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06/12/2022 08:21AM  
Hey all, looking for some input on my next canoe purchase.

I'm looking to fill in a bit of a gap I have currently and hoping there's a canoe that fits well in this space.

First off I already have two very good tandem ultralight canoes for flat-water tripping. This last year I started bringing some of my younger children along with me without another "capable" paddling partner (basically paddling solo with a child). I have a MNII that I had modified with a 3rd seat and found that it worked out quite well where if I had the child and the gear in the bow area of the canoe I could switch between the addition seat (to trim forward going into the wind) and the aft seat (for proper trim with the wind). The MNII is not an easy canoe to solo, but I found with attention to the trim and good paddling technique I was able to make it work. Where I really had issues was with a head/crosswind. Keeping that bow pointed the way I wanted required some serious hard work and made for slow progress. I found myself thinking it's time for a shorter canoe with some rocker.

This leads me to my second use case. I now live in a place where I have quite a few opportunities for river paddling in rocky conditions with up to class II rapids. So far I have yet to purchase a dedicated river canoe and the thought of taking my already well used ultralight kevlar canoes on the river gives me anxiety. I would like to get a canoe that would maneuver reasonably well in the rapids and handle a bit of abuse.

So I think where I'm at right now is I'd like either a solo canoe that can handle a substantial load (ie a child and camping gear) or a shorter tandem with symmetric hull that I can paddle backwards from the bow seat. I'd like more rocker than a flat-water hull and less rocker than a whitewater canoe. Bow/stern height low enough that it won't be a kite and high enough that it can handle some waves and rapids. Would love the weight be be less than 60lbs and in a layup that can take some abuse. If a tandem would be nice if it's stable enough for some poling, but not 100% required.

I've a lot more experience with general flat water hulls so hoping someone else can chime in with thoughts/ideas on this. Right now some of the options I'm looking at are:
-Bell B16 in IXP
-Nova Craft Bob Special in Tough Stuff
-Wenonah Wilderness T-Formex (though not sure about the capacity)
-Souris River Quetico 16 (though not sure if it'll be tough enough for river use)
-Souris River Skeena (this is an interesting one would love to hear experience/thoughts)
 
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RedLakePaddler
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06/12/2022 01:25PM  
Thomas
I would look at a canoe like the Northstar B16. I have a Mad River Explorer in expedition kelvar which weights 56# that I have used with my 92# poodle. The canoe would be very similar to the B16. It paddles good as a solo backwards from the bow seat.
I also have a Wenonah Wilderness which I believe would be too small.
Children grow fast and would soon out grow anything smaller than a 16’ tandem canoe.

Carl
 
straighthairedcurly
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06/12/2022 03:00PM  
I vote Nova Craft...but will be interested in what others have to say.
 
IowaGuy
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06/12/2022 03:44PM  
Slightly heavier than your ideal 60# cutoff, but I love my Wenonah Sprit II for the functions that you mention. Royalex construction at 17' and 69#, does great on both moving water and flatwater (it's Wenonah's Swiss Army Knife, if you will).

Can take some serious abuse! (I bought it used 20 years ago from an outfitter.)

I have paddled it backwards (solo) numerous times in streams/rivers and also flatwater including week-long solo trips in the BWCA and Quetico. Very stable for paddling not-so-experienced younger kids while they cast/troll and I also troll. Also plenty of capacity for camping & fishing gear...

 
06/12/2022 04:58PM  
I too vote for the Nova Craft but the Prospector 15 instead. I think that canoe is better suited for Class 2. And if you plan on being pretty abusive to it you might want to think about the expedition TuffStuff layup. Very strong but still under your 60# limit.
 
06/13/2022 07:40AM  
Thanks everyone for your replies. Still doing some thinking on this.

IowaGuy I actually have a spirit II in kevlar and would agree it's a fantastic canoe, but how did you get around the issue having the thwart behind the front seat when you want to solo paddle? I also felt like it would be a bit too wide for solo paddling, but maybe not?

For those recommending the Nova Craft Prospector is there any reason not to pick up a wenonah prospector 15? Looking at that VS the nova craft the specs are very similar and I can get ahold of the wenonah much more easily in T-formex for a much lower price and just a few lbs more. Not sure why, but I had written off the wenonah prospectors as being too heavy. The 15 is at least reasonable.

Thanks again!
 
06/14/2022 12:17AM  
keth0601T: For those recommending the Nova Craft Prospector is there any reason not to pick up a wenonah prospector 15? Looking at that VS the nova craft the specs are very similar and I can get ahold of the wenonah much more easily in T-formex for a much lower price and just a few lbs more. Not sure why, but I had written off the wenonah prospectors as being too heavy. The 15 is at least reasonable.


Thanks again!"


Sounds like that would work just fine for you. I'm just a big fan of Nova Craft. The Wenonah is a bit heavier though, especially if you were going to get the TuffStuff layup.
 
06/14/2022 12:05PM  
Turns out all of these canoes are hard to find these days. :( There were a couple dealers here in WI that had the Wenonahs listed in t-formex, but apparently Wenonah is way behind in delivering these and nobody knows when they're getting them in. Might just have to wait for another year unless I get lucky with a used boat...

Sad that you can't even buy a new canoe in what's normally one of the most prolific configurations these days...
 
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