Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Gear Forum :: Family canoe for 3 kids and 1 adult (single parent)
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plander |
plander: "Perhaps a Wenonah MN 3 or even a MN 4?" And if you want a used one you can put a couple hundred down on one and pay for/pick it up in October in Ely…From Piragis. Used canoes from Piragis |
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YetiJedi |
Try a couple of different options and go with the one you like the best. Good luck! |
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andym |
I agree that some water jugs will help keep the bow down. With our Q17 I use a large dry bag filled with water to paddle solo from the bow seat facing backwards with the front thwart removed. I can do fine that way with a canoe paddle. With the kids and some ballast I think you will do fine from the stern. But as others have found the 18.5 is a great choice too and has a bit more room if you do switch to canoe camping. |
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OldScout48 |
You should be able handle most paddling chores without having to hope for any help from your 7 year old. The kids will be able enjoy the trip without the burden of helping to paddle. I would suggest at least 250 cm kayak paddle. |
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TuscaroraBorealis |
Have a Souris River 18.5 & use a kayak paddle. The 3 seats are certainly nice but, really appreciated the stability when traveling with a young one. It has served us well. |
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ProdigiousN00b |
I have been considering a 17 prospector (swift or nova craft), 17.5 prospector (Souris River), Quetico 17 or 18.5 (souris river), 18 prospector (nova craft), 16’6” prospector (holy cow) and a 17’4” explorer (holy cow canoe) all with 3rd seat options. I’m still undecided on materials for each. I’m leaning more towards a Kevlar or tough stuff, maybe blue steel. Any thoughts, comments, or suggestions? |
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andym |
I wish I was more familiar with the prospectors, just because people seem to like them. You might also look at the Northstar B19, they sort of call a prospector. But I feel like the extra foot of length can make twisty portages harder. I remember seeing a one parent, two or three kid family once. What I noticed was that the parent was using a kayak paddle in the stern seat. That might be a good option for extra propulsion if needed. |
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mnriver |
Your kids personalities and the dynamic between them will determine where you put them in the boat - do you need to be able to physically reach them, will they get bored and start fighting, etc. A friend of mine has an Old Town with a center seat and when we have gone out my oldest sits in the bow and his two share the center seat. I don't have a center seat so my younger two take turns between the bow seat and a childs camp chair in the center. So experiment, find out what works for you, and work out the details as you go, just get out there and enjoy the time with your kids, they won't forget it. |
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RedLakePaddler |
If you are looking to start out car camping With you providing most of power I would look at a canoe no longer than 16’ or 17’. A longer canoe would be difficult in the wind or on a river with current. I have seen a father with 2 children in the BWCA having a very hard time making any progress because they could keep the canoe going in the right direction. For just paddling on a lake there would be more than enough room. Carl |
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plander |
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cyclones30 |
I'd add wenonah boundary waters, North Star northwind 17 or 18.....and yes in any of them Kevlar is nice. But to start you can put the oldest up front and the little ones in the middle on the floor or pads or what you want. As the next oldest gets bigger you can do a drop in middle seat for them and still have littlest in front of you on the floor |
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ducks |
Wind will cause problems with a little in the bow but you’ll be car camping so you can control when you go out on the water a lot easier. I also used it on daddy/daughter tandem trips with one of them in the bow. I just made sure we were on smaller lakes. Enjoy your time with your kids. There is nothing better than enjoying the outdoors with them. |
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CanoeStan |
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sedges |
With only one adult it is going to be harder to distribute weight in the canoe so that it is appropriately trimmed and handles well. With the adult in the stern seat the packs are going to need to be way forward. You can be creative rearranging seats to get trim. A duffle style pack can go in the bow for instance. You may wish to move the stern seat forward a bit. A 17 footer is going to be fine until the oldest is a teenager unless you plan on some two week trips. You mentioned car camping and that means day trips. A big 18.5 will be difficult to handle in any breeze with just your family and no gear. Consider a flatter bottomed canoe. I love prospectors and use one that I built a lot, but they do have a lot of motion even though they are very seaworthy. Initial stability is loose and takes some getting used to. With children I find it easier to have a flat-bottomed canoe with solid initial stability. They are going to want to move around and nothing spoils the day more than being told to sit still because they are rocking the boat. When I go paddling with relatives that have children I convince them to let the kids be in my boat because I don't care about the rocking. I know that the kids don't weigh enough to tip it over so I just roll with it and we have great fun. |
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cyclones30 |
You can use milk jugs with water, a big rock or two from shore, or whatever you like that's dense. But while you're (assuming) far heavier than the bow person for a while yet put that stuff under the bow seat or as far forward as you can. It'll keep the bow in the water and make your life (steering) much much easier. Been there done that |