Looking for a little help planning my first solo trip out of the Sawbill area later this summer and not sure which canoe to rent. I am always more concerned with stability then speed especially while on a solo. Which canoe would you recommend for my first solo to rent?

Get a SRQ16

Isn't that a 2 person canoe?

I'd recommend that you approach the problem by first assessing your body weight, the amount of gear you will be bringing with you, the dimensions of the packs that you will use to carry that gear. Then look at the Wenonah website to evaluate the two canoes you mentioned. If you want, you could even print pictures of the canoes and estimate the space that is available in each canoe.

That said, both are pretty stable.

The Prism will haul more gear and has more depth.

Talk to the outfitter. You may be able to put off the decision until you arrive there.

Prism is more steady, Vagabond is smaller in all dimensions.
I'm not a fan of the Prism but is is a quick stable canoe. But honestly any true solo will not be steady for first timers.
A-Jim, the SR Q16 may be a good canoe but it is a tandem rigged for 1 paddler and suffers the faults of pressing a tandem to solo use, big wind catching, wide reach to get a good stroke in use. I've watched new soloing paddlers get all messed up in that.
Left to my own devices I'd request a NorthStar Phoenix or a Wenonah Wilderness for a first timer.

butthead

A Vagabond will not have the room for much gear, being that it is 2 feet shorter. For obvious reasons it would probably be better on rivers and worse choppy water. I have not used one but can tell you I have used my Prism on 2 solos totaling 39 days I have had zero stability issues.

You don't really give any details on your size, amount of gear or length of solo, so pretty hard to give any advise.

If those are your choices, then get the Prism for the reasons mentioned above. The Vagabond is a little canoe.

I've paddled a Vagabond in the BW and a Canak which has a very similar hull to the Prism. I would defiantly go with the Prism. You'll have much more capacity and more glide while paddling.

Sorry I am 210 pounds, will be going 3-4 nights and will be bringing some fishing gear. Havent weighed out my gear yet i would estimate based on my other group trips 70ish pounds thats including fishing gear.

I have paddled both. I like the Prism due to better stability. But as others have said how you would use the canoe is a primary consideration. I like the stability even though I don’t weigh too much and travel very light.
If you are renting vs buying and new to soloing I would start with a Prism and then see if you can try other boats at the outfitters.

Reke0402: "Sorry I am 210 pounds, will be going 3-4 nights and will be bringing some fishing gear. Havent weighed out my gear yet i would estimate based on my other group trips 70ish pounds thats including fishing gear."

I am a similar weight and did two solo trips last year of similar duration in Prisms. My gear was about 35-38 pounds in a single CCS Pioneer Hybrid pack. The Prism had a sliding seat and I was able to trim the canoe well with a single pack. There was still plenty of room for a smaller rucksack or fishing gear so your estimated ~70 pounds of gear should fit if packed appropriately.

The biggest difference in my experience was one Prism had the adjustable foot bar and one did not. I definitely preferred the foot bar!

But otherwise I found the Prism a good canoe for my first solo trips.

Reke0402: "Sorry I am 210 pounds, will be going 3-4 nights and will be bringing some fishing gear. Havent weighed out my gear yet i would estimate based on my other group trips 70ish pounds thats including fishing gear."

Take the Prism.

Ausable: "

Reke0402: "Sorry I am 210 pounds, will be going 3-4 nights and will be bringing some fishing gear. Havent weighed out my gear yet i would estimate based on my other group trips 70ish pounds thats including fishing gear."

Take the Prism."

Seconded. Take the Prism.

The Vagabond is my solo canoe and it is perfect for me, but I am 160 lbs and don't bring a lot of gear.

AmarilloJim: "Get a SRQ16"

I tried the SRQ16 solo a couple years ago based on a column Joe at Red Rocks wrote about it being the ultimate setup for soloing. It is stable and will carry a lot but the width and lack of tumblehome made it a little awkward to paddle and I wouldn't do it again.

If stability is the major criteria your looking for, I stand by my recommendation. If you want to go 5mph than the SRQ16 is not it. I use a 280 yak paddle most of the time but feel very comfortable using a single blade on occasion. I have a tandem so sitting in the bow seat isn't as centered.

Neither. Rent a Wilderness. Much more secondary stability, and fishing from it is a dream. Better yet, find something totally apart from the Wenonah stable. There are so many better boats available.

And so goes Joe's advice! He claims there has never been a decent solo built by anyone. That statement alone tells you something about good old Joe.

Like Springer2, I rented a SR Q 16 set up as solo once. It was way too big for me and my load. With a shear line of 20/14/20 and 2" symmetrical rocker, it was huge sail that was unmanageable in the wind with a load of 210 lbs. If you and your gear are approaching 450 lbs. it might work well for you.

Prism (Wilderness is not a bad suggestion either), or a Northstar NW Solo if the outfitter carries NS. (Tranquility if SR.)

There's also the Wenonah solo plus, though I have never paddled it.

If you do decide to go beast mode with a SR Q16 (Wenonah Aurora or Adirondack might be the most similar to the SR Q16), take two dry bags you can fill with 30-50 lbs of water (each) to trim and load it down. I agree that at 210 + 70 lbs of gear you'll be unhappy in the wind with those tandem hulls.

Prism.

I paddle an Argosy, but recommend the Prism. I think there are much better solos but choosing one is personal preference. Prism is a good, solid solo for the BWCA and is probably the most commonly available among nearly all outfitters.

Ausable: "

Reke0402: "Sorry I am 210 pounds, will be going 3-4 nights and will be bringing some fishing gear. Havent weighed out my gear yet i would estimate based on my other group trips 70ish pounds thats including fishing gear."

Take the Prism."

I love my Prism I have had for like 12 years or more. Also like my tractor seat and low center of gravity and adjustable seat . Plus bars in front to brace my feet. The Prism is extremely stable and plenty fast enough.
Does the Prism still come with the tractor seat?

Pinetree: "

Ausable: "

Reke0402: "Sorry I am 210 pounds, will be going 3-4 nights and will be bringing some fishing gear. Havent weighed out my gear yet i would estimate based on my other group trips 70ish pounds thats including fishing gear."

Take the Prism."

I love my Prism I have had for like 12 years or more. Also like my tractor seat and low center of gravity and adjustable seat . Plus bars in front to brace my feet. The Prism is extremely stable and plenty fast enough.
Does the Prism still come with the tractor seat?"

Yes, the tractor seat is still standard, but I wouldn't be surprised if most outfitters carry the webbed seat version.

I love my prism for solo adventures. I want to add to the other comments that I use a double paddle and find it moves the prism quickly and makes it easy to keep in a straight line.