I've got a OT Stillwater fiberglass canoe that I wanted to take to the Morehead/Beaufort NC area while on vacation. I've paddled my Necky Eskia down there but I'm concerned about ripping open the glass canoe on sharp shells/barnacles etc., plus using a flatwater boat in what can be choppy water.
I really want my daughter to see a different side of "the beach" by taking her into the estuaries and around Taylors Creek. I can't recall even seeing a canoe down there before.
Fiberglass isn’t going to be ripped open on shells. Scratched, yes. As for the chop, you have to use judgement and stay near where you can land, and it will work better if the canoe is set up so you can kneel. Just be cautious and conservative.
No problem if you heed the tides. The “if” is the big word here.
We take our kevlar kayaks and canoe to that type area and have taken them there at various times, but the water is murky and you can’t see the oyster bars until it is too late.
If you heed the tide charts, and plan your trip accordingly you won’t have any problems at all with your boat. If you don’t you are going to get it all scratched to hell.
On the “chop”; again, heed the weather and especially the wind. If it is predicted to be above 12MPH, give it some serious thought. even at that low, in a wide open place you will get some chop.
Best all around for your daughter is wind light and variable, and two hours befor to two hours after high tide.
Taylors Creek is pretty protected… and we won’t venture out into the inlet areas at all. Most of the exploring (and hopefully dolphin & of course the ponies) will be in the Creek and surrounding areas. I wouldn’t take her out unless it was dead-calm water and light winds. She’s so inquisitive, it’s hard to keep her in the boat so we take extra care when she’s with us.
The alternative would be to take my Pungo 120 but she’ll get wet and it would be just me to keep her calm, whereas in the canoe, DW can keep her straight and I can concentrate on paddling and navigation.
I’m still debating but I feel better that others have taken a non-royalex boat in such waters.
Where are you? Where do you live in NC? I’m in Greenville, about 1.5 hours west of Beaufort. I have a poly Mad River Explorer 16TT that you can borrow if you’ll bring it back to me unharmed.