I’ve kept my trap shut
because I was also a little confuzzed regarding your length preference. Now that you’ve said it’s sixteen I vote Explorer. Great initial and secondary, quite maneuverable; especially with two paddlers, plenty of load capacity and nice looking. They don’t call it the swiss army knife of canoes for nothing.
Thanks to all…
Here are my takaways:
The Exp, with t v-hull, has more initial stability and would offer more initial stability than the Pen, and so make a better fishing boat.
The Exp has better maneuverability on white water and with higher gunnels, handles whitewater better.
The Exp is 10-14 lbs heavier than the Pen. Mad River website lists it at 72 lbs vs. 58 for the Pen. That is a big difference for someone over 50 that has to carry it and get it on and off the roof rack.
Exp capacity, from manufacturer, is 1100 lbs. and OT lists capacity at 1100-1150, so nominally identical.
The Pen glides a bit better due to the stable rounded hull design and is slightly less maneuverable due to less rocker.
For me it comes down to…Explorer is more stable, more family-friendly, better whitewater, and better fishing boat. And significantly heavier.
The Penobscot is perhaps better on the lake, less initial stability and a lot lighter.
If it were not for my back the Explorer seems like the clear winner.
responding to 17’ Penobscot issue
QUOTE
If you want to be out on Champlain in any sort of weather you might want to consider a 17 foot boat. Personally that is what I would choose.
UNQUOTE
Why does the additional foot in length have such an effect? I would not take family on the lake in any weather, but I’m interested in what additional advantage a 17’ offers beyond added capacity.
Weight
Unless you have seriously debilitating back problems you should be able to handle an Explorer. Just a matter of technique. Doesn’t sound like you plan to portage it on long BWCA style trips or anything like that and there are tricks and even devices to help with getting it on and off the rack.
a vote for the explorer
like the way the boat heels and slices into turns, like the rigid v hull.
overlooking something
You asked about composite reference but didn’t get an answer.
The Explorer is and has been available in lightweight composite construction. Talking about kevlar here - not royalex. That brings the possibilities down to weights below the actual weight of any Penobscot.
If performance on water similar to the Penobscot is desired, the Malecite would be a better comparison. And that boat can be even lighter in kevlar. The Malicite is also fairly common on the used market. In the more common fiberglass, it weighs about the same as the 16’ Penobscot.
Don’t be mislead by Old Town’s capacity claims. They are…misleading. Penobscot capacity is closer to the Malecite, and both are less than the Explorer.
Thank you all for your help.
I truly appreciate it.
I’m about to buy an Explorer, pre -2000 made in VT.
Decent condition, vinyl gunnels, gash in on of the gunnels, otherwise OK. $700 sound fair?
In terms of capacity
the MR Explorer should be compared to the 17’ Penobscot.
The 16’ Penobscot is what I call a “pocket tandem”, a small craft that can carry two adults, but not two adults plus two nights of camping gear on a big lake. The Explorer can do that, with some margin. The 17’ Penobscot can do it also, with less margin.
I would take a Penobscot 16 only if I were going to do a lot of solo paddling.
Disregard OT and MR claims about weight capacity. Such claims are based on only 6" of hull above the water. Obviously that is not safe or practical. Figure that a MR Explorer or a 17 foot Penobscot might carry 550 pounds without degraded handling and with a good safety margin against swamping.
Good boat choice
given your intended use. I hesitate to comment on the price given that I live on the “East Coast” of Vermont and there is a decent chance I could know the seller! Vermont is a small, but beautiful, state. I will anyway. If the boat is in really good shape and has been stored indoors that would seem like fair price to me. Check the ends to see how much they are worn. The truth is that we may see a price increase for good condition used royalex boats now that the material is not longer being manufactured. I purchased a very good condition old town tripper dated from the late 70s (so that make a significant difference compared to your plan) for $400 a couple of years ago. So if your boat looks in real good shape I would say that is a fair price.
Electric or Acoustic? Both?
Good boat choice
given your intended use. I hesitate to comment on the price given that I live on the “East Coast” of Vermont and there is a decent chance I could know the seller! Vermont is a small, but beautiful, state. I will anyway. If the boat is in really good shape and has been stored indoors that would seem like fair price to me. Check the ends to see how much they are worn. The truth is that we may see a price increase for good condition used royalex boats now that the material is not longer being manufactured. I purchased a very good condition old town tripper dated from the late 70s (so that make a significant difference compared to your plan) for $400 a couple of years ago. So if your boat looks in real good shape I would say that is a fair price.
Electric or Acoustic? Both?
You’ll be very happy with it.
– Last Updated: Apr-10-15 9:31 AM EST –
The first canoe I ever bought was an OT Discovery. Weighed 7800 pounds and was an absolute pig. Sold it and forgot about canoes for a while, then my daughter became old enough to be interested in joining me and I did something I swore I'd never do; bought a brand new canoe. That's another story, but it was a sixteen foot Explorer. Now I generally solo canoe or row and my daughter kayaks, but she's made me pinky swear never to sell the Explorer, AKA Grape Ape (we name all our boats). Great memories ahead!
MR Explorer
I sold my MR Explorer last spring for $800, it was 16, RX proto, in near mint condition.
Lk Champlain can get pretty hairy. Because of wind and waves my wife and I even got “stranded” for several hours on Grn. R. Res. We switched to kayaks and feel much safer.
Response
QUOTE:
given your intended use. I hesitate to comment on the price given that I live on the “East Coast” of Vermont and there is a decent chance I could know the seller! Vermont is a small, but beautiful, state. I will anyway. If the boat is in really good shape and has been stored indoors that would seem like fair price to me. Check the ends to see how much they are worn. The truth is that we may see a price increase for good condition used royalex boats now that the material is not longer being manufactured. I purchased a very good condition old town tripper dated from the late 70s (so that make a significant difference compared to your plan) for $400 a couple of years ago. So if your boat looks in real good shape I would say that is a fair price.
Electric or Acoustic? Both?
UNQUOTE
Got the boat. Pretty good shape. Normal scratches and semi-gouges on bottom. Slight wear just going through color-coat/Vinyl at bow keel. Slash in one gunnel…looks like someone ground up against a metal dock piling.
Decks, cane seats, thwarts and carrying yoke in excellent condition.
Mostly electric, 1971 ES335 and a beater Tele.
Lake Champlain
With our son, he’s not ready for kayak and were not ready for the cost of 2- 3 vessels. Plus being able to load gear. We don’t anticipate like CROSSING the lake or anything. We hold close to shore, or bomb out to Burton Island across the shallows.
Have not been to Green River Reservoir in decades, but I heard it has changed a lot. It was nice in the old days…except for that parking lot!
Great!
Look forward to seeing y’all in a photo of the month.
Yes Champlain can get hairy.
It is a very large body of water. Caution is warranted as am sure you know. In Vermont my favorite spots are the small lakes and ponds that you can find here and there that are not heavily used and provide a nice day paddle or sometimes one night out with a wilderness feel. There are some decent day trip white water rivers. I like the White a lot.
Late to the party…
and the original poster has already made his choice, but wanted to give some opinions on the Penobscot 16, of which I own two:
- The boat will handle two people and adequate camping gear. It ain’t that small of a canoe.
- The shorter length makes the 16 a little more maneuverable than the lack of rocker would make you think.
- It’s a great fishing canoe for easy class I streams like those I fish. Ozark streams require some simple maneuvering, but ferrying is really the most used technique for experienced paddlers, and the Penobscot holds a ferry angle extremely well. While initial stability isn’t great, it’s good enough for a seated angler to feel comfortable, and secondary stability is excellent.
- My older Penobscot weighs 58 pounds, as advertised. I haven’t weighed my newer one, but judging by how it feels on my shoulders it can’t weigh much more than that.
Electric -
Maybe you know Paul Asbell?
Hi! I’m pretty sure you bought…MY MRE16Rx! Burlington.
your girlfriend and you were going to be taking a dog right?
You want to sell it back to me?!
I know Paul Asbell