Im looking to buy a solo canoe for flat water and slow moving rivers that will be used alot for fishing as well as nature photos and the quiet that comes from a canoe. Im looking for length under 15 feet that has good stability. Thanks
How much do you want to spend?
PBW Rapidfire , for one.
Native Watercraft Ultimate
– Last Updated: Dec-18-09 12:37 PM EST –
Yeah I know what some will say but I promise you, if you are looking for a boat for what you described you will not be disappointed. It is by far the best fishing boat I have been in and can be outfitted to meet any need you may have. I stand up easily in mine which enables me to fly fish also. I do not think you will find one that compares for your purpose.
I got the 12 and it has plenty of room for me. Check it out before you buy.
Youtube has some videos that show the Ultimate.
Mad river Explorer 14 TT
It is 72 pounds in poly but its a nice stable fishing boat
You need to do more thinking or
writing.
Are you going to stand or kneel or sit?
Are you going to portage or hike with the boat?
Your price point?
Is there anything else you want to do with the boat like a BWCA type trip?
Your height? Your weight?
Your slow moving rivers are exactly what? Class 1 2, tidewater…whats the bottom? Are you going to drag the boat?
Its pointless to throw out more information without knowing some basics.
Don’t think he’s even into those issues.
He’s clear enough on what he wants to do, and while heavy for its length, a MR Explorer TT is a good start.
Kind of looks like he said
– Last Updated: Dec-18-09 5:58 PM EST –
what he wants. Not a bunch of imaginary shit that someone else made up for him. He listed his own needs. Look, it is right there in the first paragraph.
I think he wants to kneel while fishing and needs a canoe that rolls real well. Or maybe I didn't read it right.
not at all guys
– Last Updated: Dec-18-09 7:11 PM EST –
if he lives in the North he may well want a lighter fishing boat like the Fusion or the Bucktail or something else.
Sometimes fish=hike. Sometimes fish=float. Most of the time we hope fish=eat.
There are about a zillion choices out there.
at any rate I do think the OP is not looking for a Fire series boat.
Personally I would wander around craigslist and here and ebay.
There is a Mohawk Solo 14 here in the classifieds. I dont think you want to stand in the boat but its a decent utility solo that can get you many places.
Location and price probably matter more than a specific boat.
A few options 15’ and under
How big are you? Big folks need bigger boats to be stable.
If stability is more important than paddling qualities, the Native is probably the best bet. The Vagabond tracks well and the adjustable-height seat is a nice bonus.
Wenonah Vagabond
http://www.wenonah.com/products/template/product_detail.php?IID=34&SID=53e700ebb5090b535c56afd81cc30c3f
Wenonah Fusion
http://www.wenonah.com/products/template/product_detail.php?IID=213&SID=53e700ebb5090b535c56afd81cc30c3f
Native Ultimate 12
http://www.nativewatercraft.com/ult_12.cfm
Swift Osprey
http://www.swiftcanoe.com/canoe/solo/osprey.htm
Bell Yellowstone solo
http://www.bellcanoe.com/products/default.asp?page=product&id=596&catid=194
Placid Boatworks Spitfire
http://placidboats.com/SpitFIRE.html
Old Town Pack
http://www.oldtowncanoe.com/canoes/generalFamily/pack.html
Nice list…
I own a Vagabond, used to own a Pack, have paddled a Yellowstone Solo. Any of those three are all purpose solos that will be pretty decent fishing craft. I live in the Ozarks of southern Missouri, where most of the rivers I paddle and fish (and I almost never paddle without fishing) are class 1. Of those three, I think the Vagabond is the best compromise between stability, maneuverability, and tracking ability. For my purposes the Vagabond is the best fishing solo I’ve found, and I’ve owned and still own several other Royalex and fiberglass solos.
The Native Ultimates have the extra stability going for them, but they have two major problems for me. One is weight. I fish a lot of small creeks with difficult accesses and possible portaging, and I want the lightest craft I can have that’s Royalex (because for a fishing canoe, Royalex has advantages over other materials). The second problem is with the molded in fluff, which adds weight and takes up room. The beauty of a canoe is that it’s a simple open design that you can stow a lot of gear in and customize to your own specifications. In the small brushy creeks I often fish, being able to stow extra fishing rods with the tips inside the gunwales is necessary, otherwise I’d be snapping off rod tips in the brush as I’m going down narrow riffles. But if weight isn’t a major consideration for you and you don’t fish the kind of water I do, the Ultimate is going to be a pretty decent choice.
Buy a light boat
There are people who own several boats and they usually take the lightest. Look at the money you save by not having to buy fish. Used kevlar is often the best bet. These are sometimes sold for 1/3 new. You could try new boats at a dealer to get a feel for different boats. Fot stability, the lower you sit, the more stable you will be. This is why people sometimes fish from a sit on top kayak. You sit low so your are stable in a boat that is narrower and not so heavy to carry. One person carrying and loading a 70 # boat is a lot.