Hey guys looking for recommendations. I have a group of three men (experienced paddlers) going out for 7 days this September. We want to take two canoes so if someone doesn't want to go out they are not stranded at camp. The question is take a solo plus a tandem or a solo and 3 man so we could take day trips with light gear together all in the same boat.

Are 3-man canoes too cumbersome for two guys to paddle with gear or should we be ok?

There are a number of 18 foot canoes that have a third seat. I have a champlain with a Spring Creek Outfitter yoke that can be used as a third seat. If you are renting canoes, just let the outfitter know what you are thinking and they will set you up with boats that will work for you.

By the way, having a solo along is a great option. With a solo and a tandem that can carry all three guys, you cover all options from one guy going out to all three guys.

We rented a 3 man this year, MNIII, when the family went up. Yes two people can easily paddle a 3 man canoe.

What HRD said.

Two guys one canoe, one guy solo canoe, and rotate on request of new scenery. Just not a fan of being restricted to one canoe. I am a fan of always having two canoes on a trip. You should always take an extra paddle so why not an extra canoe. But hey that's just me.

Indeed - no problem as others have said.
But if one person wants to go out alone to fish around camp in an 18.5 foot canoe...that could get challenging with any wind. If you think you want to cover that base, a 17' two-man plus a solo might be better.

Edit- had not read carefully enough - you did say you were taking a solo. If it's me I'm taking the 2-man & the solo.

One Quetico trip, we took 2 tandems and a Wenonah MN3 for 6 people. We took the 3-person canoe to enable 3 people to fish together. The boat performed well for two paddlers with a typical amount of gear. It was, in fact, the fastest boat in the fleet. It also worked well for a 3-person fishing boat.

I have a Northwind 18 with three seats, and almost all its use is with two people. I'm a marathon runner and my daughter is a fit teenager so the two of us don't weigh a whole lot, and our gear is very light, but we've never had trouble with it being too much canoe for us.

I have a souris river 18.5 and have paddled it with 2 people plenty of times and had no problems.

Thank you all for the advise. We will take a three man plus a solo canoe

I've paddled a 3 man canoe once with my wife and young daughter in the middle seats and my mother in law paddling in the bow, and I'm using the term "paddling" very loosely. I'd say I provided 90% of the paddling from the stern while she occasionally dipped a paddle and we managed just fine.