I represent NuCanoe, but I’m looking to get a few true fishermans opinion on the subject. Tell me what you gentlemen think about something like the NuCanoe making it fishing out of a canoe a better fishing experience.Check it out and let me know. www.NuCanoe.com
At 90 lbs for a 12 footer?
Wide, narrow, short, long. Nothing else matters. 90 lbs. most definitely sucks. Period.
I’ve got the heaviest recreation canoe on the market, and at 16’, it’s still 10 lbs. lighter. And it sucks too . . . .
Yes, maybe, no, sometimes. Like there
is no one type of fisherman, there’s no one type of kayak or canoe that fits all fishermen who paddle. I’ve two canoes, one a big tandem…17 ft glass, wieghts 10 lbs less than a NuCanoe 12 footer, and is about 38" wide. My solo canoe is 28" wide, 13.5 ft and weighs 40lbs. The 9.5foot kayak is 26" wide and 41 lbs, and my Old Town Loon 138 uis 29.5" wide. All are very stable. Wide usually means slow paddling, lots of drag on the water, meaning barge. some barge kayaks are great for fishing in certain situations, like open ocean and going through the surf. But, on a twisty and/or narrow stream, they are a pain.
So, its situaltional and fisherman depedent. I’d feel comfortable in a 26" kayak of the right porportions, others want more width. There is just no correct answer for what is best.
I agree, it depends on the type of
fishing your going to do and the experience of the paddler. However, weight matters in all cases. 90lbs is a lot of weight.
Yep, if its over 70 lbs with seat, no
wants to haul it solo. That’s why I now fish more out of my solo canoe than my OT Loon, saves my back at least twenty pounds.
Weight is important
Me and my wife have had a 17’ Gruman canoe for 15 years. The weight has kept us from using it more than once or twice a year. It takes us about an hour to get everything ready to go. Now that we have two kayaks we have been out on the water more this year than the last ten years put together. It now takes us 15-20 min. to get ready. I am not saying, get a kayak. I am saying, watch the weight. It made a big difference for us. Good luck.
On paddle fishing forums, one of the
top three questions/comments about kayaks and canoes alsways concerns weight. Stability, comfort, speed, placement of accessories, tracking, susceptibility to wind, availability of a rudder, and storage are other matters of interest.
Weight is a big issue
– Last Updated: Jul-06-07 9:01 AM EST –
90 lbs is pretty heavy. Nucanoe looks alot like the OK Malibu 2 sit on top and that came in at less than 60 lbs. I owned a 80 lber that never got used as it weighed too much for me to haul around comfortably alone. I personally will not own a canoe or kayak that weighs more than 40 lbs for soloing, 60 lbs for tandem.
But, different strokes for different folks. It depends on what type of craft the fisherman is looking for. When I first started paddle fishing I owned the OK Malibu 2 and it served me well for a couple of years as a fishing kayak. I have since upgraded through a variety of canoes and kayaks to my present ultralight kevlar solo canoe.
I don't believe that wider is necessarily better for a fishing canoe or kayak. I have fished out of 25" wide kayaks and currently fish out of a 28" wide canoe. Stability was never an issue for me in these boats. Wider to me means slower and not fun to paddle, so it takes me longer to reach where I want to fish.
nucanoe?
Not sure if your product qualifies as a canoe so suggestions gleaned from traditional canoes may have limited application.
That said, your product looks like a very solid and stable platform with inherent saftey features allowing re-entry from the water.
You probably can’t do much about the weight and playing with width seems only to differentiate boats in the lineup for marketing. Looking at Jon-boats on directboats.com there is a 12’ aluminum boat that weighs in at 88#. So 90# maybe be too heavy for a canoe but just right for a ‘waterglider’. Great as a yacht tender, lifeboat, diving platform or fishing craft carried on a larger boat to explore more shallow waters. Perfect for a boat livery, organized nature tours and docked boat situations as at hunting camps.
leaving aside weight…
your question was if a wider canoe is better for fishing. People equate “wider” with better stability. All other things being equal, a wider canoe has more initial stability, which only means that it doesn’t feel tippy. Whether or not it will actually get you wet is another question, since if you make a mistake in the wrong place, that “stable-feeling” canoe might just flip very easily.
But, the average angler THINKS he wants a wide, apparently stable canoe, so wide canoes sell well to the average angler.
Those who know a bit more about canoes, however, will appreciate the better paddling characteristics of a narrower canoe, and be willing to put up with a bit of “tippy-feeling”. Personally, I’ve fished lakes and rivers from a canoe for close to 40 years, and I much prefer a narrower canoe over a wider one.
the delux model
i can’t quite figure out how your delux model is better than a canoe. it’s too heavy, has less storage space, and much more expensive than a comparable canoe. am i missing something?
Thanks
Thanks everyone for your suggestions and comments. We’ll take them into consideration as we work on making NuCanoe a better canoe/kayak hybrid for all of you. Enjoy the summer and the times. Thanks again.
Any other comments or questions can be forwarded to blake@NuCanoe.com or manis_p@NuCanoe.com
Thanks
www.NuCanoe.com
My Thoughts
– Last Updated: Jul-10-07 6:44 AM EST –
I agree 100% with the other responders who mentioned weight as an important consideration. I currently have a kayak (previously, I had a canoe)and use it extensively for fishing. Weight was right there near the top of my list as a purchase decision factor. I don't want to hassle with a trailer, preferring a roof top rack. A 90 lb kayak would have really been a chore, not only to rack, but also to get to and from the water, to portage, etc. Anything over about 50 lbs was not even on my long list.
One other comment. Although I demoed some wide kayaks that were very stable, I found them very sluggish to paddle and maneuver. My final selection was 24.75" wide and is perfect for my needs. Less than 50 lbs, decent stability, easy paddling, excellent tracking, good maneuverability.
A Carolina?
Nope, a Manitou
neat canoe… don’t want one
These are novel inventions. Too heavy.
I like wider canoes or kayaks for fishing though. When you get a Muskie or Northern on, that first hook set can send you swimming if you have the drag too tight. And you need it tight to set big hooks in big fish.
So, dedicated fishing boat, I would go wide. But you can find stable platforms at a better weight than this monster. If you are young and strong, it may help you keep strong just from lifting it. But eventually, you will choose weight as one of your primary requirements and then you will have to unload this giant on another unsuspecting soul. Just tell them it’s GREAT FOR FISHING. Help them load it on the truck and wave goodbye.