BWCA What size canoe? Boundary Waters Gear Forum
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Reke0402
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02/04/2019 05:56PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
Last trip we had 5 of us in our group so we did a 2 man and a 3 man canoe. It looks like for our next trip, we are adding one more.

Here is my question - should we do three 2-man canoes or two 3-man canoes? The speed of a 3-man, along with quicker portaging, is nice, along with taking up less space at the campsite. The 2-man would be nice since there is more independence among the group in case some want to fish instead of just sightseeing, etc.

I'm torn and am looking for any help from larger groups that have done similar before.
 
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MidwestFirecraft
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02/04/2019 06:11PM  
I own a Northwind 18 and love that my two daughters can go with me, but when it comes to adults, I always feel like the middle seat is a third wheel. I would much rather tandem, especially if they are kevlar/carbon canoes.
 
schweady
distinguished member(8070)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
02/04/2019 06:18PM  
6 people? 3 tandems. Lots more flexibility for day trips, fishing, firewood gathering, etc. We do a lot of groups of 6-9 guys and would never think of going with two 3-man, or with three 3-man canoes
 
02/04/2019 06:19PM  
If you have some real novices that you're concerned about, a middle seat might be the ticket for them.

But otherwise I agree with the others - 3 tandems.
 
Northwoodsman
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02/04/2019 07:19PM  
3 canoes, 2 people in each.
 
Tomcat
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02/04/2019 08:59PM  


 
02/05/2019 08:28AM  
Tandems for sure. The 3rd person sitting in the middle of the canoe is pretty worthless most of the time for paddling. Usually they get in the way of the person paddling on the same side as them. I would rotate who is in the middle and just have that person fish and watch the map. Maybe they can paddle a little to correct for any course correction so the stern paddler doesn't need to slow the canoe to turn, but really the 3rd paddler is mostly dead weight.

At least with 3 tandem canoes, you get to spread the gear out and everyone is paddling. Everyone paddling means that everyone is just as invested in the journey, and that at the end everyone is similarly tired. It puts everyone on the same page and they all treat it seriously. I could see kids/teens (or really anyone that's not an outdoorsmen) not taking the experience seriously if they didn't have to work for it.

Keep in mind that this is mostly for equally fit people. People that would struggle paddling might be better off in a 3 person canoe where others can help them. Maybe start them off in the bow, where the person in the middle can guide, instruct , fish, and correct steering. Then when they get tired, they switch.
 
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