well bought my first canoe being an old town allagash 174. however i do not see much in terms of reviews for them unless i look at the discovery 174 or the penobscot 174. so my question is what one did it end up replacing and where can i find all of the specs for it? also what reviews should i read more of. im sure i will be very happy with the boat but i do like specific info on the boat i have.
i based my purchase off of the price, reviews for disco 174, and penobscot 174 and this boat looks like it will get the job done for what i want. we are getting it wet tomorrow so we will see what happens.
prepare to be confused
From out Pnet archives
http://www.paddling.net/message/showThread.html?fid=advice&tid=628053
the OT Allagash 174 …
… was renamed Penobscot 174 .
Allagash 174 was PolyLink3 construction . I believe the PolyLink3 was a 3 layer “crosslink” polyethylene (not weldable but a bit tougher than 3 layer linear polyethylene which is weldable) .
I think you’re going to like that canoe although it’s not like the Royalex Penobscot’s which are a bit narrower .
You can call Old Town if you want to , they’re good folks who are a pleasure to speak with and helpful to answer questions , send you info. etc. … 800-343-1555
that nice thread
yes i have read that thread a few times before i bought. i was just hoping maybe someone knew more by now.
great idea on just calling and asking. so simple yet i never would have thought. i think i will do that today.
penobscot
well just got done talking to them and they said that everything is the same as the penobscot but the carrying capacity. the allagash’s is 1,080. he said dosent look like anything has changed construction wise but that he said it is possible that the coast guard changed some regulations.
just keep in mind that …
… the PolyLink3 Penobscot’s (174 and 164) are not the same as the Royalex Penobscot’s .
The Allagash/Penobscot you have will be noticably less tippy than the Royalex versions (17RX and 16RX) . It’s probably more like a Disco in the stability catagory , and in reality I’d say a different boat altogether than a Royalex Penobscot .
There used to be a 186 Penobscot made from Royalex also . It weighed about 73 lbs. .
If I remember correctly the PolyLink3 (which is crosslink polyethylene) , is also a bit stiffer (less flexy) than the linear polyethylene (which can be a good thing) .
Let us know how it went after your maiden voyage in it , OK …
first time out
well just got back from a short day trip. took the gf, her mom, and the moms little dog. things went very well and i am pleased with it. just wish the water was just a little bit higher in a couple spots. other than that was a good day out. didnt feel tippy at all and tracked great now just waiting for laber day weekend to get here to take it out for a real trip.
Do NOT put a half ton of stuff in it.
Other canoe manufacturers give a performance load. Usually that leaves you nine inches of freeboard. Old Town persists in making you believe that six inches is sufficient. It is not when the going gets hairy.
The only thing that matters in carrying capacity is the volume of the canoe.
disco
i only plan to put what we have been loading a disco 169 with no more than that. its alot of weight but i really doubt its getting close to the 1,000lb mark.
i appreciate the advice though i will measure the free board that i have and adjust accordingly.
who sat on the floor and …
....... how'd your bow paddler do ??
I'd think that was an easy load for your canoe , although if trying to be the only paddler (as in chauffeur) could be a tad of a workout against any breeze or head current .
I'm often a chauffeur by choice cause I enjoy paddling her around , but when the going gets a little tough (wind or head currents) , she's a real trooper on the paddle and it feels like I got a Hemi all of a sudden , thank goodness .
Running through low water areas in moving rivers or streams makes what I call a suction spot , maybe some call it suck water ... that can get tough sometimes going against the current , especially with a bit of a load in a tandem .
I'm never in a hurry to get anywhere in our canoe anymore , but when running 4 or 5 miles upstream against a mountain rivers head current it can feel like your in a hurry on the paddle and getting nowhere fast , lol ... but much fun indeed , and then there's that psych of busting upriver that's all it's own thing intirely .
paddling
i was in the back the gf up front and dog and gf’s mom in the floor. as well as a loaded cooler in middle.
the gf is a good paddler. our first time out i figured i would be the only one doing it but she really proved me wrong and has done a great job every since.
my uses for this boat will most likely stay loaded and going down current. if i end up doing more day trips though i will buy a shorter boat that weighs less for them instead of this beast.
you and GF are going to …
....... have many great times together in the canoe , and sounds like a fine team already ... hope you enjoy the journey as much as we have
thank you.
i hope to enjoy lots of good times. and now i do not need to pay the rental fee to do it any more.
i thank every body for helping me decide on a good boat for me and i will be sure to keep everyone updated on how the allagash performs since there are not alot of reviews on it.
thanks again!