We just added a 6th person and I'm wondering if we should be renting three tandem canoes or go with two 3-man canoes? What are the pros/cons of each?

Depends on your group. Ages? Paddling experience? Are you fishing? If so, a lot or just a time or two during your trip?

We have a wide variety of ages and abilities. However, four are seasoned BWCA vets. I'm leaning to three tandems, but want to weigh the pros and cons. We don't typically boat while in transit, but rather from shore or a separate on boat fish time so I'm not concerned with fishing with three in a boat as that doesn't really happen for us.

If you have that many seasoned paddlers, I would lean toward 3 tandems. Sitting in the center seat of a 3-person is not particularly comfortable for large adults. And some portages are harder to navigate with the longer canoes. That being said, 3-person canoes with in sync paddlers can really cover a lot of lake fast and it is a very social experience.

Three canoes are typically heavier than two canoes.

*edit I'm sorry for my sarcasm, this isn't the place for that. All questions should be welcomed here.

Think about your bow/stern pairings. Do you have at least three that are competent in the stern? Who is your slowest paddler? If you put your weakest and strongest paddlers together, will their boat keep up with the rest of the canoes? If so, I'd lean towards three canoes. If you have two or more less-capable paddlers, i.e. kids/elderly/disability, I'd lean towards two canoes.

I’m leaning this way too. Thanks!

Well Z4K, I used the search function and didn’t see anything in the last 10 pages so I posed a simple question. I’ll let you take the solo inexperienced newbie. We are set.

+1 on bow/stern pairings being a major consideration. As long as you have three competent paddlers in the stern, I would strongly lean towards three 2-seaters. More room for gear and easier paddling - as stated in a previous comment paddling from the middle seat in a 3-seater is challenging. Then, if you plan to base camp, you can do short day trips with just two canoes if you choose. Last year we did 3 full-size adults in one 3-seater so it CAN work...but given an even number with at least one competent paddler in the stern for each, I would always choose 2-seaters.

Two people per canoe is ideal. Fishing and paddling with someone in the center is less efficient than a standard tandem. That said, what others have said about less effective paddlers and bow/stern pairings also applies. I would default to 3 tandems unless there is a good reason to go with a different approach.

2 young kids would be a good example of a reason to put 3 people in one canoe. 2 people with a lot of paddling experience and 4 with little to no paddling experience would be another example.

Pros and cons to 3 seater:
- plenty of paddling power and speed
-can alternate what paddler takes a break and keeps the canoe moving forward at a healthy pace
- two people can fish while one paddles/ orients/ steers canoe (alternate responsibility)
- if done right, all three can fish trolling but turning and hooked fish can lead to tangled line and other issues
- If all three are cast and retrieving, you have to know where your lure is - plenty of people have caught hooks or other lines not paying attention. The risk is reduced in a tandem canoe.
- less canoes to portage and you can rotate who portages the canoes
-if all three are paddling, the back two paddlers need to be in sequence, or they can connect paddles unintentionally
- observation that there is more discussion and noise made with three people in a canoe vs tandem (they are spread out more and working harder IMO)
- a three-person canoe weighed down is really sturdy and harder to capsize (can still be done, so take same precautions.
- a three-person canoe can be convenient if an odd number want to go explore, fish or daytrip while the other(s) stick back in camp.