I am wondering if solo tripping with a Kayak would be advisable. What benefits are gained with a canoe or kayak? Also does anyone have a canoe or kayak they are looking to sell? (I will post this in the wanted stuff too. I am mainly looking for insights.)

There is no good reason, not to use a kayak! I can't compare though because I have never tripped in a kayak.
Seems like kayak advantages are mostly on the water, disadvantages are encountered at portages.
The compromises that arise are up to the user to deal with.

Good luck with your search for info and gear. I am sure you will find help here!

butthead

I considered trying a kayak and because I like to travel that includes portages, I could not resolve that conflict. Just too much tine to unload, pack, unpack, and load. With canoe, hop out, put on pack (or packs and toss onto landing), lift canoe, and go. Never happen with a kayak.

I suspect a kayak does better in bad weather but I've not had real problems in a decent canoe anytime I've been in Q or BWCAW. Other places - I don't know.

If I want to try a kayak, I think I will plan on a base camp plan with no or very limited portages - like all Basswood or all Quetico Lake all the time (and Q lake will require on portage unfortunately).

I've used a kayak and can say that it is quite enjoyable to kayak up there. However, there are so many more benefits to a canoe and would point you that way if you are considering going back year after year. A small tandem like a Bell Northwind will suit you well.

I've also used a kayak for BWCA trips.

Where I live, on the coast, kayaks are the best way to deal with high winds and big water. I now prefer a canoe in the BWCA because they make portaging so much easier.

If you like the low position of a kayak and double blading and the reduced windage try a pack canoe. Usually very lightweight craft meant for horrific portages. Developed for pond hopping in the Adirondacks many are meant for big lakes too.

I am surprised they are virtually unheard of in the Midwest.

Makers include but are not limited to.
Placid Boatworks
Hornbeck Boats
Swift Canoe.

I just paddled a Placid RapidFire for 130 miles in the Everglades..which is huge open water for the most part.

I have canoes for portaging and kayaks for ocean tripping on the Maine Island Trail mostly . My kayak is a Greenland kayak and its low volume means that everything packed must fit in a small small space. Ergo I have many small dry bags that fit in a mesh dive bag for any portages. There is something called clam flat portaging..a most unpleasant business.

I'm very curious about the apparent versatility of Canaks. Seems like it may have the best of both. Guess I don't understand why they're not more popular for solo trippers. Anyone??

quote Mort: "I'm very curious about the apparent versatility of Canaks. Seems like it may have the best of both. Guess I don't understand why they're not more popular for solo trippers. Anyone??"

Comparatively heavy compared to pack canoes. Still requires specialized portaging device to fit around the seat or coaming. Seems easier to fit a spray deck onto a pack canoe.


Still I find the Canak interesting and wonder where Wenonah will evolve next. I figure that sometime they will make something more suited to long trips than their Wee Lassie.

sixteen foot pack canoe

I have only taken a kayak twice, it was fun on the water, but not so much when it comes time to put in and take out

remember, kayaks were originally watercraft for someone to pursue game (hunting)

i have both soloed (Wenonah Encounter) and Kayak ( 15.5 ft) in the BWCA. i would have to say that the Canoe works much better overall. Much lighter and the solo portage system that Wenonah has is very fast and easy to attach. My kayak is almost 3 times heavier and the portage bar is a pain to attach. Also your head sits deep in the cockpit while portaging (leaving little room to see let alone carry a pack on your back.

Although I enjoy paddling my kayak better than a canoe the weight and troublesome maneuvering of a kayak on portages leaves me only one choice for the BWCA... a canoe.

I still enjoy taking my kayak on local lakes and rivers. They do paddle like a dream and are much faster (sports car like).

Hope this helps.


P.S. Last trip up we came across Steve "Piragis" on a portage. He had a Canak with him. Said he loved it, best of both worlds. If I was looking and had the money, that's what I would by.

Kayaks are killers on portages. getting to takeouts is also a issue,

Placid Boatworks has a canoe that is the best of both worlds. If you can pack it effectively.

A Shadow. Generally canoes are thought of as wide and clunky and even most solos are about 27 inches at the waterline..wider than many kayaks.

The Shadow blows away kayaks in the ADK 90 miler. She is 22 inches at the waterline.. if you have the need for speed. It is possible to get out in deepish water if you roll over to your knees and step out

here is her skinny self

But if you have the typical kayak Piragis sells a kayak yoke.. The real issue is the constant unpacking and packing.. Not getting in and out nor carrying the thing.

Dedicated canoe man here. I don't see how people can stand the difficulties loading, unloading, and carrying a kayak at the numerous portages in the area. Also, I just prefer paddling a canoe over a kayak, maybe that's because it's what I'm used to, but it sure feels better. I use a canoe paddle not a kayak paddle when paddling solo too.

That said, it's a matter of personal preference, some people love their kayaks. Nonetheless, from your question, it sounds like you don't have a preference yet. If that's the case, I'd go with a canoe first. There's a reason this is the BWCA not the BWKA, and why the Indians up here developed canoes not kayaks - canoes generally work better when you have to portage. On the other hand, kayaks work better in big open waters like the ocean paddled by the Inuit who invented them.

quote yellowcanoe: "Placid Boatworks has a canoe that is the best of both worlds. If you can pack it effectively.


A Shadow. Generally canoes are thought of as wide and clunky and even most solos are about 27 inches at the waterline..wider than many kayaks.


The Shadow blows away kayaks in the ADK 90 miler. She is 22 inches at the waterline.. if you have the need for speed. It is possible to get out in deepish water if you roll over to your knees and step out


here is her skinny self

But if you have the typical kayak Piragis sells a kayak yoke.. The real issue is the constant unpacking and packing.. Not getting in and out nor carrying the thing."

Forgive me but when I hear someone say "they are the best of both worlds" I'm reminded of the term fighter/bomber.

quote SevenofNine: "

quote yellowcanoe: "Placid Boatworks has a canoe that is the best of both worlds. If you can pack it effectively.



A Shadow. Generally canoes are thought of as wide and clunky and even most solos are about 27 inches at the waterline..wider than many kayaks.



The Shadow blows away kayaks in the ADK 90 miler. She is 22 inches at the waterline.. if you have the need for speed. It is possible to get out in deepish water if you roll over to your knees and step out



here is her skinny self


But if you have the typical kayak Piragis sells a kayak yoke.. The real issue is the constant unpacking and packing.. Not getting in and out nor carrying the thing."

Forgive me but when I hear someone say "they are the best of both worlds" I'm reminded of the term fighter/bomber."

Usually combi things are duds for sure. But pack canoes are the original recreational canoe. Far predates canoes other than bark canoes and skin kayaks. Originally lapstrake built they are lightweight and fast in this day and age. They are very popular in the Adirondacks where paddle is followed by walk or occasionally the six mile mountain climb. Here is the Placid Boat Works Rapid Fire in the Gulf of Mexico last week.

This 1985 Mad River Monarch is the canoe I have been soloing in for the last 27 years. While it is no longer being built, it has been replaced by a better designed Kruger Canoe.

I paddle a kayak because I feel safe in one, especially solo. I bang my knuckles and get giant backaches in a canoe. There's no doubt that a person can do much more in the BW with a canoe, especially if you set up much of a camp--I've had to keep the load really light and small. That said, I've been really happy: I found a light boat on ebay, made a good yoke from pvc (just clips on)and always double portage. The packing and unpacking doesn't feel like a big price to pay for being able to travel on pretty much any day I want on any water (OK, at 17', this thing is lousy on wandering streams, and I am VERY careful with rapids). A rotomolded boat would be better for rock hopping, but I am too old to carry it. This just happens to work for me.

quote Mort: "I'm very curious about the apparent versatility of Canaks. Seems like it may have the best of both. Guess I don't understand why they're not more popular for solo trippers. Anyone??"

I paddle with a dog... But when I'm eventually dogless, I think I might go the Canak route. After paddling one, I am very impressed. I think I can bring plenty of comforts and get everything packed down inside. I'm sure Dan Cooke will have a couple packs by then that will fit it perfectly. :)