Buying a cheap SOT was a good thing. I learned that a canoe is, still, the right choice for me.
I have three, had five, at one time, plus a sea kayak, but my needs have changed.
When I was younger, I had no problem lifting my Discovery 174 over my head and onto my roof rack. Those days are over. I need a fairly light boat. I don’t have a reliable partner, so I need a solo. Being able to carry enough gear for multiday canoe trips down desert canyons is a top priority. This means, not only camping gear, but enough water for the entire trip and, possibly a toilette system too. I don’t plan on doing more than class one moving water and moderately sized lakes. Plastic would be a good option, but I’ve found composite canoes designed to take abuse. I’ve narrowed my search down to two (subject to change).
North Star, Northwind solo in IXP layup.
Wenonah, Wilderness solo in Tuf-weave Flex Core.
I have a Wilderness in UL and like the canoe’s handling when making turns in current as well as holding a line in open water. As a solo boat it puts you in a great paddling position. As an older, bigger guy I find it hard to turn around in the cockpit so I have to organize everything within reach.
I’ve not overnighted in the canoe, but have packed it as though I would. Carrying a large load of water might be a challenge for that narrow solo boat. When overnighting solo I’m usually in a tandem. These days my choice for overnights trips is a Northstar Northwind 16 fitted with a center seat and footbar. As a tandem there is plenty of room for a load and a roomy cockpit. The Northwind both turns well and holding a line well.
I have been camping out of canoes for 60 years. I built a sea kayak out of a Pygmy kit. It was beautiful and fast but a pain in the butt. No room for camping equipment and dogs. I sold it and went back to canoes.
I’m pretty sure I’m going to order the North Star Northwind.
I really need to sell or trade in a couple of my other boats.
The Northwind would be, basically, replacing my Wenonah Voyageur, so I might as well get rid of that and I have a Swift tandem I bought for the Boundary Waters and I’m probably done with those trips.
I won’t be able to get the Northwind till next spring, so I’m going to need something to paddle till then. I’m making modifications to the SOT I bought. Maybe I can salvage that purchase. I, basically, removed just about everything that could be removed, including the seat and foot braces. The seat and foot braces weren’t doing much except getting in the way… I’m thinking about building up the sides in the knee area with blocks of closed cell foam, and adding some ballast, in the form of water bags, to the cargo area, should stabilize it some more.