I know it's been asked a lot. I'll be tripping this summer with my daughter (9, first trip) and my brother. I'm 5'6", brother is 6'3". I have a Wenonah Champlain. We'll be going in and base camping around Caribou/Gaskin/Horseshoe area.

Would you A) use my 2-person Champlain with some sort of insert/pad/middle bench, B) rent or buy a 3-person canoe, or C) rent or buy a solo canoe to take alongside the Champlain?

Past trips have been me and one other; future trips will usually be larger as I'm thinking it will be wife, both kids, etc. What canoe setup would be most flexible? I don't really have room for a second in the garage.

I did a 3-person trip in a MN3 last year and while it was stable enough for us guys who knew to be careful with balance, use loose hips for waves, etc, if I was bringing my kid especially for the first time, I'd want something a little less aggressive (like the MN3, 6" waterline with 3 200lb guys) and a little more stable and comforting. Unfortunately I don't have any recommendations for you but I thought I'd at least mention my experience with the MN3. Maybe look at the SRQ18.5. I know people like their Quetico line but I don't know their reputation for stability.

I'd use what you have for this trip.

To go with a tandem and a solo you need a paddler who is comfortable in the tandem with your daughter and a paddler who is comfortable in the solo. So both you and your brother need to be good paddlers.

Otherwise I would go for a three person canoe. I don't know the Champlain well enough to know if there is room for a third seat, all your gear, and will have enough freeboard.

For other 3 person canoes, I like the SR Q18.5 better than the MNIII because it is more stable and shorter which makes life a little easier on twisty portage trails. But mostly due to the stability. But we've used both and both work.

Overall, I think I would go with a three person canoe of some sort.

Souris River Quetico 18.6 is what I trip with when I have three people, or am going to basecamp somewhere and am carrying a heavy load. Very stable, much more leg room in the bow, and the third seat is easy to take out. In my opinion , it is a much better choice then the Minnesota line, but I’m sure others will disagree....

Northstar Northwind 20, Wenonah Seneca, Souris River 18.5

Bdubr: "Northstar Northwind 20, Wenonah Seneca, Souris River 18.5"

We have a Seneca, it’s a tank but we like the stability. Had 3 full grown men on a trip and it was nice. We were able to go about 4.5 mph when we hit our stride.

The Seneca is the three-person variant of the Champlain that I have, just 16" longer and a little taller plus a removable middle seat.

If I wanted a drop in seat or temporary seat for my Champlain, what would others recommend?

I would use what you have as it is a stable boat and big enough for an extra person. Use a drop seat or have her sit on a pack. That's what my kids used when they were that age.

On my last BW trip, one person cancelled so the three of us rented an Alumacraft 17' 3-seat from Seagull Outfitters. We were a little loaded, but it worked out fine.

We've used a Seneca on two separate trips, no complaints here.

AmarilloJim: "I'd use what you have for this trip."

What AmarilloJim said. The Champlain is a little wider than other canoes so stability with three will be good.

Your 9-year old riding duffer will be no problem. Set her up with a nice seat cushion and something for a back rest and she should be happy as a clam. Load up the canoe and take a test run around home to see how things go.

newguy: "The Seneca is the three-person variant of the Champlain that I have, just 16" longer and a little taller plus a removable middle seat.

If I wanted a drop in seat or temporary seat for my Champlain, what would others recommend?"

I recommend a Spring Creek drop-in seat. Get the clamps to keep it in place when portaging.

Your 9 year old won't have the stamina for any all-day paddles, so I think a lot depends on your route. If you take 2 canoes, the person in the tandem is going to be doing a fair amount of solo paddling.

We took an 18.5 foot 3 person last year for the three of us, it worked out just fine, lot's of space for packs, plenty stable. Might want to consider renting one and see how you like it.

The Champlain should be plenty big for gear, 2 adults, and a child. I had 2 adults and a child in a Jensen 18 and that worked fine.

I bought two of these for the grandkids years ago but now I see they are not available.
https://www.rei.com/product/755612/carlisle-snap-in-center-seat

Google 'drop in canoe seat' and you can see others....

dr bob

Get a custom-sized, durable, classy third seat by buying one from Essex Industries. I did this to allow solo use of my Penobscot 17. You decide exactly where you want to set it for boat trim and how high or low you want its occupant.

Essex Industries Canoe Seats

Plus you get to support a wonderful endeavor.

If I add one of those seats, how do I customize its location? Would it be removable during a trip or just before/after?

What about the canoe seat/yoke combo I saw? Could replace my wood yoke and pads.

something like this may be simpler

Canoe Seat:

If you can figure out the logo maybe you can see where you can get it.
dr bob

The one with the green fabric seat is what I was referring to.

Once we rented a longer canoe from CBO on Moose lake and it had this for the third seat at portage yoke.
Seat

You unclip the seat and flip it over when you switch from portaging to sitting. Worked pretty decent although I remember the fabrics trying to separate from my shoulders on portages. That would be an easy fix though..

dr bob

DrBobDerrig: "something like this may be simpler


Canoe Seat:


If you can figure out the logo maybe you can see where you can get it.
dr bob"

Looks like it's available in the UK. Canoe Seat and they ship to US Shipping Info

I agree with using your Champlain. That is a perfect high capacity stable canoe for the three of you. I have taken several "two adult, one 10 year old" trips with a 16 1/2 foot Bell Northwind without any issues, and it doesn't have near the capacity of the Champlain.

The most comfortable set up has been to have the child sit on the smallest pack in front of the center thwart so that it could be used as a backrest. A little practice paddle with the three of you before the trip should confirm whatever set up you do.

Bending Branches has a Twig paddle in a few different sizes that are perfect for kids to use. It is light, and the blade isn't so big that when they "drag the paddle in the water" :-) it doesn't throw you off course.

newguy: "If I add one of those seats, how do I customize its location? Would it be removable during a trip or just before/after?


What about the canoe seat/yoke combo I saw? Could replace my wood yoke and pads."

The seat is easily removed and reinstalled once you have it set up. It uses long bolts and nuts.

Take the kid, another paddler, the canoe and an approximation of the load you’ll have to a calm shore (once the ice is gone ...) Have someone watch the canoe trim from shore as you experiment with kid comfort and load placement. When you arrive at the optimal solution, have the kid mark the gunwales on each side with tape where her hips are located. That will be the line for locating the seat.

Put the seat on the gunwales and match its position to the hip line. Put tape at the spots where the seat extensions rest on the gunwale. Measure the seat for future length (i.e., inside the hull), and remember to do that for each seat edge separately, to match the hull curves. Cut the seat LONGER than that and start reducing seat length very gradually until you have a close but not tight fit. Mark holes on the gunwales for drilling. Take the seat out, drill the holes and install the seat. Cut the seat hangers only as much as you want to raise the seat. (With a drill press, you could make even longer hangers if needed.)

I don’t have experience with the combo. It would have to be installed with an eye to both trim and suitability when portaging. Contact Essex and I’m sure they would be helpful.

I would use the boat you already have. However, instead of going through the process to add a third seat (This will also upset the portaging balance of the canoe). How about just a drop in seat or a portage yoke/seat combo.

Drop In Seat

Seat and Yoke Combo

No drilling holes in a perfectly good hull: Can be easily removed for portaging: Preserves the original portaging balance of the canoe.

They may not appear on the websites as an option, but some outfitters rent the drop in seats. It would be worth the call to a couple outfitters near your entry to see if they have them.

I guess I would mainly take into consideration how much gear you normally take. If you're relatively light packers, then you should be fine with what you have, or certainly a MN3. Have rented a MN3 on numerous occasions with 3 adult males and always had a great trip in all kinds of weather.

Michwall2: "I would use the boat you already have. However, instead of going through the process to add a third seat (This will also upset the portaging balance of the canoe). How about just a drop in seat or a portage yoke/seat combo.
...
No drilling holes in a perfectly good hull: Can be easily removed for portaging: Preserves the original portaging balance of the canoe."

Oh, the horror. Drilling four additional holes in the gunwales absolutely ruined the appearance of this boat. WTH was I thinking?

(BTW, it balances fine for portaging, given the proximity of the third seat to the yoke.)

+1 for Seneca because that's what we have. Two of my friends and I took it up last summer after another guy couldn't make it. Now I want to plan every trip to have 3 people per canoe. The first time we tried loading everything and getting in was interesting...But after we had a plan it was great. Not sure how fast we were going but it felt like we could have pulled a tube behind us lol. We fished quite a bit and never had any issues either.

gravelroad: " "

I am confused by this. Is your 3rd passenger sitting backwards?

sns: "

gravelroad: " "

I am confused by this. Is your 3rd passenger sitting backwards?"

Nope, the solo paddler is facing backwards. :-)

(And yes, having a symmetrical hull is occasionally handy.)