Ok got it ! ! ! !
Well not yet, going on Sat. to put a deposit on a Bell Northwind, 16’6 Royalex, wood trim. More than I wanted to spend but, Beautiful boat. You get what you pay for I think
Thanks for all the input, first time out I’ll post my adventures.
Thanks Tony 
one more opinion about canoes
Tripping can be seen as a ‘form’ of touring. So if you say you want
a touring canoe, to me that could mean you want a design suitable
for tripping. I take it then that you mean that you don’t want to
make canoe trips with ‘camping’ gear aboard with this canoe? In that
case the NorthWind, with its performance capacity up to 500 lbs
(230 kg), may be too big for you.
Hi
Hi Dirk, Over nioghters are not out of the question and the paddlers are going to be 400lbs themselves, with the other gear even for day trips I should be Ok. Well it’s the one I am going to get so, unless the dealer I am going to this weekend has a better deal on something else. 99.9999999 this is the one I will get
Tony
Isn’t the Northwind a 17’ 6" Boat?
Congratulations!
A RX Northwind was the first “nice” canoe my wife & I demoed when we decided to make the step up from an old borrowed chopper-gun barge. It was a huge eye-opener. I think you’re going to have a lot of fun…
Northwind Composite is 17’6"…
RX version is 16’6", and probably should have had a different name :-). I’ve paddled and like them both.
If like MorningStar look at StarFire!
It is of the same dimensions, but with a bit narrower beam at waterline and handles better. Look for old used Bell version. Bell no longer makes it and I do not think they own the design anymore either. Look to Placid Boatworks for current version of StarFire http://placidboatworks.com/index.html. Heard Charlie Wilson took it with him when he left Bell. If Charlie thought enough of it to take it along that says a heck of a lot about the StarFire!
Mick
canoe choice???
It’s tough isn’t it? Actually I thought it great fun to choose a canoe although I looked for a year to “find the right one”. I chose the Bell Northstar, a little bigger than the Morningstar and a little smaller than the Northwind. I did want a boat that I could use with my wife as I already have enough things I enjoy that are solitary. My choice of the Blackgold material was that I was not getting any younger and the weight was important to me.
Bottom line-paddle anything you may buy, take THE BOAT OUT ON THE RIVER before you purchase it!!! And then??? Enjoy it.
Royalex tandem
I think the Morningstar is a great choice for an all around Royalex boat…I think you can’t go wrong. I’ve paddled them several times and I used to have a Penobscot. The Royalex Morningstar is more stable, takes a bigger load, and is more efficient. I haven’t paddled the longer Royalex Bell. You can call the Morningstar a pocket tripper since it can cruise efficiently and do anything and carry a hefty load…like 500 pounds easy…which would slow down the Penobscot. The Morningstar works quite well solo too…at least as well as the Penobscot and most likley better than any of the otthers you’re looking at.
check out the Woodsman
http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/corp/index.jsp?page=storeLocator&state=NJ
Here is a link to the store locater in NJ.
Bell made some canoes/kayaks for Gaylans (now Dicks Sporting Goods). They all had the woodsman name and here is how they equivilate to their current lineup:
Woodsman that is 16’6" = is the exact same as the Northwind in Rx
Woodsman that is 15’6" = is the exact same as the morningstar without tumblehome, so basically a drifter
Woodsman Kayak = WS Seacreat
All of these can be had for hundreds less, but your options are limited - I remember when you could get the 15’6" version for around $600 new (after some sales and rebates). They use the same Rx thickness throughout. I’d save the money and get some really good paddles and gear.
Starfire = Yellowstone?
Looking at the specs for the Starfire and the newer Bell Yellowstone - they look pretty similar with the Yellowstone a tad bigger.
Max Width = same
4" WL = same
Length = Yellowstone by 6"
Rocker = about the same 3/3 and 3/2
Height = looks like bell added a couple inches but the ratio is about the same.
I’d be willing to bet that the cross sections look pretty much the same.
I guess not identical, but it makes you wonder.
Some errors on the Starfire
First off the Starfire is 15’ and the Morningstar is 15’6. The Starfire is symmetrical and one of the best tandem freestyle canoes on the market, the Morning Star is asymmetrical and is a cabin boat. Pocket Tripper? that’s what Sawyer called the 190.
A little history, Charlie originally commissioned the Starfire, Wildfire (composite) and the Flashfire from DY. Bell had nothing to do with this) Charlie had planned to sell the boats himself under his own name, but teamed up with Ted Bell and Bell began to build these boats. Charlie has always owned the rights to these three boats… Bell only built them. Charlie left Bell several years ago… but last spring when he started up Placid Boatworks he told Bell they could no longer build the Starfire. This could happen to the composite Wildfire and the Flasfire too. The Yellowstone Solo is totally a Bell boat, that is different from the composite one.
The Yellowstone tandem is totally unrealted to the Starfire. The Yellowstone has asymmetrical rocker of 3" bow and 2" stern. The Starfire is totally symmetrical with 3" of rocker both bow and stern. The Yellowstone is 15’6 like the Morningstar, but is narrower. Bell commisioned this boat from DY.
Hope that helps some…
PK
I’ll sell you mine
I’ve had an Adirondack in royalex which has made several trips to the Adirondacks & lots elsewhere. It was my first canoe and I still love it. When I’m paddling flatwater, I usually use my Minn II in Kevlar. When I’m by myself, I use my Perception Carolina. The only time the Adirondack gets used anymore is for whitewater or taking out a group of scouts. Since I’m paddling more often now by myself, I’d like to replace it with a Wenonah Solo Plus. Have tried paddling the Adirondack backwards while sitting on the bow seat, but this doesn’t cut it for going multiple miles. I agree with you that the Adirondack is a good all around boat. When I got it, I was torn between it and an Old Town Penobscot. Until you settle into a paddling routine, you’re better off with a more versatile boat than a specialized one.