I have recently acquired a piece of property on crooked creek ( north Arkansas) and am looking for a fairly lightweight (I’m 62 y/o woman ) boat for me to use for fishing - I like to hop in and out often ( we have a couple of tandem canoes) . I am looking at the native ultimate basic 12 foot kayak ( sorta canoe-ish) and the old town discovery 119 canoe. Would have loved to get an old town guide of royalex but I understand that’s a thing of the past. I’ll be dragging it up /down the bank for a few feet so hope to get something sturdy, also. I have very little kayak experience – and only on SOT. Enjoyed that.
Water will be mostly calm and easy . Any suggestions?
do you
row ?
Pack Canoe
– Last Updated: Feb-07-16 7:32 PM EST –
No need for a deck or heavy weight
NEXT by Old Town is the heaviest. For more money ( and you did not mention a budget) you can go down to 10 lbs in a Hornbeck Pack Canoe.
There are more rugged pack canoes but the price goes up.
A Pack Canoe usually is designed for low seating, easy entering, and a double blade. Most paddlers know just about nothing about them but they have been used in the Adirondacks for over a hundred years.
Take a look http://www.hornbeckboats.com/boats.php
Other pack canoe makers include Swift, Adirondack, Savage River, Hemlock, Slipstream, and Placid Boatworks All offer sub 30 lb boats.
I paddle
Datakoll, I don’t go backwards.
Pack canoes
Sound like a fine invention, and amazingly lightweight boats!
Thanks!
Crooked Creek?
– Last Updated: Feb-08-16 12:42 AM EST –
I think Crooked Creek would be a little hard on those ultralight pack boats? We used to own some property between Flippin and Yellville and plastic is king on that stream IMHO?
I would look for a used royalex canoe if possible. You expressed interest in the OT Disco? Well, a lighter, more user friendly, similar canoe would be a Nova Craft Trapper. You can still find them a few places if you keep your eyes peeled. If not, the Tuff Stuff layup Nova Craft uses seems to be very "Hearty" and much lighter than poly. If you want to try out a Trapper, my wife and I could let you try ours sometime?
Oh, and BTW, I hate to "Call" anyone out but be careful about clicking on any "Links" the Datakoll person has unless you have good antivirus protection.
http://www.trailspace.com/gear/nova-craft/trapper-solo/
In my news bin
– Last Updated: Feb-08-16 7:49 AM EST –
Kayakers are appearing more often as accidents.
Generally from overuse ?
asking a question requires criticism ?
Ditto Pack Canoe
I call my Pack canoe my retirement boat, because of it’s light weight(20lb), comfort and durability. My Placid Boat Works Spitfire is extremely durable as they as designed to be paddled in harsh conditions. You get no oil canning with a PBW boat which sometimes occurs with thinner hulls.
Ditto ^^^
Ditto what Shiraz said. I’m a 67 year old woman, and my Placid Boatworks SpitFire is my “bucket list boat.” It’s light enough for me to lift onto my Forester alone, but sturdy enough to deal with Pennsylvania’s rocks. If I could own only one boat, the SpitFire would be it.
No
The Hornbecks are the most fragile but none of them are especially fragile.
I haven’t run Crooked, but have with composites run the Buffalo and the Current.
If you can find a RX boat of course what is going to be strongest is your wallet.
see any
light canoe fishing boats with a deployable sponson ?
http://goo.gl/sIlhcx
http://goo.gl/ZBAmzZ
http://goo.gl/2viNhD
Will look for it
Thanks very much!
Will start a search .
I had been searching for the OT guide royalex for awhile now.
Missed getting one by about 30 min at cotter OMTC used inventory.
The trapper is a mighty wide solo for a
smaller paddler.
I haven’t paddled one, but I try not to go over 30" beam max.
Grumman G-129 solo, if you need real
durable for dragging up and down the bank.
It’s actually a pretty nice handling aluminum solo canoe, but does weight 44 lbs and does have a keel that will catch on the creek bottom in the shallows.
Native crossover bad idea?
Because I have been looking at boats avail in Arkansas , I have considered a canoe- like kayak by Native , their 12’ ultimate basic weighing at 49 lbs , removing seat to load gets it down 5 lbs they say.
Anyone have opin /experience with this? Is it tuff enough?
Sounds like a good idea on solo grumann
Would be sturdy for sure – our first canoe bought in 1973 is a grumann that we are still using. It does catch on gravel of course and sure makes a racket ! Will look into where these are avail.
Cost
Repairing body vs repairing canoe moves toward lightweight with optional deployable sponsors for in pool fishing.
Better with a used hull.
That’s What Most People Who…
…never paddled one would say. The friend who I bought it from is smaller than you, Dave. He loved the boat, just wanted a Flashfire more. Darren Bush is the one whom encouraged my friend, he too is not a “Big guy” paddler. Don’t judge this boat merely on specs, my friend. THis boat is definitely “Different.” And knowing the river and the boat, plus looking at the useage, I just feel it would be a perfect “Marriage?”
http://www.pbase.com/ozarkpaddler/image/161594778/large
http://www.pbase.com/ozarkpaddler/image/161599473/large
Royalex
is for paddlers obsessed with longevity/reliability and who run into Roebling’s bridge pillars.
I have 2. Went down the Rio in a Solo Plus. Perfect.
The boat’s carry a Wheelez cart. The cart goes on with hull in water.
Heavy solo hulls.
The Rendezvous is a Lotus sports car on the water…watch the Wenonah bridge video on Utube. Colorado owners, who claim no bridge pillar impacts opted for the Kevlar version.
On the Rio light n ultra light is a curse as a cracked hull midway down is a loooong walk out. Or from Colorado to ?
Royalex
is for paddlers obsessed with longevity/reliability and who run into Roebling’s bridge pillars.
I have 2. Went down the Rio in a Solo Plus. Perfect.
The boat’s carry a Wheelez cart. The cart goes on with hull in water.
Heavy solo hulls.
The Rendezvous is a Lotus sports car on the water…watch the Wenonah bridge video on Utube. Colorado owners, who claim no bridge pillar impacts opted for the Kevlar version.
On the Rio light n ultra light is a curse as a cracked hull midway down is a loooong walk out. Or from Colorado to ?
You may not have these problems on Cooked Creek. But a heavy hull may produce serious back problem nulling paddling or walking.