I’m new here and need to know what is the best affordable, lightweight canoe to buy. This would be for recreational purposes. We have a lake close to our house and I would like to take it out there. I don’t want to spend alot of money…preferrably under $450…I’ve read about the Pelican Navigator…Any thoughts…
well help is here
On P.net I mean. Definately not from me.
Do you plan on living in this house by the lake for many years, or are you going to move in three? That might be a factor.
Is the $450 due to extreame buget constraints, or a desire to not spent too much on a hobby you might not like?
Have you ever canoed before? How big is your family? What are your interests on the water?
Okay after you get all those aswered and more people chime in I have a feeling that they will try to talk you out of a Pelican and in to an used Old Town Penobscot.
Just remeber you can have this boat for 10 or 20 or 30 years, so spending money on it is an investment. And althought all canoes are fun, better ones can make the begining more enjoyable (shortening the learning curve). If you go for a lower end boat spend the saved money on OUTstanding PFDs. You have those with you even when you change boats.
well there is my part to get the ball rolling,
Liveoutside
used canoe
I would look for a used canoe and ask to try it bfore you buy. There are a lot of used boats for sale that are in good shape. JB
I.M.O.
Get the best boat you can afford now,save money for PFD’s,paddles,and rapalas.You dont want to waste your money on cheap Pfds that rub your arm pits raw.
Even if it only leaves you enough money to buy a used fixer-upper.At least your on the water having fun.
Personally I started with stealing my dads Grumman.
Fall is a good time to buy.Sell it rather than store it.Dicks,BJ’s,Sams,Check them all out.
GOOD LUCK
used canoes
I have seen a lot of canoes sitting outside of sheds and garages that you can tell havent been paddled in years.Mostly aluminum.But these places might be a perfect place to find a good deal.
Mowing grass,sell old canoe thats taking up space,make $200.00.Its worth a shot.
that’s right . forget the Pelican …
– Last Updated: Oct-08-08 10:35 AM EST –
.... and buy a nice used Old Town .. although "lightweight" isn't going to happen there , unless you consider 65 - 85 lbs. light ( I do , but there are much lighter canoes if you want to pay big bucks for the difference in weight savings) .
$450. won't get you much of a canoe in the "new" , and expect to put out another $300. plus for a couple PFD's , paddles and misc. ..
Many nice used canoes will be sold with some PFD's , paddles and misc. .. apparently mant people buy a canoe only to find they hardly ever used it , and after a number of years they just want to recover a few bucks , so they sell it ... these will be the ones that "look" hardly used with a few minor scratches here and there .
Go used
Pelicans are trash, plain and simple. I agree with the others here who say look for a quality, used canoe.
Check Craigslist, Ebay or your local want ads and you might be able to find a used Old Town Penobscot, Mad River Explorer, or similar quality canoe for close to your price range.
Also, if there is a canoe livery near where you live, they often sell used canoes after the season.
used
Freespace - based on my most recent personal experience, I would rather buy a moderately beat-up used canoe with good hull design (like my Penobscot) for a couple hundred than any new Pelican, Coleman, or similar barge.
Spend some time reading at this site before you buy, but keep in mind that the product reviews are sometimes a little biased. It seems to me, you get better information about a particular model by doing a forum search for a specific model and reading the various posts.
The above advice is good. If you have the money to spend on new boat in the 60lb range and still buy really good pfd and paddle - great. Get a nice boat and you will be so much happier with it. But if the money’s tight, go to the used market with an eye toward efficient hull design. Learn the difference between cosmetic damage and structural damage. Learn how to do some simple seat repair. Thus prepared, you can find a real bargain.
Don’t scrimp on your pfd. A really good one will feel good enough to wear all the time.
used !!
I’ve been able to get both of my canoes used. One is truely a barge but it’s exactly what my husband likes. The other is a diamond in the ruff. Found it on e-bay cheap and payed only after seeing the boat. Made of royalex (spelling???) and only 13.5’ long, an older OldTown needing new seats and yoke. I’m able to paddle it solo or with someone small up front. So there are deals to be found, just start looking for them. I think I payed just under $200 for it and the used barge was $200.