I have been following this group for some time now, and I finally bought my first solo canoe, so I guess I can now officially be a part of the group.

It's a Royalex Vagabond, like new and I got it for $650. As I said, this is my first solo canoe and I plan to use it mostly on local rivers. I had been looking and I found out about this boat, thought about it for two weeks looking for a wilderness and could not take it anymore so I bought it. It was just too good of a price for a new boat.

I know it's short and a bit small for tripping, but I do plan to use it in the BWCA.

Just wanted to share my excitement.

congrats! funny...just this morning I was wondering if you pulled the trigger on that canoe. lets see some pics.

Great! Now you'll have to head over to Monticello to paddle below the nuclear plant so you don't have to wait until April.

Alan

It's up at Spring Creek yet. Hoping to find someone to bring it down to Eau Claire. Maybe someone going to Canoecopia.

Here are a couple of pictures:

nice. what the hell color is it??

Friend's new blem KevLite outside Spring Creek's barn next to my red Moccasin. Good folks up there!
Trim little solo that should suit the purpose well!

Try an email to Ben "NCTRY", he worked with/for Spring Creek, hauled canoes for a few years, and will be at Copia.

butthead

Nice, congrats you'll enjoy many hours in it.

quote IceColdGold: "It's up at Spring Creek yet. Hoping to find someone to bring it down to Eau Claire. Maybe someone going to Canoecopia.


Here are a couple of pictures:





"

If anyone can get it as far as the Twin Cities, I can go that way to drop it off on my way to Copia. Send me a PM if something works out.

I used my Royalex Vagabond in the BW. It worked fine

Congratulations on the new ride!

I rented a vagabond last spring for my trip. It was a nice little boat. For $650 I'd own one.

Thanks guys.

Chuck was going to talk to Ben and see if he could bring it down. Ben will be going by on Hwy 53 from Duluth on his way to Madison. I live less than a 1/2 hour off of Hwy 53.

Kanoes, I think it's dark green. I have never actually seen it other than the pictures that Chuck emailed me. You can see that the bottom only has a couple scuff marks on it.

Can't want to take if for a spin. I have a full wet suit and the river 1 mile north is open and flowing, just need to get it down here. I can wait a bit. I would rather it not get covered with salt and road grime.

Sweet! enjoy.

Congrats! Nice boat. It will be fine for the BWCA. I took a Sandpiper once (the smaller version of the Vagabond). It was OK. Now I use an Argosy. It's the same length as the Vagabond with more rocker. The Vagabond is probably better for the BWCA than the Argosy.

Does Spring Creek still go to Canoecopia? Many, many years ago I bought a canoe from them and since they were attending Canoecopia they brought the canoe with them for me to pick up. At that time they charged me $25. But as I said, that was many, many years ago.

Nice ride! Congrats!

Ben brought my new canoe south for me. We met in Bloomer and had a quick supper before he had to continue south. Thanks Ben.

So the new canoe is in it's rack next to the Champlain. Saturday it might hit 50 and I will do my first paddle. I may have to put on the training wheels just to make sure I stay upright on the cold water.

solos can be really squirrely to begin with. a pic from my first solo paddle, no training wheels....rx Wenonah wilderness.

I think you'll be fine in a Vagabond, pretty stable hull.

Play it safe and stick close to shore with some clothes in a dry bag.

Good luck!

Alan

I'll paddle the local small river which averages only a few feet deep. I saw the dry bag with a full set of cloths suggested in a video on winter paddling. Great idea.

That hull had some great secondary stability. There were a couple of times that was a bit of a dumbarse getting into and I still stayed dry.

I bought a used Vagabond in royalex a few years ago off Craigs List. Couldn't pass it up at $250 plus it came with some extras. I've used it on local rivers and lakes and took it to BWCA last year. My son & his GF were in the tandem and I used the Vagabond with a yak paddle. Worked very well. The #4 packs were too big to fit properly in the solo but the food and day packs were just right.

ICG - I hope you have been able to get out. How does she paddle?

I like it a lot. I have taken about six two hour trips down the local river. It has really good initial stability. I think it will be great to fish out of.

Actually, I also bought a Bell Yellowstone Kevlite last Sunday. It weighs 27 pounds and came with a spray skirt. It literally does not have a scratch on it. It's a 2007. I was on Craigslist at the right time. Just paddled the Yellowstone an hour ago over lunch. Wow, that's a different feel. The Yellowstone is a bit more lively than the Vagabond. I will have to paddle it a few more times to see how I settle into it.

I am paddling the Red Cedar river in Western WI tomorrow with the canoe masters (See topic under General Discussion), so I may get a chance to test drive a Northstar canoe or two.