Mohawk
Had Terrys mohawk solo 14 as my first canoe.even i was able to not not look to bad in it. worth the money in my book.
Which material stores outdoor best?
In the past few days, a few members have come forth with used canoes that they have for sale or have seen for sale. Among these are several kevlars. The obvious advantage of these over Royalex is a lighter layup, but I have to store my future boat outdoors, probably on two sawhorses with a tarp suspended over it for UV protection.
Would a Kevlar boat (aluminum trim) fare any worse than a Royalex boat in outdoor storage?
nope
Just keep it covered with a tarp with airspace between the tarp and the canoe.
For several years we had our kevlar boat outside. Now it did have different challenges. We had to check in the spring for animals taking residence. Also we lost it several times under deep snow but had to whack it out since eight feet of snow is heavy.
Percentages and Fit
Nat;
I think you’re looking in a less than stellar warehouse for a workable solo boat. You are petite and the boats you are considering will not fit you, they are too wide, and the choice of RX dictates that they are too heavy.
I’ve been 165 lbs and lifted weights all my life. I once had a FG Curtis Vagabond at 35 lbs and figured I was skookum enough to never need a 28 lb Kev version until I picked one up. End of the FG boat. The FG hull was ~ 21% of my body weight, the Kev 17%.
By contrast, the S 13 is ~33% of your body weight, the Pack ~27%. But portability, which translates to usability is only part of the problem. You need a boat that fits you fairly well, narrow enough so you can comfortably spread your knees into the chines, and with limited wetted surface to minimize skin friction.
To start with, a 30" wide boat is too wide; you’ll rattle around in it like a seed in a gourd.
Narrower hulls are in limited supply. Bell BuckTail and FlashFire, Colden FlashFire and soon, Vagabond, Curtis MayFly and Vagabond, Dagger Tupelo, GRE BucjTail or Peeper, Hemlock Kestrel, Lotus BuckTail, Mad River Pearl, Placid SpitFire and RapidFire, Savage River BiuckTail, Sawyer StarLite, Swift Loon.
If you want to sit and switch with a bent, add Sawyer Summersong and Wenonah’s little 16 footer from the late 80’s. Sorry, forgot the name; the aging process is not for sissys.
Some of these hulls may need conversion to kneeling; they are all composite, the heaviest weighs 35 lbs, the lightest 15 lbs, and many are available only in the used market, which keeps you within your price range. Start checking E Bay, Craig’s List and the P Net classifieds. Mad River had a Teal Pearl; bin chance!
The Florida FreeStyle Symposium
held in March would afford you the opportunity to try a number of different boats that might work for you, in a addition to having a lot of fun further developing your paddling skills.
Wenonah Sandpiper-- should I get it?
– Last Updated: Nov-11-10 10:21 AM EST –
Guys, I think a great deal has come up.
Someone 3 hours away from me is selling a Wenonah Sandpiper (ultralight Kevlar with wooden rails). The asking price is $1000-- can I talk them down at all? They sent HD pics via email and I don't see a mark on it. They said it's spent 5 hours on the water.
The only negative I see is the wooden rails, because they'll require a bit more maintenance and I want to store this boat outdoors. Should I go for it?
Specs on the Sandpiper:
Length 13'6", weight ~25 lb.
What about Wenonah Sandpiper?
REALLY helpful post, thanks Charlie. 
I’m taking what you say to heart, because when it boils down, I don’t know hot to choose the best boat for me.
I posted a little further down that there’s a Wenonah Sandpiper (kevlar) used in great condition close to me. Would this be a good choice for me?
Fair price
for a wood-trimmed Kevlar ultralight boat in excellent condition.
Actually, Wenonah listed the weight for the Kevlar ultralight Sandpiper with aluminum gunwales and thwarts at 27 lbs, but the lightweight ash gunwale trim was said to add 2 lbs, and the substitution of wood thwarts and carry handles another 2 lbs.
Some other Sandpiper specs: LOA 13’ 6"; height 16" at bow, 12 3/4" at center, 14 1/2" at stern; width 29 1/2" maximum, 27 1/2" at gunwales, 28 3/4" at waterline; rocker 1 1/4".
Wenonah describes this Dave Kruger designed canoe as being like a smaller Vagabond.
Given the current price of high-quality composite canoes, and the current administration’s earnest efforts to devalue the US dollar (which will cause further increases in the cost of all petroleum-based products, let alone the cost of transporting them), I would think that you could sell that boat and recoup your entire investment in the future, assuming you keep it in good condition, if it didn’t meet your needs.
Sandpiper
– Last Updated: Nov-12-10 7:04 PM EST –
WeNoNah's Sandpiper is 13.5' by 29.5" wide, with 2.5 inches tumblehome and, ostensibly, 1.25" rocker at both ends.
So it's an inch or more too wide for perfection, and, as rocker is a drafting convention varying among builders, you'll find both stems pretty well buried. Further, the seat may need to be moved as Wenonah usually trims for sitting paddlers.
All that said, it's very light, pretty close geographically and within your price window; hardly a poor choice, probably a fine first solo. Get a knee pad from the BagLady and go for it kneeling or get a 12 dg bent paddle and sit. If sitting you'll want footpegs.
You'll need to stay on top of those wood rails in Florida. Of interest, there's a wood trim maintenance session at the Florida FS Symposium in Yulee March 18-21. As Tom, Marc and I travel with battery powered hole shooters I'll bet you can get that seat moved quickly and for the asking.
That wood rails require maintenance
is a bit of an overstatement. Some Florida folks use Watco oil ( the old green can) but if the rails are varnished as is likely, an hour of sanding every couple of years and several coats of varnish (which doesnt take long to do as most of the time is waiting for the varnish to dry time) is neither hard nor time consuming.
I got a 21 year old Florida boat with pristine rails. I wouldn’t let the presence of wood rails deter me.
Bargaining is usually part of the exchange. I think the price is not unreasonable but maybe a hundred bucks high.
The seat
Neat-- I saw in the pictures that the owner has lowered the seat about 3 inches using dowel. Are you talking more about moving the seat forward/back?
I’m so tempted to get this boat. The weight sounds more up my alley than the 33/36/41 lb of the OT and Mohawk.
I am worried about the wooden gunwales. Is there any way I could pay someone to replace them with aluminum ones? I’ve heard of people switching aluminum to wood no problem…
Seat placement
– Last Updated: Nov-12-10 7:06 PM EST –
WeNoNah often pegs the seat's front edge at the balance point/ hull center.
For kneeling we want that front edge back 4.5 inches for trim folk, more for those who have super-sized.
If owner has dropped the seat it will probably need to be raised and angled for kneeling or sitting comfort. Not a big deal.
Transport and labor costs preclude switching rails until absolutely necessary - something that may never happen.
Sitting
Okay, I’ll probably sit rather than kneel anyways. I have bad knees. Hopefully I don’t have to move the seat…
Checking out the Sandpiper
I’m going to look at the Sandpiper this weekend. I hope it’s a good fit. Thanks all for your help!
Cool!
Get a 12 dg bent from Fox Werks or Zav and go for it!
Very simply, straight blades work better for kneelers and bents for sitters, because the Winters’ “Sweet Spot”, where the blade squares to the stroke, occurs further aft, thereby withing the easy torso rotated reach-to-catch of sitting paddlers.
To fit your bent paddle, get a good grip on the top grip, lower that hand in front of your body with the blade above your head. The junction of the blade and shaft, the neck, should locate somewhere between the tip and bridge of your nose. I’s atart with the Fox Werks stick, wait to get the more expensive Zaveral hen you know just exactly hoe long a shaft you needg
My thoughts
As to the original question, I think the Mohawk would be preferable to the OT Pack.
However, for a small woman paddling in Florida, I would highly recommend a lightweight composite boat. (I’d make the same recommendation for a big man paddling in Ontario, but let’s forget that.) It’s not that you will be wilderness portaging, but that you will be deterred from even car topping a boat that is too heavy.
I haven’t paddled a Sandpiper, but from the specs, pictures and reviews that are available, it sounds like a nice solo boat for the OP in Florida waters. Remember, you can look at it, and try it out, without buying it.
good choice
I think it is an excellent choice. As for the wood rails, as long as you stay on top of the maintenance, they aren’t that big of a deal. Some folks only oil them a couple of times a year. I prefer to do it more often. I’d rather spend half an hour a month oiling the gunwales than several hours replacing them.
If you want to switch to aluminum gunwales, you could always find out if there is a Wenonah dealer near you that would be willing to have a gunwale set shipped down with some boats that he already has ordered. That way you might not have to pay for the shipping, which can be a bit pricey.
As others have mentioned, moving the seat is pretty easy. You would want to check the seat location and see how it paddles before you do anything.
It’s been eons since I looked at a Sandpiper, but if I remember correctly, when they first came out the seat was set back a ways because they assumed the paddler would place a pack in the front of the boat. I think they relocated the seat on the later boats, but I could be wrong. I guess it really doesn’t matter, though, because the current seat location will either work or it won’t, and if it doesn’t, you just move the seat. No big deal.
Weight
of kevlar Sandpiper is 25lbs? Carbon perhaps without wood trim. Do you plan to single blade or double blade the boat you buy? Width at the rails will make a difference as to reach and efficiency.
Sandpiper
I have a Sandpiper but it’s royalex which may be different from the composite version. It’s a good enough solo boat-(strangly it became poorer after I got a Flashfire),but has no tumblehome. This would make the already marginal width wider at the gunnels.
Turtle
Don’t know exact weight
I’m not sure what the exact weight is, but if it’s 30 lb or less than it’s by far the lightest weight option I have (other than the OT Pack which many people said is as slow as a bathtub). I’ll just have to get there tomorrow and test how easy it is for me to pick up–hopefully not too bad. I lifted my 25 lb dog over my head today with little effort, so a few extra pounds should be ok.
Regarding the tumblehome/width… the reviews on paddling.net said this craft is equally comfortable with a single or double blade paddle, but it’s faster with the double. I really like the idea of having both options.
The seller knows I haven’t committed to buy. I was really clear that I want to come and see its condition, weight, and design before I can make up my mind. I can’t wait to check it out!