Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Gear Forum :: Northstar Northwind 17 review
|
Author | Message Text | ||
Bradv |
If I was going to do any coastal or big lake tripping, I’d consider installing one of North Waters spray decks. Also, some are mentioning solo paddling as a disadvantage in this boat. I’d agree with your concerns but if I’m going to solo a canoe, it’s going to be a smaller boat than this. It’s simply not in my mission with this boat. When I spoke to Ted when ordering, I wanted a great family boat that we could grow into. All boats are a comprise, but this one ticked all the boxes for me. If my mission changes I’ll simply employ the x+1 formula of boat ownership. |
||
amhacker22 |
Thanks. |
||
Exo |
Even when unpacked during fishing the stability was absolutely outstanding. There was plenty of room for packs and gear, though it felt somewhat more narrow than other canoes I've paddled. I was most impressed with how few paddle strokes it took to get up to speed. Sustained speeds were no problem, and we felt as though we could sustain an easy 5 or 6MPH unloaded. I did not have a GPS with me and our SPOT does not track speed so I have no real numbers in that regard. It tracked very straight and took a bit for me as the stern paddler to get used to how many more strokes than usual I could get away with before I needed a J-stroke or side-switch. We encountered some chop on Alice Lake and I think this is where the speed and stability really came into play and made paddling into the wind and waves a snap. Paddling while quartering away from the wind and waves is always tricky, but this boat performed very well and did not push the stern about so we became parallel with the next wave. Halfway through Alice the wind switched and we then had a bit of a cross chop and were quartering into the previous waves and heading into the current waves at perhaps a 20 degree angle. My belief is the straight tracking abilities came into play and allowed us to not have to correct our track as often or as much. The boat is as stiff as could be. There was no flex at all on the water, and the bottom was extremely rigid with no perceived flex even when stepping in. I recall a SR 17 that you could bounce from front to back with a push on the bottom. Not so here. Heading up the stream into Raven we encountered a few turns which we had to come to a dead stop for maneuvering, but that is as expected with a touring boat. It still turned well at slower speeds with the correct paddling technique. I don't know if the design is much different than the Bell Northwind, but there must be some change to shave 4 or 5 pounds off. My hat is off to Ted Bell for such an amazing canoe. Is it possible to improve on something so perfected? Perhaps a few more grand and a lot of titanium... |
||
sns |
cyclones30: "We also rented a NW17 from Sawtooth and put in at the same EP as the OP a couple years ago. Very nice boat, loved it for 95% of the trip. However, my wife and I combined might weigh 300 lbs. Paddling on Malberg (not a huge lake) we were empty and fishing/filling water. Cross wind gust came up and just about put us in the drink. The same thing happened once more on a day trip, after that we would take our food barrel with us and a small pack. It handled much better with that extra weight. I could be wrong, but I suspect that if you almost took a bath in those circumstances in a NS NW 17, you would have been swimming in a lot of other canoes that have more freeboard to catch more wind (prospectors and others with more traditional upswept ends). My NW 17 does really well with a load. All-in that's usually 450 - 475. Solo, empty and in the wind and I can win a regatta as long as the finish line is downwind. |
||
Blatz |
Really. My experience has been that Northstar gunwales can be notoriously harsh on the outside of the knee. I've always padded mine up. |
||
Moonpath |
In summary, I have been very happy with this canoe as a very functional tandem craft for the money. When I purchased my canoe in 2014 (new), it was about $500 less than the equivalent SR 17 model, and mine even had the wood trim. I normally go on trips of 10 days or less and the volume of the NW 17 is plenty. If you plan on taking longer trips you may want to consider the NW 18 which has substantially more volume. Best, Moonpath |
||
Bradv |
- We went with the aramid with wood gunwales - Third seat - camp rig placement, (for young children, the third seat is behind the bow seat) - Deep dish yoke - External skid protectors - Carbon foot brace Update: After reading more about this boat I was able to speak to Bear at the factory and upgrade my order to Blacklite. Bear also mentioned this is Northstar’s most popular boat. They have two molds for production, all other boats only have a single mold. |
||
Blatz |
|
||
cyclones30 |
sns: "cyclones30: "We also rented a NW17 from Sawtooth and put in at the same EP as the OP a couple years ago. Very nice boat, loved it for 95% of the trip. However, my wife and I combined might weigh 300 lbs. Paddling on Malberg (not a huge lake) we were empty and fishing/filling water. Cross wind gust came up and just about put us in the drink. The same thing happened once more on a day trip, after that we would take our food barrel with us and a small pack. It handled much better with that extra weight. Yes, loaded it handled and paddled like a dream for us. But the empty feeling we had, we have not experienced as bad in say....a MNII or Q17. I'm not sure if I can explain why yet, just our experiences more than once. |
||
cmanimal |
But I would like to try one again in the future. The beauty of renting canoes. |
||
TrailZen |
Blatz: "Really. My experience has been that Northstar gunwales can be notoriously harsh on the outside of the knee. I've always padded mine up." Blatz, the NW17 is the only Northstar I've paddled, so I can't comment on their other gunwale designs. Two aspects of the NW17 appear to contribute to the 'missing bruises': wider knee space (especially in the bow) and lower seat position compared to our Columbia. TZ |
||
Blatz |
TipsyPaddler: "If I decide to buy a tandem the Northwind 17 is on the shortlist. Its often my first choice for my rental canoes if offered. I'm a big Wenonah fan as well, but you'll find that the bow area is much more roomy in the Northwind compared to say a MN ll. |
||
TipsyPaddler |
What is the closest Wenonah canoe model to the NW17? I found the NW20 to be a joy to paddle as well with a family of four with children. And the portages weren’t terrible either :-) |
||
cyclones30 |
After getting home, we see that their min load is 350...I can see why. If you're going to run it tandem with a kid up front, add some weight if you can. It's called optimum load for a reason I suppose. |
||
TrailZen |
TZ |
||
Bradv |
|
||
jhb8426 |
Blatz: "I'm a big Wenonah fan as well, but you'll find that the bow area is much more roomy in the Northwind compared to say a MN ll." Yes both the Bell tandems and the Northstar tandems have much more room for the bow paddler. |
||
MidwestFirecraft |
TipsyPaddler: "What is the closest Wenonah canoe model to the NW17?" Spec wise, I think the 17 Wenonah comes closest to the NW17. |
||
Moonpath |
|