Old Town Guide Series

Advice
#1

Ok, last question (for a while anyways).

For those who have been in both. How much more stable was the Guide 160 over the Guide 147 if at all?

Thanks in advance,

Goshawk

#2

Can’t compare, but…
Haven’t been in the 160, so I can’t compare, but I can tell you, that my wife, and 6 YO son got a 147 last year, and have yet to roll it unintentionally. It feels tippy at first, but after a few minutes, it’s all good again. We’re extreme novices, but we like it. I think we should have gotten the 160 however, for overnight trips. With the three of us, it’s pretty full, I’m not real sure just how much we gear we can fit in comforatably. Probably more than we need, but still, I think I would prefer the bigger boat.

#3

Both are stable. Neither is
particularly great for solo work. The longer canoe is the better one if carrying a lot of weight or paddling very far, better tandem and especially for more than two people.

#4

Unless you need to stick to a budget
I would go with a Discovery 158 for the extra $150. You get a very stable boat and it is made of SuperLink rather than PolyLink, which is much stiffer and slightly thicker material, so it does not have that moulded keel down the center like the Guides do which can be problematic in shallow rivers. Discovery’s have a reputation for being pretty indestructable.

#5

Thanks
Thanks for the feedback. Since there are very few places to look at canoes in my area, let alone brands I’ll be sticking with the Old Town Guide series. Still not sure about which one, but I’m still leaning toward the 160 due to it’s higher capacity and hopefully stability. I’m in the Cinebar area of Washington State so I hope to use the boat on the Cowlitz River, parts of the Tilton and the local reservoirs.



Goshawk

#6

I have an earlier version
I have an old town Disco 160. The guide is a very similar hull though perhaps not as deep. I can stand in it and easily throw my cast net for shrimp. You can stand on the center seat if you are really good and the water is calm. It is a really really stable and SLOW canoe. It is an excellent row boat and if you want I can tell you all about how to set it up for that.



It is also a very good sailing canoe and heavy load carrier.



It is absolutely an abomination to lift and carry solo. It weighs more than the 89 pounds it is listed as. I’ll trade you my 160 for a 147 just to save a few pounds…oh my aching back! :slight_smile:

#7

Owned a Guide 147
for a few years, very stable and a real “Tank” never had to worry about abusing it (Although I didn’t). Heavy at 74 LBS. Used to solo with it and never had a problem. I sold it after I got my Bell, but sometimes I wish I still had it.

#8

No Keel on 147
I have a guide 147, and it is flat bottomed, no keel. The 160 has one, with a rod or something in it I believe, but the 147 is clean on the bottom. Could be why it oil cans on us though! (nothing major, I hear thats normal for this boat)