seem like great options. I have paddled the MN III and if things are loaded low it felt great but was not near as stable as my Smokercraft. Is my standard too high?

Also, where is a good place to try some of these out? I live near Rochester, MN.

AdamXChicago: "

billconner: "The Sourish River Quetico 17 or 18 would seem to fit this well. "

+1"

+2

AdamXChicago: "

billconner: "The Sourish River Quetico 17 or 18 would seem to fit this well. "

+1"

+3
I would avoid any iteration of the Wenonah MN unless your bow paddler weighs about 13 pounds and has no legs.

Another vote for the SR Quetico series. I have tripped with the 18.5 with 3 people. We had some windy, wavy days and it did great. I also own 2 17 footers and like them a lot. Our criteria is good stability both loaded and unloaded and it does that.

From Wenonah, I believe the Boundary Waters has a similar hull shape. But I would also be interested to try a Champlain.

Can't beat the Northstar Northwind.

OneMatch: "Can't beat the Northstar Northwind."

+1
I am a convert to this model as the best tandem tripper for our needs after many years of insisting on the SRQ17. Very stable both loaded and when fishing or day tripping without gear.

CanoeViking: "

timatkn: "Unless you just get a deal on a canoe, I’d try to paddle a few and compare.



The more stable canoes based on my personal experience are
1. Any of the Souris River Quetico line of canoes
2. Wenonah Boundary Waters canoe
The Champlain looks stable, just haven’t used it.



I have the Northwind 17, it’s stable but it doesn’t feel as stable as the ones above. The MN II/III even more so. From your description it would take time to get used to those canoes.



T"

These all seem like great options. I have paddled the MN III and if things are loaded low it felt great but was not near as stable as my Smokercraft. Is my standard too high?


Also, where is a good place to try some of these out? I live near Rochester, MN."

Is my standard too high? Hey ya like what ya like, don’t let anyone tell ya different.

I am sorry I made a suggestion about try before buying and I know of no options in your area. Maybe Rutabaga in Madison. No Souris River but most of the others. Otherwise maybe rent a canoe for a trip and see how ya feel after a week?

T

CanoeViking: "... and it goes to show you can always learn something new."

Yes. It's time to ditch the 1940's technology and learn to paddle Kevlar. It's similar to riding a bike and requires balance and a smooth paddling technique. There is a learning curve, but you'll get used to it shortly. You'll be glad you did.

Or just replace your old damaged canoe with another "lead-sled".

ps. Swamp Lake is an interesting favorite you have listed... ?

I'd recommend a Souris River Quetico canoe. Pick any length you'd like. They are stable, well-built canoes. Nice folks too.

Based on your high standards of the Smokerctaft comment. LOL. I would look at
Souris River Quetico 17 or 18.5.
North Star B series 17 or 19. ( wider than the Northwinds)
Wenonah Boundary Waters, Champlain, and Seneca. (Wider than the MN series).

What length would depend on how many seats you want.

We had a Souris River Q 18.5 for 10 years starting when the girls were 4 and 2 and we called it the family truckster. That thing was rock solid stable. 2 adults and 2 kids and a dog and not once was I worried about tipping. They would crawl up to mom and back and they both fit on the middle seat together until they were 12 and 10. We would take out the middle seat when we used it tandem.

ducks: "Based on your high standards of the Smokerctaft comment. LOL. I would look at
Souris River Quetico 17 or 18.5.
North Star B series 17 or 19. ( wider than the Northwinds)
Wenonah Boundary Waters, Champlain, and Seneca. (Wider than the MN series).


What length would depend on how many seats you want.


We had a Souris River Q 18.5 for 10 years starting when the girls were 4 and 2 and we called it the family truckster. That thing was rock solid stable. 2 adults and 2 kids and a dog and not once was I worried about tipping. They would crawl up to mom and back and they both fit on the middle seat together until they were 12 and 10. We would take out the middle seat when we used it tandem.


"

Yes, when I referred to high standards, I was ONLY talking about the stability. I have been canoeing for over 25 years and And I’m pretty flexible with most canoes and their stability, mama bear on the other hand, is much less inclined to take the cubs and her on a trip we me in a canoe that does not feel exceedingly stable.


From all of the feedback and research, I’m really leaning towards a SQ 18.5. But I’m still very much open to ears the Northwind has my attention as well

PabloKabo: "I'd recommend a Souris River Quetico canoe... Nice folks too."

Nice folks, but whacky...

CanoeViking: "

ducks: "Based on your high standards of the Smokerctaft comment. LOL. I would look at
Souris River Quetico 17 or 18.5.
North Star B series 17 or 19. ( wider than the Northwinds)
Wenonah Boundary Waters, Champlain, and Seneca. (Wider than the MN series).



What length would depend on how many seats you want.



We had a Souris River Q 18.5 for 10 years starting when the girls were 4 and 2 and we called it the family truckster. That thing was rock solid stable. 2 adults and 2 kids and a dog and not once was I worried about tipping. They would crawl up to mom and back and they both fit on the middle seat together until they were 12 and 10. We would take out the middle seat when we used it tandem.



"

Yes, when I referred to high standards, I was ONLY talking about the stability. I have been canoeing for over 25 years and And I’m pretty flexible with most canoes and their stability, mama bear on the other hand, is much less inclined to take the cubs and her on a trip we me in a canoe that does not feel exceedingly stable.



From all of the feedback and research, I’m really leaning towards a SQ 18.5. But I’m still very much open to ears the Northwind has my attention as well "

I hear ya. My suggestions above were based solely on your stability comment comparing it to your barge LOL.

I personally like paddling a Northwind better but my wife prefers the SR. Northwind is Plenty stable and much better glide IMO. My wife said that the SR definitely felt more stable to her in the bow, but not by a lot for me in the stern. Honestly, money was the final factor when we purchased the SR because at the time Bell wasn’t in production and Ted hadn’t started up Northstar yet, so supply and demand caused used Northwind 18’s to cost $600 to $800 more than the used SR we bought.

Now most of my trips are tandem with one of my kids or solo with our 80 lb lab so I downsized to a SR Q 16. My preferred small tandem is the Northstar Polaris, but it had only been out for a year when I got the used SR 16 so any Polaris I could find was way more expensive.

Seneca gets my vote.

The Souris River 18.5 has treated me well over the years. Very stable.

I just found a SQ 18.5 for $1995 in good shape.

Any questions I should ask when buying a used Kevlar SQ canoe?

CanoeViking: "I just found a SQ 18.5 for $1995 in good shape.


Any questions I should ask when buying a used Kevlar SQ canoe?"

Private owner of outfitter? Outfitter canoes tend to be a little more beat. But price seems right.

Definitely avoid the Wenonah MN series - they're fast and track well but the bow has poor leg room and they don't have a lot of freeboard. I love both of my Northstar canoes but they don't give an "ultra stable" confidence like a flat bottom boat does. They ARE super stable and hard to tip because they keep contact with water as they roll, but they -do roll- side to side and it can be disconcerting if you're not used to it. I highly recommend at least looking at or trying a Northwind 17/18/20 depending on what size you need, but I think they're probably not quite what you're looking for.

For a confidence inspiring craft that -won't- roll back over once it starts to roll, and will flip instead - just how the flat bottom hull works - the Wenonah Champlain and Boundary Waters are excellent boats for tandems, Seneca for triples (or quads if you don't have much gear). Plenty of room for people and gear and they don't rock much. I also enjoyed the SR Quetico 17s I paddled on several trips, but I think if I was going to buy a flat bottom Kevlar canoe, it'd likely be a Boundary Waters. Just a great boat.