Beat up Wenonah adirondack

Hello. This site is a wonderful resource! I’m glad I found it.



I have the opportunity to buy a VERY used '96 wenonah adirondack canoe for $250. There are some areas that have exposed fiberglass and a few areas of questionable patches, but it doesn’t leak. It is outfitted for racing with padded contoured seats and foam drink holders. Also comes with 2 foam core bent shaft paddles.



This would be my first canoe purchase. I’m a beginner/intermediate paddler. I’ve probably paddled 500 miles in my life thus far.



My wife and I would use this canoe to take to local lakes and to weekend campouts. A buddy and I have also been toying with the idea of competing in the Texas water safari next year.



Would you buy this boat if you were in my position?

I might offer $200
and see what happens.



From the pictures so far as I can tell the damage appears mostly confined to the gel coat, although in one photo it looks as if one aluminum gunwale has a crimp, but that might be an optical illusion.



I see what appears to have been an effort to cover some gel coat damage at the stem by slopping something on and painting over it. Is that what you are referring to as “questionable patches”?



If the hull is basically intact you can probably make the exterior look a lot better with only a modest investment. I would start by wet sanding the whole exterior with waterproof paper, starting with 180 grit or so and working down to 1500 grit and take off any material that has been applied that sticks up proud of the adjacent hull. Once you have done that you can fill in any deep gouges and areas of broken off gel coat using a gel coat repair kit such as this one:

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=2997&familyName=Evercoat+Gelcoat+Repair+Kit



That is only one example. There are a wide variety of polyester gel coat repair putties on the market. You won’t get an exact color match, but I wouldn’t worry about it.



After filling in the gel coat defects wet sand over your repairs and apply a polishing compound. The boat won’t look new but it will look vastly better than it does now and will be smoother and more efficient in the water.



The Adironadack is a medium-small size straight keeled tandem designed primarily for flat water paddling. It is pretty efficient and hard tracking. I have heard some folks say the initial stability is a bit tender. If at all possible, I would paddle it before buying to see if it feels stable enough for you.

Don’t get it for racing

– Last Updated: Nov-12-13 3:50 PM EST –

unless you are going to use it in the "rec class".
It dosen't fall in the "Stock class"

I didn't look at the pictures, but from what you describe, I wouldn't pay that much for it.
I have been looking on Craigs list for a long time for a solo canoe, and I have seen lots of tandems in much better shape then you describe, for that price

Jack L

Adirondac stability
The problem I saw was that the stern paddler sits far back and when a heavy paddler got in first they’d often flip right out. It’s not tippy it doesn’t tolerate unbalanced loads well.

Mmmm…a little rough…
…for $250 - but what about the paddles? What brand of paddle? What kind of shape are they in? Depending on that, it might be a fair deal.

sold already
Thanks for the input people. I talked to the guy yesterday, and he sold it already…bummer.



Now I’m talking to a guy that has a near mint 1986 Mad river Peter Pond 17ft 69lbs built with “eco-glass”.



He was asking $500. I offered $300 and he said he won’t go lower than $425. It does include 2 mint Canadian Grey Owl wooden bent paddles.



What do you guys think of that price? And would this boat be acceptable in the novice class of the TWS? (262 miles, 20 planned portages)

Seems like
Your criterion is any tandem canoe under $400.



A Wenonah Sundowner 17 or OldTown Penobscot would be nice.

Never paddled the Peter Pond
but it was designed by one of canoeings greats.



http://www.madrivercanoe.com/content/madrivercanoe.com/assets/page/archived_catalogs/MRC%201986.pdf



So no its not just any canoe.

Weight is a big negative
The hull design of the Peter Pond is not too bad. Not in the same 17’ speed class with the 17’ Wenonah Jensen or even the 17’composite Sundowner, but not a slug. The big negative is the 69# weight. Hoisting it over the dams and down the walls and slopes of the multiple portages on this race will really take it out of the paddlers. The 69# canoe will also have hydration gear, food and water, spare paddles and clothes, PFD’s. All of which is added to the canoe weight for total carry weight. Easily 100#total. About 40# more than I would want to be repeatedly portaging.

That is a tough, tough race for experienced marathon racers. For novices you want to keep energy expenditures to a minimum when off the water. You would want a minimum of 100 hours on the water together before entering a long race together; and almost as much portage practice over obstacles and distances similar to race conditions.

Personally I would want something a bit faster, and a lot lighter.

good luck,

Bill

sorry
sorry, that was me who snaked the canoe away from you :wink:



the hull is actually in pretty decent shape. they had some type of “putty” material that they tried to patch the hull up with and it looked much rougher that what it appeared to be with how many patches they put on.



im currently stripping down the hull to re-inforce the bow/stern, and put a skid plate under the bottom of the boat. most the damage was all in the gelcoat, however while i was starting to work on the stern, there was one decent sized crack through the glass which will need to be fixed.



the oars that came with it were not foam core either. they are both wooden oars, but one is a bent shaft.



just like you i am planning on using it for the texas water safari next year. gonna make a few other modifications to it to be more race ready, especially for the salt water bay crossing at the end.

you too need some on water time
and perhaps with carbon fiber foam core paddles…Even the wooden ones are …paddles. Best of luck to both of you.

paddles vs oars
the canoe did not come with any “paddles”. It did however come with 2 “oars”. Paddles have blades on each end while Oars do not. someone might need some education as far as boats goes :slight_smile:



i guess its the same thing as tomAto vs tomato

No
There are single-bladed paddles like a canoe paddler uses and there are double-bladed paddles, like a kayaker uses (and some canoeists). Paddles are used for paddling. Oars are used to row.



This is a single-bladed paddle:

http://www.nrs.com/product/W35/werner-bandit-canoe-paddle



This is a double-bladed paddle:

http://www.zoaroutdoor.com/details/product/werner-desperado.htm



And this is an oar:

http://www.nrs.com/product/1332/sawyer-standard-utility-oar

Its not confusing!
Hey Xterror,…Oars are single bladed and attached to your boat and swivel,…paddles attached to your hands and can be single or double bladed.

Penobscot 16
I found a penobscot 16 royalex for $650. Light scratches only, otherwise perfect condition. Fair price?

Price
Some people here would probably want the price to be even lower, but if I were looking for a Penobscot, I’d go for it at that price. Teh Penobscot is one of Old Town’s best designs, perhaps the best-performing boat that they still make (based on what some people say). I hardly ever see one in this part of the country, much less see one for sale, so speaking for myself, I’d snap it up pronto. If you aren’t looking for THAT boat, you might still look for something cheaper, but for any canoe that’s any good AND in good shape, it sure won’t be MUCH cheaper.

Then there are paddleoars.
This patent pending design was first conceived and executed on a float trip for which a raft was deployed without the more traditional oars, which had been safely leaned against the privacy fence at home five hours south. I’d rather not go into detail since I haven’t secured the patent; rather, I’ll just say that one needs livery paddles, frame pieces, Gorilla tape and cam straps to make one.

thanks
Methinks I’ll snatch it before some else does! From what I’m reading, it’s very versatile, which is what I want. And it’s light for a royalex 58#.

Hell yes
If it only has scratches it’s nearly new, new is $1700