Hello friends!

I've been to the BW many times and have always gone in a canoe. I love being in a canoe but am looking to change it up for next trip by doing a boat trip. Experience something new for next spring/summer.
So my question is. What would be the ideal boat to bring to BW? Size/type. (Yes I'm aware that boats are only allowed on some lakes.) Anyone have any suggestions on boat type? That can carry 2-3 people with all gear? Portage wheels, etc. Tbanks.

Are you buying one? Renting? Borrowing?

A mod-v or deep v seems to be the way to go in case it gets windy. Usually a 16' boat is all the bigger the allowed motors will really push, especially when loaded down w/ people and gear.

Yea, I'd buy one for the trip. 16 ft, Nice. Ok thanks.

I'd make a few calls to outfitters on that lake or those lakes. (Moose, Sag, Fall, etc) What do you guys have for rentals or what do your customers typically bring. They should have a really good idea of what works and what doesn't.

I spend a good amount of time fishing from a motorboat in the BWCA, happy to answer any specific questions you may have. Personally I’d say deep V all the way over a Jon boat or mod V. Some of the motor lakes like Saganaga can be awfully big water in windy conditions. I fished a couple years out of a 1963 shallow V 14-footer with either an electric motor or a little 6hp and got by. But when it came time to invest in the right tool for the job, I got a 16’ deep V with a 25hp.

The classic outfitter setup is a 16ft Lund WC or SSV.

Portage wheels I hear are getting harder to come by — but for the vast majority of BWCA motor lakes you won’t be portaging at all.

One thing I’d say is to try to plan your intended lakes first. There are different HP limits on different lakes.

I would look at a sportsman with a big motor.

Chosa: "I would look at a sportsman with a big motor.
"

That’s what she said?

Really tho, awful advice lol

What would be a good size motor to bring for 2-3 ppl? ??

Hawk777: "What would be a good size motor to bring for 2-3 ppl? ??"

In general you want the biggest motor allowed on the lake you’ll be on— 10hp for Clearwater, 25 for Basswood, etc.

My experiences:

14 footer with a 6hp— max 10 mph loaded with 2 guys
14 footer with 8hp— max 10 mph 3 guys
16 footer with 10hp- max 13 mph 3 guys
16 footer with 25 — max 22 mph 3 guys


When you think of speed don’t think of power/fun. Horsepower can also help get you outta trouble when it counts.

I bought a Lund Fury tiller model with a 25 horse just for that reason. Great boat, and handles big water very well.

We fished many years on Brule,, Sag and Seagull, with a cut down 12 ft Alumnacraft boat and a 6 hp Johnson motor. Boat was easy to cartop and portage. It was speedy and got us where we were going. Never had any problems with the lake size. You just had to pick your location to avoid the weather conditions and wave size.

Seagull has a 10hp restriction on a good portion of the motorized lake and a limited area is no motor restriction. Sag is 25 hp on the American side, so a 16 foot boat is an option. Of course Brule is now canoe only.

The 12 footer would handle 3 people easily, but did slow down the progress.

bruleman: "We fished many years on Brule,, Sag and Seagull, with a cut down 12 ft Alumnacraft boat and a 6 hp Johnson motor. Boat was easy to cartop and portage. It was speedy and got us where we were going. Never had any problems with the lake size. You just had to pick your location to avoid the weather conditions and wave size.


Seagull has a 10hp restriction on a good portion of the motorized lake and a limited area is no motor restriction. Sag is 25 hp on the American side, so a 16 foot boat is an option. Of course Brule is now canoe only.


The 12 footer would handle 3 people easily, but did slow down the progress. "

Yep, I car-topped my 14-foot alumacraft for a while as well. I love my trailer now, but I could put that boat in anywhere I wanted.

Bruleman -- what is a "cut down" boat? Did you literally shorten a 14-footer to 12, and if so what is the reasoning?

Wallee, I bought the 2018 16 ft lund fury tiller with 25 4 stroke great boat... Trailer,,, not so much.
I've had the bolt holding the rollers on the back break 3 times while trailering.......Shorelander sent replacements bolts. Break.
Went to Semi shop and the guy swore they wouldn't break... break....thinking of welding so it doesn't move.
Maybe upgrade to bigger trailor.. like I said love the boat.

It was the Alumnacraft EZ model. A light weight 12 ft boat that didn't have near the structure of its much heavier 14 ft cousin. Dad and I bought it back in the 60's because we were still fishing Brule and wanted to portage it into some of the neighboring lakes that were incorporated fully into the BWCA. We would leave the motor on Brule and row the boat on the portage lakes. Two guys could easily carry it for quite a distance. Our 6hp Johnson twin outboard would propel that 12 ft boat at the same clip that a friends 12 Evinrude would push a 14ft boat with two passengers.

https://forums.iboats.com/threads/questions-about-12-ft-ez-model-row-boat.406559/

Here is a thread on the Alumacraft EZ model. Ours was fully aluminum, no wood seats.

bruleman: "https://forums.iboats.com/threads/questions-about-12-ft-ez-model-row-boat.406559/


Here is a thread on the Alumacraft EZ model. Ours was fully aluminum, no wood seats. "

That’s pretty wild Bruleman. Until this summer we’ve been fishing from an AZ, which I think is just the 14 foot version of the EZ. Both were considered budget models in the “aluma line.” Found these pages from
A 1969 brochure for the budget line. No wood in ours either—- well, until I got a trailer and built a front casting deck for it.

Thanks for the info fellas.