Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Group Forum: Solo Tripping :: Extended tripping solo canoe
|
Author | Message Text | ||
OCDave |
I look forwaed to learning what you ultimately choose. |
||
jdddl8 |
|
||
mpeebles |
That aside, I rig my boat(s) with a center seat yoke from Spring Creek. I also use a seat back and have mounted a foot brace for comfort. I use a double blade paddle...easy to set on lap while fishing and I seem to be able to keep up just fine. This set up works well for me. The selection of quality boats out there is endless! As others have stated paddle some boats and pick what you're most comfortable with based on how you like to trip! Safe travels....... |
||
WIMike |
|
||
butthead |
The Voyager is a fine distance traveler, fast and efficient you just need to learn it's quirks as with all solo's, it can get difficult with a tailing wind, learn to deal or pick yer paddling days carefully. I'm a proponent of trying first then deciding. You can learn to deal with just about anything but it's so much easier to start off comfortable. My example is the Prism, don't like it and have paddled it and lots of other solos from Wenonah/Bell/Souris River/Mad River. Out of my list of lake boats it competes last, my opinion and obviously not many others. butthead |
||
WIMike |
WonderMonkey--yea, you're probably right about the difference between a week and 2 weeks not being terribly great. Partly I want to make sure I can take enough gear/food for 2 weeks and take more than minimal fishing gear too. gkimball--I've thought about the Wilderness, that adjustable seat looks interesting. Does the seat squeak when paddling or shifting your weight? PortageKeeper--the Tranquility does sound like a good boat for my needs. Wish Rutabaga carried SR so I could test paddle it. Driftless--oh yea, definitely enjoying the process. boonie--the weight I carry varies depending on whether it's primarily a fishing trip or a sightseeing trip. I'm one of those fishermen whose worst fear is not having enough lures along even though a person really only needs 6-8 different types of baits and a couple different colors of each. bhouse46--I like the foot brace suggestion. minnmike--thanks for the portage yoke suggestion. It will be interesting to see if the test paddle changes my preference order. butthead--I had forgotten about the Advantage but will look into it. |
||
TomT |
WIMike: "TomT: " |
||
nctry |
|
||
Banksiana |
mjmkjun: "Prism, Wilderness or Advantage for Wenonah brand. I personally would not choose a Magic--although they do look like a work of art. Seems too narrow to me. Capacity issues for extended tripping." Just a note. Advantage and Magic are almost identical in width (29.5" vs 29" respectively) and the Magic carries its width farther (the hull a bit fuller). I would consider capacity between the two hulls similar- maybe a slight advantage to the Magic. The Magic is noticeably more comfortable in heavy seas, especially perpendicular to travel. It's much easier to stay upright in difficult situations in the Magic; it is simply more forgiving of operator error. The Advantage is noticeably faster and tracks straighter. Its speed advantage increases when paddled with a light load. I've paddled an Advantage since 86- and I love the hull; I think it is a beautiful shape. |
||
WIMike |
TomT Maybe I have a BWCA.com doppelganger. Thanks |
||
AmarilloJim |
|
||
WIMike |
AmarilloJim: "If I didn't fish I think I would love any of the solos. I have a Magic and like it for traveling my local lake. I will fish windblown shorelines and mid lake humps and for me it was a little too unstable (6'2", 205). I prefer a SRQ16 tandem paddled from the bow seat in reverse. I can still keep a 4mph pace with a yak paddle vs 5mph with my Magic." That’s interesting because I briefly thought about getting a tandem that can be soloed either by sitting in the bow and facing backward or adding a middle seat ( I know width would be an issue). I have an OT Penobscot 16 that I solo and it works OK but I want a lighter boat and figured a dedicated solo would be better. I’m curious though which Wenonah and Northwind tandem canoes are symmetrical enough to solo decently. I might check into that. |
||
WIMike |
but I'm a little concerned about the carrying capacity of the Bell for extended trips due in part to its narrower design. I don't want to be pushing the limits when on big water. Perhaps I'm worrying for no reason. |
||
gkimball |
|
||
AmarilloJim |
WonderMonkey: "WIMike: "AmarilloJim: "If I didn't fish I think I would love any of the solos. I have a Magic and like it for traveling my local lake. I will fish windblown shorelines and mid lake humps and for me it was a little too unstable (6'2", 205). I prefer a SRQ16 tandem paddled from the bow seat in reverse. I can still keep a 4mph pace with a yak paddle vs 5mph with my Magic." They make a SRQ16 solo. The bow seat is moved up 6" but then you need a removable yoke. I prefer the tandem as a solo. I like having the stern seat in there because I can put my paddles and fillet board under it while portaging. I don't even need to tie them in they stay in great. I turned my yoke around because I usually have more weight under my bow seat. |
||
mjmkjun |
I paddle a Prism solo with a double blade. Great match. Consider: A canoe with significant tumblehome does not tolerate torso leaning--and zero tolerance past the rails. ;-) Keep centered on those and you're golden. In particular, that would include the Prism and Advantage. |
||
TomT |
The one I bought is in Kevlar Fusion with carbon fiber gunwales and cherry thwarts and seat. The price was dropped to 2895.00 It weighs around 31 lbs and is a large capacity solo that is perfect for long trips with my 50 lb. dog. I think you would be able to go through Rutabaga to buy one but not sure. I don't have the boat yet as they took it back to their shop for a couple of mods. I pick it up May 4th at Rutabaga. If I see you there you are welcome to test paddle it. BTW, I'm pretty sure it was you that chatted with me on a portage last Sept. in Quetico. Somewhere around Maria or Batchewaung lake I recall. We were both solo and I had Luna with me. |
||
Blatz |
OCDave: "I enjoy my Northstar Solo and would endorse it however, if you are committed to the double bladed paddle the Magic is probably a better choice (narrower). When I owned my Northwind solo I used a double bladed paddle quit a bit. It worked great. The Advantage is an awesome canoe. Probable my favorite BW canoe of all time. |
||
gkimball |
|
||
WonderMonkey |
|
||
PortageKeeper |
|
||
Driftless |
I test paddled all 3 last year and went into it thinking the Prism would be the boat for me (and the Magic coming in last) just reading reviews, but the Magic was the clear winner for me, followed closely by the NW Solo and then the Prism. I enjoy fishing, but I am smaller than you (5'11", 175 lbs). Regardless, even if we were the same size, you might have a completely different order. Enjoy the process! I sure did. |
||
boonie |
I would get the Northwind solo for what you describe. It would be a little more maneuverable for rivers than the other two, although the Magic would be faster. I paddle it fine with a double blade paddle. The Prism was the one I liked least, but others have exactly the opposite rating. |
||
TomT |
bhouse46: "You might also want to consider a foot brace. Especially with the double blade the foot brace gives a nice support." Yes, this is a very good idea. Try to get the foot braces that attach near the sides instead of a bar going across. The bar could be a problem fitting packs. Also, the northwind solo is the better boat to fish from (so I've heard). |
||
bhouse46 |
You might also want to consider a foot brace. Especially with the double blade the foot brace gives a nice support. |
||
minnmike |
I have not used the other canoes you mentioned but I'm sure they are great too. |
||
KarlBAndersen1 |
I got my first one just last year and wish I had bought one when I first had the notion about 15 years ago. I will paddle and trip in this boat until I can no longer get on the water. |
||
WIMike |
TomT: "Here's another boat to consider. I bought possibly the last one that Swift made of these at Canoecopia as they are not producing them anymore but have kept the mold and will build on request. Swift Shearwater |
||
WonderMonkey |
WIMike: "AmarilloJim: "If I didn't fish I think I would love any of the solos. I have a Magic and like it for traveling my local lake. I will fish windblown shorelines and mid lake humps and for me it was a little too unstable (6'2", 205). I prefer a SRQ16 tandem paddled from the bow seat in reverse. I can still keep a 4mph pace with a yak paddle vs 5mph with my Magic." I know a few of them are made to solo AND tandem, by design. I'd have to look at each ones but if you look at them you can see how they removed (or moved) the cross piece to make it easy to turn it around and have at it. |