We lost a man from our 4-man crew and are planning to go with 3 and take a solo for fun and experience. Our outfitter LaTourell's have SR Quetico 16', Wenonah Prism 16.5' and Wenonah Encounter 17'. Our biggest guy weighs around 180 and packs for a 10-day trip in the solo are probably 70-80 lbs. Needs to be fairly stable for fishing. Hit me with some opinions please.

Go with the Prism. Make the main gear pack around 60-65 lbs and put it in front of the yoke. Make his food/booze pack around 20-25 lbs. My Prism has the seat moved back about 16" or so, ala the Sawbill Canoe Outfitters mod. You can scoot the food pack forward with the yak paddle for perfect trimming, if required, on the fly. Life is then good - no weathervaning, etc.

Pretty zippy boat with a kayak paddle, although it is a bit tougher on winding streams because it is hard to turn with this configuration, although easily doable. I've had mine set up this way since 2002, and would not have it any other way. Others like the removable yoke, and paddling from the traditional middle of the canoe. That is probably better for turning, but I would rather be zippy on a big lake.

Call Bill Hansen at Sawbill Outfitters www.sawbill.com for some tips/advice. Good guy, and a great entry point.

Bring some bungee dealee bobs or elastic velcro gizmos to attach the paddles to the canoe when you portage so your hand are free. Well worth it. One trip with the canoe and food pack, the other with "The Beast" gear pack. No need to carry anything in your hands. Makes it easy to swat skeeters or scratch your crotch.

Tomster

I wouldn't go with the Encounter at all.

I like the Prism. It will travel pretty fast and will have no problem carrying your load.

The Q16 Solo is the better fishing platform, but paddled solo it will be hard to keep up with a tandem.

So you need to set your priority. If you want a better tarvel canoe, go with the Prism. If you want a better fishing canoe, go with the SR Q16 Solo.

The SR won't draw much water solo and has a fair amount of rocker. I paddled one solo in some wind once and had trouble keeping it on line.

Of these three I would go with the Prism as well.

i vote prism also.

quote Merganser: "The SR won't draw much water solo and has a fair amount of rocker. I paddled one solo in some wind once and had trouble keeping it on line.


Of these three I would go with the Prism as well."

I paddled an SR solo once and had the same experience. Although I'm 30 lbs. lighter than your guy and packs a little lighter too, it's still a lot of canoe if it's windy.

Thanks for the input--we'll reserve the Prism. Since we're going in one month we may need skis and skates also.

Springer2,
I would also get a kayak paddle for it as well. Last year I was on a trip with 3 guys and we did exactly what you are going to be doing, 2 canoes with one of them being a Prism. Even though we had a canoe paddle for the Prism, we found that the kayak paddle worked the best with a solo canoe. Kept us tracking the boat better especially on days when we were paddling into the wind.

The Prism is 8 or so pounds less - a definite plus in my book - but also much narrower at the gunwale - 26 vs 34 for the Q16. Not a show stopper by any means but a possible consideration for loading.