Penobscot 16


Thinking about adding a used tandem canoe which can be soloed to my existing inventory of one. Any thoughts on if this would be a decent canoe for the Missouri River? Might take it out several times a year for canoe camping with 200lbs gear or when a fellow paddler drops by to join in for a river paddle. At 58lbs I wouldn't want anything heavier (it's royalex) but could store it outside with my other royalex. I read the reviews but couldn't determine if this would do okay on the Missouri River.....I figure it would, just asking for input.

Thanks

Great canoo… de OT Penb 16
Wish ah’ had room fer one me’self. Good solo an’ tandem.



FE


I think it would be OK. With camping
gear it will blow around less. Friend of mine twice won the downriver WW event on the Nantahala in a Penobscot 16. Decent boat for solo in some conditions and circumstances.

“the bride” and I won the Dan River
down river race in ours, and then Paddler 98 and myself ran it again and we won the mens division.

The racers are timed, so you can make two runs if you want to.

We like ours.



Cheers,

JackL

some conditions…downriver…


Thanks for info. Question…the comment… good for some conditions…which conditions? Also, numerous references that it is pretty fast for downriver and downriver races…what exactly is this? Whitewater…class 2 or 3…not really sure about this reference. If I took it out solo with gear for week camping on Missouri River what might be a good weight to make the trip more enjoyable? Also, is this a good canoe for the Missouri River?



Thanks.

Explain what the Missouri River
is like, so us easterners who have never been there can relate !



My OT Penobscot is good for flat water, moving water, and class I-II and if you know how to read a river III, (with air bags).

It will carry a load, (camping stuff), and is good as a tandem or solo.

It is also good for twisting, turning log strewn creeks and small rivers.



The only thing I could add to that is it would probably be a slug if you had a pair of 350 pounders paddling it!



what more can I say



Cheers,

JackL

Missouri River
When not in flood stage, the river thru the state of Missouri is highly channelized with wing dykes. This is to accommodate the barge traffic, faster current and deeper channel. The barge traffic can generate extremely large waves which can last for several miles as they bounce off the bluffs and shoreline. Depending on the water height, the wing dykes can produce strong eddies, boils and currrent. The boils themselves are kind of freakish. They can be 5’ across or as large as 20’. They grap your canoe and start twisting or turning you from your path. This is not a big deal when they tend to be on the 5’ side of things. When the river volume is lower, many beautiful sandbars exist to camp on…thus my desire to have a canoe camping vacation. It’s a big river. I wouldn’t want to go out on it under rising water conditions as many a tree or large tree branch can come popping up from the water. Mostly, it’s close by and would present itself as a interesting paddle thru the countryside of Missouri.



I’ve only paddled my 14’ Vagabond on the Missouri River. It was a day paddle and I would really prefer something larger, like the Penobscot, for a journey. Hope this helps better describes what I’m thinking about.



Thanks

You might want to think kayak
I paddle both, and in those barge waves my kayak would be fun, but I might have second thoughts in my Penobscot.



cheers,

JackL

Kayak not an option…
wasn’t asking about a kayak, my friend. I’m too tall with mid life health issues…this is why I paddle a canoe. I also really enjoy my canoe and what it affords me in options. Just asking for info from those who have paddled the Penobscot on big rivers for their opinions.



Thanks.

I’m familiar with the Missouri…
and I think the Penobscot would be as good a canoe as any for it–and better than many–IF you’re prudent. The Missouri in anything but fairly low water is no river to fool around with in a canoe unless you’re a very experienced canoeist, but it’s a very nice paddle in low, warm summer water levels.



I own both a Vagabond and two Penobscots. The Penobscot will feel slightly tippy, but no more than the Vagabond does when you first get into it. But don’t expect it to be a totally rock-solid feeling canoe. Still, it has good secondary stability (which means it resists actually flipping quite well).

my $.02
Penobscot 16 roylex is about as good as you will find in a tanden that can be also paddlked solo. I am realy happy with mine.



Dick

Same opinion here
I only sold my Penob 16 because I almost never paddle tandem anymore (Better half hates anything tandem, and greatly prefers kayaks to canoes). Bought a solo canoe to replace her.



It’s a great boat solo with a load, or tandem, and a good solo empty – a little ballast helps if you’re lighter than 180 lbs on flat water. Solo in moving water, it’s really good as is. The OP won’t regret buying one.