I'm trying to decide on my next boat. I'm thinking of getting either a Clipper Solitude or a Native Marvel 14.5 solo. I want to be able to carry a long weekend of camping gear and at other times take a dog with me on day trips. I will use it on calm water mostly and occasionaly on Class I-II rivers. I want to keep the price of the boat under $1400. It has been years since paddling a canoe and I've never been in one as nice as the Solitude. Any ideas, suggestions or comments?
How would the speed compare?
If you want to carry a dog, a canoe is better. The Solitude appears to be quite fast and you should be able to keep up with many kayakers if you use a bent shaft. Kinda contradicts the “Solitude” concept to be running with yakkers, though.
Canoe To my mind, kayaks are a specialized form of a canoe, that really shine in rough water. If you don’t need the rough water ability of a kayak, why not enjoy the convenience of loading/unloading, portaging, lighter weight, and greater comfort a canoe offers.
If speed is your concern, there are many fast solo canoes.