How many people recommend a glass canoe for milder whitewater canoe camping. Say class 1 or 2. This canoe will mostly be used for exploring inland lakes and rivers.
Depends on which “glass” canoe and
which class 1-2 camping trips. Properly managed, glass canoes can go down fairly difficult rivers. But when carrying 2 paddlers and camping gear, the canoe is going to respond less well, and it is more likely to sustain damage.
I have owned and used several composite boats in class 1-4 whitewater. If one does not mind an occasional repair, and knows how to do them properly (not just with Poobah-Bond), these boats can outlast Royalex canoes.
It also depends on what you start with. The better the original glass work, the less damage. Old chopper gun layups were very easily destroyed, but a friend had an early chopper gun Mohawk that she paddled for years with little breakage.
Maybe you could share the details of your options?
"Milder whitewater"
If it is not shallow I don’t hesitate to take my kevlar Jensen down class I-II, and have been doing it for a long time.
Just scout the II’s if they are new to you.
On the shallow rivers I often just use a little two part epoxy if any scratches get into the cloth.
On the other hand, if the river is a boulder garden with fast moving water, I wouldn’t do it.
Cheers,
JackL
Re
I was going to go with royalex at first but the weight got me thinking glass for the amount of whitewater ill do. Ive made a couple hundred handlaid canoes so im good with glass on the other hand I seem to suck in whitewater and am hard on keels. I have a glass canoe for practice but it paddles like a tugboat, I just want a good canoe at a good price that handles good.