I am interested in purchasing a lightweight solo canoe for quiet river paddling, and sometimes in an open bayou. Two canoes I have identified: Wenonah Vagabond 14’6" for $2000.00 and the Pack Canoe by Old Town (12’) for $880. Obviously, the Wenonah is the better canoe, but what does the additional $1,000-plus dollars buy me? The boat will get occasional use and only for relatively short outings, or maybe for a day but no more.
Thanks for the help.
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Have you looked at the Bell Yellowstone Solo? I have an Old Town Pack, it’s been a great canoe for what it is. They’re a nice, light weight, easy going canoe. The Vegabond is going to be a bit faster, and may track better with the extra 2 feet in length. The Pack will be a little more stable due to the extra width (I fish all the time in mine). The Pack is shorter so it’ll turn better. The Pack isn’t a long distance boat but with that said, I’ve gone on some pretty far paddles with kayak friends and am always able to keep up ok, but there are more efficient boats out there and the Pack just isn’t designed for that. I dont know if you could stand in a Vegabond, but I do in my Pack and pole it through the marsh grass at one spot I go to. I think the Bell YS, being just a little more money than the Pack (in royalex) is in my humble opinion a much more flexible canoe that both Pack or Vegabond. FYI, the Old Town Pack elicits extreme anger from some people on here so be prepared to see the picture of it painted as the worst canoe ever designed lol. Again, for what it is…it’s a nice little boat that you can fish, hunt, and trap out of. It’s cheap, it’s light, and will track true if you know what you’re doing with a paddle.