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Onemanwolphpack
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Great, this is just want I was hoping to hear! Thanks for the feed back, can't wait to pick it up!
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Bjelde
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Banksiana: "Marten: "Banksiana: "Personally I find the Encounter way too deep. I prefer solos with minimal free board. . . .
Then again the bow height on my current solo is 16"- dropping to 12" in the center and the stern. When I paddle the Encounter it feels like the gunwales are going to rub on my armpits. "
Your current solo sounds like my DY Special. I've had it for years but find the gunnels too tight for the pack I'd prefer to use. It's also pretty sketchy in larger waves. On the other hand, I used to own a Wenonah C1W, which is about the same depth as the Encounter. High volume, but you'd get blown around if you didn't have a load.
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Marten
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Go for it. I have had a Prism for 30 years a an Encounter for the last two. The Encounter is great full or empty. I think more stable than other solos. A little slower than a Prism. The tumble home makes using a double blade all the nicer.
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Banksiana
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Bjelde: "Banksiana: "Marten: "Banksiana: "Personally I find the Encounter way too deep. I prefer solos with minimal free board. . . .
Then again the bow height on my current solo is 16"- dropping to 12" in the center and the stern. When I paddle the Encounter it feels like the gunwales are going to rub on my armpits. "
Your current solo sounds like my DY Special. I've had it for years but find the gunnels too tight for the pack I'd prefer to use. It's also pretty sketchy in larger waves. On the other hand, I used to own a Wenonah C1W, which is about the same depth as the Encounter. High volume, but you'd get blown around if you didn't have a load."
I had a couple of friends who had C1W (which I did get to paddle), one of them cut the sides down to more Advantage like depths. I've never taken serious water over the sides in my Advantage (with the exception of trying to surf it in Lake Michigan), but I paddle with a fairly light load and am rarely on water larger than Basswood. I've been out in stuff bigger than I should have been on a couple of occasions (tandems sitting it out on shore) but the bow and stern were light enough to ride on top of the waves.
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Onemanwolphpack
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Looking at getting my first solo canoe. I have found a reasonably priced Encounter and am curious about the need to add weight. My wife and and I are average size, I'm 185, and I've read reviews about how much weight needs to be hauled to enjoy this boat.
Anyone have any personal experience that can help me understand if this is a boat to stay away from because of this or if there are some easy solutions to it when taking a 5 day trip into the BWCA. Thanks in advance!
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airmorse
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Agreed. I have an Encounter, tough weave gel coat, stable and can haul everything you would ever want to take.
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Banksiana
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Personally I find the Encounter way too deep. I prefer solos with minimal free board. I've rarely collected water from big waves- the high sides are simply a security blanket that make paddling in wind either a chore or ludicrous. I find the freeboard on the Prism excessive as well.
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Marten
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Banksiana: "Personally I find the Encounter way too deep. I prefer solos with minimal free board. I've rarely collected water from big waves- the high sides are simply a security blanket that make paddling in wind either a chore or ludicrous. I find the freeboard on the Prism excessive as well."
I prefer some room for error and the Encounter has it. I headed across Aiken's Lake in Manitoba and was then committed one day. Three miles later with a strong tail wind water was slipping over the front of the canoe , even the Prism could not have handled that high of waves.
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Banksiana
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Marten: "Banksiana: "Personally I find the Encounter way too deep. I prefer solos with minimal free board. I've rarely collected water from big waves- the high sides are simply a security blanket that make paddling in wind either a chore or ludicrous. I find the freeboard on the Prism excessive as well."
I prefer some room for error and the Encounter has it. I headed across Aiken's Lake in Manitoba and was then committed one day. Three miles later with a strong tail wind water was slipping over the front of the canoe , even the Prism could not have handled that high of waves."
Ah the dangers of running with the wind. Big advantage of going into the wind is you already know how big the biggest waves will get.
I'd opt for a spray skirt and jettison the permanent sail.
Then again the bow height on my current solo is 16"- dropping to 12" in the center and the stern. When I paddle the Encounter it feels like the gunwales are going to rub on my armpits.
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RedLakePaddler
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I have an Encounter and have used it with my 92# poodle Rusty and way to much gear. It worked good even when Rusty got restless. If I used it alone with 5 days of gear I would have some dry bags to fill with water for ballast.
It would definitely be to large for that with out added ballast.
Carl
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nctry
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Hundreds of miles in my encounter... great boat! I did find after my pup died I was a little light and in strong winds I struggled a little. But not a deal breaker. Liked the prism better, but the encounter never let me down...
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