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Author	Message Text
brux	03/30/2021 09:57PM   Riverhunter: " " Sweet! My brother-in-law paddled off from their wedding reception in a wood canoe he made.
inspector13	03/31/2021 11:59AM   Not to worry. That’s why the grim reaper is equipped with a shepherd’s hook.
Banksiana	03/31/2021 10:49AM   Riverhunter: " " Righteously outraged that no one is wearing PFD!
cyclones30	03/31/2021 08:12PM   The Sundowner 17 and 18 are very different canoes. So it depends which one it is. If I recall...the 17 is fairly tippy and I didn't like it much even though we have/had one. The 18 is a more stable better platform in general (just comparing those 2)
MReid	03/31/2021 06:17PM   inspector13: "Not to worry. That’s why the grim reaper is equipped with a shepherd’s hook." Actually a Scythe multi-tool.
Riverhunter	03/28/2021 08:14AM   I didn't know where to post this as I am new to this site so thought I would start here. I've owned an Old Town Discovery 169 over 25 years and it has served me well. It's been on many trips in the Ozarks, as well local lakes and up north portaging on trails in Sylvania Wilderness. I even escorted my daughter to the altar with this canoe on her wedding day! It is built like a tank, but weighs like one, too, and the older I get, the heavier it feels, especially on portages, so this is why I'm looking for a kevlar canoe. I have a few questions when shopping for used ones. What is the life expectancy on kevlar canoes? I may have an opportunity to buy a used Sawyer kevlar tandem for $125. Pics look good, it is green gel coat, but needs some repair which I'm not afraid of. I also have seen a few Wenonah Sundowners for sale. Don't know much about either one except that they both are no longer in production. Any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated.
Jaywalker	03/28/2021 09:22AM   If you haven't looked, a lot of times, outfitters near the BWCA sell off used boats at the end of the year, but I'd bet there are still a few out there. Often they get fixed up before selling and are usually listed on their websites somewhere, like under "gear" or "shop". I saw a few this winter. Kevlar canoes do last a long time, but not as long as aluminum. Store properly out of the sun when not in use to extend life. I'm sure others will add comments on how old their boats are. $125 for a Sawyer Kevlar seems way too to cheap to me. Needs repair work? Like maybe to keep it afloat? As a rule of thumb, I have seen outfitters sell fairly well-used, but still very functional, kevlar boats for somewhere around half their original price, give or take a bit. Not sure you can buy a beat up old fiberglass canoe for $125.
chessie	04/02/2021 09:08AM   If buying a used Kevlar canoe, the #1 consideration for me would be how much time it has spent in the sun. Inquire about how it's been stored. Sun is the enemy of Kevlar. I've had a Wildfire for .... 26 years, still solid and beautiful :) .
cyclones30	03/28/2021 01:24PM   Used Kevlar tandems seem to go for $500-1000 plus. They take more abuse than you'd think but still need care and helps to store them correctly
R1verrunner	03/28/2021 10:39AM   Might be a sawyer fiber glass for 125.00 I try and buy all my canoes on the used market. Un less they have very visible damage most are very useable even after decades.
straighthairedcurly	03/28/2021 04:36PM   We bought a used Mad River kevlar tandem for $50 at an auction. It needed the wooden gunwales replaced as they had rotted out. The canoe was about 25 years old at the time and had been used hard. But it has been serving us well for quite a few years now...it's not a pretty canoe, but very trip worthy.
MasterBaiter	04/01/2021 12:19PM   https://haywardoutfitters.com/product-category/wenonah-canoe/ They sell blemished canoes at a discounted price. Best ones are available in mid winter, and most are gone by spring. http://www.nighthawkcanoes.com/ Ben is very customer driven and these are great options. I own a 17'CF Leo = Amazing Canoe
Riverhunter	04/01/2021 09:09PM   Thanks for all the great input!
MasterBaiter	04/02/2021 12:21PM   chessie: "If buying a used Kevlar canoe, the #1 consideration for me would be how much time it has spent in the sun. Inquire about how it's been stored. Sun is the enemy of Kevlar. I've had a Wildfire for .... 26 years, still solid and beautiful :) ." Does that go for Carbon Fiber as well?
nctry	04/02/2021 12:45PM   MasterBaiter: "chessie: "If buying a used Kevlar canoe, the #1 consideration for me would be how much time it has spent in the sun. Inquire about how it's been stored. Sun is the enemy of Kevlar. I've had a Wildfire for .... 26 years, still solid and beautiful :) ." Does that go for Carbon Fiber as well?" Probably.... But if this boat has a gel coat your probably good. Even if there are some spider cracks. Very much worth the risk!
jhb8426	03/29/2021 05:54PM   I think you have to see the boat and make a judgement. My Bell Magic is 22 years old and is still in very good condition. My Northstar is 15 as I recall and is very good. It really depends on how they were treated and maintained. Both have ash gunwales that are in very good condition.
Riverhunter	03/29/2021 10:46PM
brux	03/29/2021 08:29PM   Riverhunter: "I even escorted my daughter to the altar with this canoe on her wedding day!" I’d love to see a picture! I’m trying to imagine it. It had to be paddling vs. portaging it.
Jaywalker	03/29/2021 10:56PM   Riverhunter: " " Very well done, Riverhunter. Very well indeed.
Riverhunter	03/29/2021 11:00PM   Thanks, It's hard to believe my wife and I would haul her and her brother around in that canoe when they were younger. Now I'll get to take the grandkids out when they get a little older.
scat	03/30/2021 04:55PM   Go for it. $125, why not. Have fun with it.
LDB	03/30/2021 03:25PM   Had an Old Town, tough stable 90 pounds. The cheapest kevlar that i ever bought was a Mad River Explorer with the built in black stem guards. It retailed for $2500 at the time. A remarkable craft for varied conditions, but not a speed demon like our Minnesota 2s. I paid $500, it was in fairly good shape all except for one hole in the bottom, a metal dock brace punched a hole in it. Two pieces of kevlar patching and it was good to go. Whether you like the design or not, Souris Rivers do seem hold up better than most other canoes. I would consider renting one if you are planning a trip.
LDB	03/30/2021 03:32PM   A friend that I trip with has a sundowner kevlar with the gel coat. I think it weighs about 50 pounds. Nice sleek canoe in great shape. He has not used it since he came into money and spends his vacation time in Texas in the winter.
MReid	03/30/2021 04:14PM   Definitely take a look at the Sawyer. They're known mostly for their faster designs, but they made a lot of boats. $125 for a kevlar boat is peanuts (even if it doesn't float!). For lifespan, I have a 38 year old glass Wenonah that is perfectly functional, and it's been stored outdoors (usually under a tarp) for most of its life. Glass/kevlar hulls are easy to repair. The Wenonah Sundowner is an 18 foot pretty sleek canoe--goes straight, handles pretty rough water. Not so good on quick turns. No rocker. Coming from a Discovery, the Sundowner, and quite possibly the Sawyer, will be a completely different feel. It will feel tippy unladen, but settles down well when loaded. It will feel like a jet once you get it to speed. That type of boat responds well to sit and switch paddling with bentshaft paddles, but works with straight shafts too. It is an efficient hull either way (gets you there with less work, a lot less work than your Disco). Good luck.
trstuck	03/30/2021 05:05PM   I bought a 2yo Souris River Quetico 17 Le Tigre from an outfitter in '06. It had been banged up at the beginning of it's 2nd yr and the outfitter repaired it but then decided to sell it. I love this canoe! It's stable and durable. What I like best is that the layup is sealed not with vinylester/polyester resin, it's epoxy resin which is stronger and allows the canoe to be more flexible over those submerged rocks you don't see until you are on them. There is no gel coat. Some 'gel coat' canoes can crack (esp the older or more exposed to UV they are) when getting stuck on a rock and the repair is more extensive (and expensive). Souris River canoes can actually be sanded down and re-coated with marine varnish to make them look brand new again. I've done this about 3 times since '06. The canoe sees 2-3 trips to the B-dub every years plus some occasional fishing around local lakes. I store it hanging in my garage out of the sun and I think it will last many, many more years.
yellowcanoe	03/30/2021 06:45PM   Our Wenonah skin coat is from 1991. I have several kevlar gel coated solos from 1993 Stored indoors they are in very good shape. Sunlight is the big enemy of kevlar but the gel coat impedes damage.
Riverhunter	04/03/2021 12:42PM   Well the Sawyer kevlar for $125 was sold. I tried reaching out to the owner several times over the past week telling him i wanted to buy it but never got a reply from him. It was on Facebook market place. I think I'm going to buy a used one through an outfitter. When one becomes available . I'm really leaning towards a Souris River Quetico 18.5. Thanks to everyone for the great input and advice.