Hi,
I have been fascinated with canoes for a while, and am ready to take the next step to purchase one. Could I please ask for your recommendations?
I am a sportsman, love to fish. And I have an 8 yr old daughter and a 5 yr old son that love to go with me camping, and are looking forward to some time in a canoe too.
First question, I’m in really good shape, and co-ordinated. Can I manage a canoe by myself with two kids? I am going to a canoe class in a couple of weeks to get oriented and better prepared -but I’m wondering if this is safely do-able?
Second, any canoe recommendations? I like to fish, and I’m wondering if the color of the canoe matters? Should I go for a dark green Field & Stream canoe or would a light brown Mad River work and not spook the fish?
Thanks!
Very do-able. Your going to love it.
I don’t know a thing about fishing but 2 kids in a canoe is going to be great.
fishing
Fishing should be a challenge in order to establish the skill of the fisherman, right? To establish your skill, get a light gray boat. Fish will see that as a Great White Shark and you will indeed be showing skill if you catch fish.
Disclaimer: I don’t fish. Could you tell? 
I learned to control the boat by going out solo. The more time I was in the boat, the better I got. Lessons would be great, but I live in So Cal. Oh credit to Bill Mason’s videos. They will help a lot!
Chuey Canoey
fish don’t care about color of your boat
From my experience that is. Got a lot of colors. Catch a lot of fish.
I would recommend a wider canoe like an Old Town Discovery. Better for fishing and for multiple kids.
You should be able to single hand it just fine, but some help from the crew is always appreciated. Get them each a paddle, don’t make them fight over it.
That’s my words of wisdom for today. Happy fishing and paddling.
Ditto the paddles all the way around…
even the littlest 'noer wants to feel like they’re helping! Soon enough, they really will be helping too.
Wishing your family many happy outings,
Rob
I was gloing to suggest the same boat
It is a heavy tub, but they are very stable and are basically indistructable.
I used to paddle from the stern (by myself) with my wife up in front and then one or more of the kids in the middle.
Learn the “J” stroke, and your good to go
Color won’t make any difference to the fish, but I think the kids would like a bright colored boat, such as red.
For what it is worth; I once had a bright yellow canoe, and almost every time we would use it small ponds or swamps, bass would strike at it, and I mean really bang into it. Evidently they are attracted to yellow. I often thought that all I had to do was hang a bunch of treble hooks off the side of it and I could probably get a lunker or two.
Enjoy your canoeing with your kids
Cheers,
Jack L
Old Town Stillwater series -
you can’t go wrong there. Great stability and efficiency
for a family canoe in flatwater.
just a couple…
Longer length(17'+) and hull design = stability
OT Penobcot_17, MadRiver tandem, used..kevlar tandems...(17'++...Bell, others..), and..DON'T SKIMP ON THE PFDs!!!..Astrals & other good ones take care of the worries!!!!
color:
Light green or a used_grayish (good luck in finding Light green NEW..;-)
any Green...before Red, but as said...noise kills it wayyyy before sight...and pick a cloudy day for trout. Get some thin material(ie...cut up cardboard boxes) down on hull floor, in areas, to guard against junk dropped.
$.01
The kids are more likely
to spook the fish than the color of the boat.
I assume the kids can swim and have life jackets.
Calm days and flat water should be a breeze for you (so to speak).
jim