Looking at buying this canoe. It is 16' long and I am wondering if anyone would think that it is too large to effectively use on a long solo trip? Also, its a fiberglass canoe. Would anyone be able to give a ballpark guess on the weight? Thanks a million!

I don't think that it's too long to use on a solo but too heavy if you are portaging. I would choose an outfitter that has a variety of solo's or small tandems that you can test paddle before you rent.

I mean it isn't the best option out there by a mile but weight...maybe like 75 to 85 (complete guess) that isn't the worst to portage. You'd probably have to double portage though. Length is fine. Up to how much you want to carry and how good of a deal it is :) Personally I would be alright with it but I am used to carrying heavy alumacrafts and double portaging.

As to weight, Wenonah's 16-foot tandems in "tuff weave" (a fiberglass and polyester composite) are in the neighborhood of 60 pounds. 100% glass is probably heavier. The length is ok for soloing. I prefer a real solo canoe, however.

It's not too long, but there are other reasons it may not be ideal. It looks to be a "chopped gun" fiberglass which translates to be "very heavy". I would not be surprised if it was pushing 90#s. The seats are also solid (another indication of chopper gun fiberglass), but more importantly you can't get your feet under them. Also, it does not have a yoke.

All this tells me that this canoe is not a good portage canoe and not good as a solo tripping boat.

It may, however, be a nice "cabin" canoe, one that isn't portage. Good for messing around at the lake and maybe fishing.

Weight would be my concern too. That said, I solo with a 15' royalex canoe (64-ish pounds), but depending on wind and trim options with packs, I paddle backwards from the bow. Which means wider strokes. It works for me, but not the most efficient I am sure. Plus I start hating it on portages because I don't like to double.

Still - it's super stable and I have not mastered the art of a true solo boat yet where you sit basically in the middle. I got wet just getting into one last time I tried, lol.

Before I built my Merlin solo canoe I used my 16' Mohawk fiberglass canoe to solo. It is symmetrical, so I paddle facing backwards from the bow seat. I think it weights about 65#. It is doable. It can be a handful in a stiff wind though.

If money is tight and you cannot rent/borrow a solo canoe, then use what you have. Stay on smaller lakes to help you stay out of the wind. And have fun.

it's to big even if you sat in teh bow seat, backwaards. for you to effectively paddle against the wind. even if you had all the weight in the rear, now front. ive done 8 miles solo in a slow moving river.in my 16 footer. a lighter and more weight in teh center , would make paddling distance easier