So my father has two knee replacements, a heart condition and uses a c-pap machine. Yes he's a hot mess. He can't get in a canoe, He has to have his c-pap. I've always done canoe trips to the BW, but I'd like to see if there is a way for him to get him to the BW and fish.

Anyone have any ideas? I need a cabin and someplace with boat to rent.

Go to the outfitters or lodging page and look at the map which shows the locations. You can see who is located. On bigger lakes of which most allow motors. Now the trick is if you can actually go in the bwca as day use motor permits are tough to get. So may many need to fish on the edge.

Off the top of my head, you have La Tourells on Moose Lake. Seagull, Voyageur Outfitters, Gunflint Lodge, Clearwater, Bearskin

Motor permits go fast (might already be gone?) like places for fall lake or Moose entry. Stay at outfitter on the lake with docks and boats right there.

Clearwater allows boats. Saganaga, etc.

You could also go to voyageurs national park which is more built for what you're looking for just to the west of the BW and looks the same as far as terrain

There are outfitters who rent houseboats on Kabetogama, too.

Lots of FS lakes in the arrowhead that are less crowded than the BW also.

the moose chain-seagull-clearwater all good choices.

Gunflint lodge makes a great home base. Lots of different options for lodging. Their docks are great. Their rental boats are on the newer side compared to some of the others on the trail. Nice boats with floors, some with fish finders. If you bring your own boat, you have access to great day trips nearby. There are still plenty of DM permits for Seagull, Saganaga, Clearwater on the Gunflint side. And if you strike out on permits you'll be right on Gunflint lake with no permit required. From gunflint, if the water is high enough and your boat drafts low enough, you can get all the way over to North Lake and fish on the US side there. You can even self-issue a day use permit for EP 58 -- leave the boat on the shore and walk the Height of Land portage and do the Voyageurs ritual. You'd also be in position to take a day trip paddling solo if that's your thing -- mini adventure down the Granite River route via Magnetic Lake.

Check with Veteran's on the Lake resort in Ely. It's on Fall Lake which is partly in the BW. You don't have to be a veteran to stay there, and they cater to folks like your father.

I did something similar with my dad last spring. We rented a cabin and took our duck hunting boat out on Saganaga. Sea Gull would be an option too. It was a lot of fun and a really beautiful lake. We just used day use motor permits. We got them from the outfitter and it didn't seem like any issue at all to get them last minute. This was during the shutdown though so that might have affected how easy it was to get the permit.

Another thing to consider would be Voyageurs National Park west of the BWCA. I’ve done a few trips there and it’s a good experience. Several places to rent from.

I'm a huge advocate for VNP if that's your thing. Fishing is excellent and very accessible. There are even accessible sites!