C2 Stock canoe, less tippy?

Paddlers' Place
#1

Looking for a C2 Stock canoe that is less tippy so my wife and dad (who is 89) enjoy it too. Prefer something 18’ vs 18’ 6". My dad and wife find my rounded vee bottom Mad River Hurricane (16’6", 33" X 28") a bit unnerving so something with more stability.

Needs to be under 35 pounds for dad to be able to carry.

Looking at used We-No-Nah Jensen 18 or Sundowner 18 or a GRB Traveler II or a Savage River Blackhawk 18’ usable in General Clinton and Adirondack Canoe Classic with other paddlers, and tripping with my wife as well as day trips for my dad and his wife.

Advice or leads on more stable but still fast options?

– Andrew

#2

Your problem is the beam. 33 inches feels unsteady to me.
At 73 all canoes feel tender and not very stable. I have transitioned to drift boats.
No wonder they are complaining.
It an 18 foot canoe, 36 inches is a much better beam and still plenty fast.

1 Like
#3

That’s why I’m leaning toward the Blackhawk or Sundowner, but finding them used is tough.

#4

Have you checked out the Savage River Susquehanna? It is 6 inches longer than a Sundowner with a max beam of 36.5.

Seems stable to me, but that might be me. It is also the fastest boat that fits into the stock class, and I know a few folk who say it is the best thing since sliced bread for wilderness tripping because it is so efficient to paddle.

#5

Yeah, considered that as well, but my garage is only 18’ long.

In college I paddled a Mad River Camp Cruiser which is the same hull, nice boat!

#6

Savage River Susquehanna or GRB Monarch. Proven Stock class hulls. The fastest stock boats in the 70 this year were all one or the other…. You won’t find a more stable stock class hull that’s still capable of being the fastest out there…

#7

Any idea how much slower/tippier the Blackhawk/Jensen 18/Traveler II are than the above so I can fit them in my garage?

#8

Just food for thought, my garage is 22’ but with a bit of an angle my 23’ C4 fits…

I’ve not paddled a Blackhawk but have paddled Jensen 18 and it’s a decent stock class boat, stable. Traveler was a bit of a tub imho

#9

With 7-8 boats in a 8’ wide garage there’s less room for angling, but the Savage River’s are quality!

#10

I had a Wenonah Jensen 18 from 1978 - 1990 (replaced by a Sawyer cruiser). I never found the Jensen of the Cruiser ‘tippy’. Pretty much a novice at first & was seduced by Harry Roberts into ordering the Jensen. If you find a light weight one, give it a try.

#11

Yeah I’ve thought about the Cruiser, used to fish out of a friends and balance on the gunwhales for fun. Does not fit the stock class though and tends to be a little heavier, great boat though.

– Andrew

#12

Have you tried a We no nah Minnesota 2? I own both a Blackhawk and a Minnesota 2 and love them both. If you’re looking to race it, the Minnesota 2 is faster. The Blackhawk is lighter but not a General Clinton boat. Sesquhanna or Minnesota 2.

#13

Also Blackhawk fits the recreational class.

#14

Have a Kevlar, 16 ft.