I’m planning a two week or so solo trip. I’m trying to decide if I should take the Odyssey or my Royalex MR 15 ft Explorer. I know the Explorer can haul more, but I like the Odyssey for solo paddling. I never took the Odyssey for longer than a day trip so don’t know how much it can carry. I intend to travel light --the Bowron circuit – which is mostly lakes, but has a little white water.
2 weeks
I did a two week trip in Canada in mine carrying everything I needed. Paddled a combination of large lakes and CII+ WW. The boat did great. You should have no problems.
I vote Mowhawk. I had 300# (me included)
in my Odyssey14 and it handled better than my daytrip load. They are the SUVs of solo canoes. We paddled an easy class one and I even surfed with the load. It won’t be as fast as your Explorer on an open lake, but if you’re doing more river travel between lakes it will do well.
Mike’s warning about the seat placement is right on. I sit, so loading the bow works well for me. The hubby kneels, so he distributes more in the stern.
Mohawk!
I travel for a week with no trouble in my oddessey.
Mohawk
Definitely the Mohawk. It will handle you and your gear just fine, and it’s a good flatwater/moving water boat.
Mohawk Odyssey
It gets my vote.
I own one.
I weigh about 200 lb.
I know from experience it will carry another 100 lbs of gear with no problem at all.
You said you’d be traveling light; 100 lbs of gear is not traveling light, so the Odyssey should do just fine.
BOB
Sounds good, I guess I’ll take the
Odyssey. I did a lot of solo paddling with the Explorer before I purchased the Odyssey. It’s not bad to paddle solo but about six inches wider than the Odyssey which make it less agile. I fabricated some foot braces for the Odyssey which makes paddling a lot more comfortable. I also tilted the seat and glued in kneeling pads so really wanted to take it. Since it is OK for trips, I think next I’ll make some splash covers for it.