Hello, the 4 of us have a trip around Bowron lakes this summer and I’m curious to hear some suggestions about what boat(s) to take.
We have 4 going: 50 yr M, 19 yr M, 18 yr M, and 9 yr F. We’ve been around the circuit a few times once in a canoe and kayak, and the last trip was a canoe and rowboat. That was a lot of work!
What do people think about all 4 of is in one of Beckers 20’ Mackenzies? Could we all paddle at the same time? Any other suggestions?
Any advice is appreciated.
-pat
That looks like it could work with extra seats. Other options are a Wenonah Minnesota 4 & a Savage River Saranac. One of the Savage Rivers is just about to take off to try to set a new record for the length of the Mississippi.
Or 2 canoes… No reason the 9 year old can’t paddle… The last I looked you could rent 2 Yukons for the price of 1 Mackenzie… I see you are limited to Hellmans and Clippers and nothing from further East.
I would get a Wenonah Minn-4
Guy:
Kayakmedic’s suggestion for two canoes might make sense for another reason. I saw that one outfit put a weight limit on how much gear could be carried in one canoe while the canoe was going over portage trails on a cart. Using two canoes and two carts means there’d be that much less weight that you’d need to schlep on your back. When paddling, you’d put a little less gear in the boat with the 9-year old, and probably pair her up with one of the teenagers so what gear was in the boat could be utilized to balance the uneven paddler weight (it may be harder to do that with the 50-year-old if the 50-year-old is “full-size”).
And while this comment is neither here nor there as far as you current concerns, I can’t help thinking that if taking a canoe and a rowboat was a lot of work, you simply had the wrong rowboat. The “right” rowboat would have covered all the miles you could ever want, just as easily as the canoe, and would have left the canoe in the dust on windy days (though it likely wouldn’t be my first choice for rapids).