-- Last Updated: Apr-09-16 2:33 PM EST --
Hi again everyone! Got another first time canoe owner-to-be question for you.
Looking for a canoe that is good for overnight trips, mellow rivers and swiftly moving rivers (but not neccesarily whitewater). I'm on a tight budget but don't want to go with the cheapest Wal Mart option or anything.
Found a Northwoods 16' Cascade in my price range on Craigslist but can't find out much about it online. Anyone have any experience with this canoe? Or heartell of it's qualities?
Also found a reeeaal cheap Rogue River 14tk. I'm not sure if its quite what I'm looking for but the price is right
Between the two,
I would choose the Northwoods. It’s been a few years since I’ve seen one of that brand, but I recall that it looked fairly well made.
Wouldn’t be what I would recommend for any rivers that have shoals you might drag on or that require quick maneuvers, due to the protruding keel that this model has if I’m not mistaken. Also a bit on the wide and heavy side compared to higher end boats. But worlds ahead of anything from say, Coleman or Pelican, or even the cheapest canoes from Old Town.
Budget?
What exactly do you mean when you say “the price is right”. For one person that can be $200 and another it can mean $2,000.
One canoe that does pretty much all you want is the Mad River Explorer. I’ve seen Royalex models for as low as $500 on Craigslist. It’s a does everything good, but nothing great canoe. Well it does one thing great, it is a load monster for a 16 ft canoe. You can really load it up for camping trips.
Old Town Penobscot is also a pretty good do it all canoe as well as the Wenonah Spirit 2.
I’d stay away from Rouge River. I’ve seen a few older ones on the beach in the lake community where I live and the hulls are invariably terribly warped.