Rough lakes with float bags and a bilge pump?

Were they relying on float bags, bilge pump, and battery? Seems like a lot of things to go wrong beyond your control.

I don’t know anything about your paddling skills or level, but seems to me if you have to ask, you are not ready for this trip. The waters around Isle Royale can be very tempestuous. The head of McCargo Cove can produce clipotis waves depending upon wind direction, the open vetch east of Blake Point (or Point Blake, can’t remember)…can pick up within minutes of dead calm. The safety of SOTs is highly overrated and those who paddle them typically are not “kayakers”, One other issue with a covered canoe might be the cross winds since the boat is sitting so high…Lastly, if you had to portage because going around a point or headland was too dangerous, what would you want to lug over the steep, rocky trails there? Whatever you decide, be safe and know your limitations. I found the rangers on Isle Royale to sometimes be jerks but then they serve a lot of ill-advised visitors, too.

@Sparky961 Are you asking this to kayamedic?

As she has often indicated, the Maine Island Trail was first conceived of when people were using predominantly canoes. I have to run out on errands now but can indicate at least two personal experiences encountering people who successfully completed all or half of the trail in a sea canoe or canoe. The most recent, maybe seven years ago, was a couple of guys in a normal looking tandem canoe, with float bags at least one sail. And obviously good paddling and seamanship skills. They spent an extra night hunkered down on Ames Island when I was in a rental cabin across the way, while Ma Nature opened up the faucet by bucketfuls. They did successfully complete the trip and their account got posted somewhere I saw.

The other was a highly regarded gentleman whose name I should be embarrassed to have forgotten. He was on his second and he expected his last run of the Trail in a Kruger sea canoe. Maybe the summer of 2005 or 2006. My recall is that he was major in a study of radar reflectors for paddle craft at some point. Jim and I met him on Thief Island where he was laying overnight after having gotten around Pemaquid Point. He had a sea sock in the boat and maybe a sail available. But he readily admitted he was older than the first time and made a greater effort to avoid challenging conditions.

I know there are other stories of non-kayak passages around, just don’t have to find them right now.

The question with canoes in bigger water is the same as for kayaks, whether the paddler(s) can handle problems. It’s just that canoes present some issues that kayaks don’t so much…

Celia that was Reinhardt Zollitsch
His website Zollitsch Canoe Adventuresis a great read
But remember nothing is as important as the stuff between your ears
And the hubris to not paddle if things are off

Kayamedic, thanks for the name. I wanted to say Reinhardt something, but was too unsure.
I regard knowing when the potential problems will exceed what you can handle to be part of handling problems. So I got called a wus when I pulled the plug on a day paddle where we planned to get out into the open when the winds were clocking 40 mph with gust to 45 plus. There was a whole day’s worth of better ideas than that. :slight_smile:

Wear a pfd and sat tracker. It will be easier to find the victim.