I have really been grateful for all the great posts on this thread and the Answers Ive been given to get me ready for my two solos for this summer.So thanks for that. I found a Boat that I don’t see you guys talk about much and it sounds Interesting to me. Anyone have any experience with the Encounter from Wenonah. A bit longer than the Prism at 17’ ft. Would this be a boat to consider for a solo Fisherman to tryout at all ?

I paddle one and it's a good boat. 6" longer than the prism but a little deeper. I was going to down size after my dog died. But I continue to enjoy it. If you and/or your stuff is not to heavy the prism or magic is better. I like going out for longer trips. Great for fishing out of.

quote nctry: "I paddle one and it's a good boat. 6" longer than the prism but a little deeper. I was going to down size after my dog died. But I continue to enjoy it. If you and/or your stuff is not to heavy the prism or magic is better. I like going out for longer trips. Great for fishing out of."

What nctry pretty much says it. He ought to know, he's been paddling an Encounter for several years now.

Much like Wenonah's Voyager, the Encounter isn't talked about much, because there's not a lot of owners of either boat, at least not on this website. The Voyager and the Encounter are both great solo canoes, but they're long, deep, and more boat than most paddlers need.

I've been paddling a Wenonah Voyager since 2004 and I love it, but I'm not a small person. I also pack a lot of gear, and I periodically trip with a large dog. The Encounter has more initial stability than the Voyager and it would be a more stable fishing platform. As nctry mentioned, "Great for fishing out of." Some paddlers also don't care for the Voyager's hull and feel it's too "tender", as in "tippy", (a term I loathe.)

Last fall I found a good deal used UL-Kevlar Encounter that I couldn't pass up. I wanted a bigger solo tripping canoe for my son Anthony, and a solo canoe that could also accommodate our 90-pound Golden Retriever as the Voyager does. Although my son is rather thin, he's over 6'.

In addition to trips to the BWCAW, Quetico and Woodland-Caribou, we also trip on many Wisconsin rivers. Our river trips include additional luxury items, bigger, heavier tents and coolers packed with fresh food, beverages, and several pounds of ice. Because of their volume, both the Voyager and the Encounter work splendidly for our river trips too.

My point is, if you're a bigger guy, pack heavy, and often take a medium to large dog, the Encounter is great. But all that volume and depth will get you blown around if you're lightly loaded, or you're out fishing with no ballast other than yourself and a tackle box.

If none of the aforementioned conditions apply to you, then a Prism or a Magic will be a better and more manageable solo canoe as nctry mentioned.

Hans Solo

Thanks a bunch NCTRY- A 10 day fishing Trip with a well behaved 90# German Shepard.This Boat might be the Ticket. She loves to fish in between naps on the bottom of the boat.

So you are thinking of bringing the dog! Suggest you check out the "dog paddle" special interest forum. Lots of post about bringing dogs paddling. Look at the bottom of the main message board page. Beautiful shepard.

D'oh! Looks like there were a few replies while I was "composing" my reply.

Beautiful dog by the way wvevans! With him as your paddling companion, you just may find an Encounter to your liking, especially with canoe-camping gear for a week of more.

Hans Solo

Thank you for the well thought out responses Hans and again NC.. Diamond is already 11 now and slowing down. She has been a big part of our family so I'd really like spend some quality time with her on this trip but was worried about the solo Boat aspect of the plan . she is very well trained and if you have known any Shepard owners you know how bright they are and how well they listen so I am not worried about the obedience aspect of it one bit. The only concern i would have would be the poor chipmunks around camp. She goes absolutely bonkers when they scurry by her. Ill find that thread Jay. Sorry NC , not looking forward to that day...

Wonder how in a solo that is a little more tippy but a little more faster than the prism would handle with a dog in it?

quote Pinetree: "Wonder how in a solo that is a little more tippy but a little more faster than the prism would handle with a dog in it?"

Hundreds of miles with an eighty pound dog. The dog never once gave me any concern of tipping. One of her first trips (Pocket Creek) a beaver jumped out of the weeds and dove right in front of us. Bernice whipped around to see and didn't even tip the boat one bit. I don't feel it's any to tippy compared to the Prism. If it is it's not noticeable to me. If anything, if I were to get another dog I'd think about moving my seat back some and moving the dog toward the middle somehow. The wind would have to be blowing pretty good to be an issue.

I paddled a rock Star empty with no load and wasn't comfortable at all. Thought I was going in.

quote nctry: "

quote Pinetree: "Wonder how in a solo that is a little more tippy but a little more faster than the prism would handle with a dog in it?"

Hundreds of miles with an eighty pound dog. The dog never once gave me any concern of tipping. One of her first trips (Pocket Creek) a beaver jumped out of the weeds and dove right in front of us. Bernice whipped around to see and didn't even tip the boat one bit. I don't feel it's any to tippy compared to the Prism. If it is it's not noticeable to me. If anything, if I were to get another dog I'd think about moving my seat back some and moving the dog toward the middle somehow. The wind would have to be blowing pretty good to be an issue.

I paddled a rock Star empty with no load and wasn't comfortable at all. Thought I was going in."

That dog was well trained.

Don't think the Encounter is "tippier" (more stable if anything) or faster than the Prism. The Voyageur is both, especially faster- feels quite steady once in motion. The "liveliness" of the hull is most noticeable when stationary (especially if the dog isn't).

quote Banksiana: "Don't think the Encounter is "tippier" (more stable if anything) or faster than the Prism. The Voyageur is both, especially faster- feels quite steady once in motion. The "liveliness" of the hull is most noticeable when stationary (especially if the dog isn't)."

Great evaluation Banksiana!

Hans Solo

Just my 2 cents...Encounter is the best solo Wenonah, overall, IMO. I am 5'1'', 165 and usually have no more than 70# of gear, but still prefer the 6" longer hull. Awesome performance even when empty, for fishing near camp. Will handle paddling in big wave/wind conditions when loaded, better than the Prism, IMO. --Goose

For me, I prefer the Advantage to both the Prism and the Encounter. I find the Prism huge and deep- a wind target, the Encounter even more so. But I travel light, generally one pack and one portage, no dog. If I was to paddle with a large canine I'd pick the Voyageur over the Prism or Encounter, but I'm comfortable in "lively" hulls and like the way they respond to a pull of the paddle.... The boat I'm drooling over is the Savage River Blackwater.

quote Banksiana: "For me, I prefer the Advantage to both the Prism and the Encounter. I find the Prism huge and deep- a wind target, the Encounter even more so. But I travel light, generally one pack and one portage, no dog. If I was to paddle with a large canine I'd pick the Voyageur over the Prism or Encounter, but I'm comfortable in "lively" hulls and like the way they respond to a pull of the paddle.... The boat I'm drooling over is the Savage River Blackwater."

Two thumbs up Banksianna!

Hans Solo

you guys need a room? haha

quote kanoes: "you guys need a room? haha"

Yup, a bunch of Wenonah fan-boys! Where is this room?

butthead

quote butthead: "

quote kanoes: "you guys need a room? haha"

Yup, a bunch of Wenonah fan-boys! Where is this room?


butthead"

I am firmly in the Advantage camp.

quote butthead: "

quote kanoes: "you guys need a room? haha"

Yup, a bunch of Wenonah fan-boys! Where is this room?

butthead"

Too funny guys! :-)

Hey, it's mid-February, it's two degrees Fahrenheit tonight, the water is pretty hard right now, and Canoecopia is still over a month away. What better way to spend a weeknight "talking" canoes and dreaming of potential 2015 canoe trips with a bunch of other "canoe geeks"!

And yes, I'm a Wenonah "fan-boy" but I'm pretty fond of some old Sawyers, Bells, and Mad Rivers too!

Hans Solo

Did someone say Mad River.....?

quote cowdoc: "Did someone say Mad River.....?"

Easy, doc

Cowdoc, been smokin' the pipe in yer canoe again?

butthead

Quote cowdoc: "Did someone say Mad River.....?"


That's right cowdoc! I've got a Royalex Mad River Horizon 17 and a 16' 3" Kevlar Mad River Traveler solo canoe in my livery. (Traveler pictured below)

Nice boats, but I don't use the Horizon much these days. The Traveler is a sweet boat, but isn't quite the performance equivalent of my Wenonah tripping solos in the same class, (i.e., Voyager, Encounter & Jensen C1W).

Still, the Traveler heels and turns better than the aforementioned Wenonah solos, and I prefer to use it on some of the smaller rivers here in Wisconsin instead of the Wenonah's. It's also a dry ride, roomy, and stable with a large dog.

I've always had an affection for the Mad River TW Special @ 18 6" too. I don't don't paddle tandem much anymore, but if a TW Special came along at a bargain price, I might be tempted to grab it.

Hans Solo