Skin on Frame Canoe Durability

Age has us looking for a very light weight, 5-600# capacity, day tripping/ovrnite tandem/solo for coastal flat water/slow river paddling and drawn toward the SoFrame, shrinky dink dacron covered ones. Have experienced users found this skin & frame really tough enough (and repairable) as compared to say a 42# KevUL WenEscapde? Thanks, R

I don’t know about the wt capacity of
SOF canoes. We own a 48#, ~17 foot, Bluewater canoe. The manufacturer rates it at 580 pounds with ample freeboard and retention of handling properties.



Even Wenonah’s ultralite layup is probably more resistant to damage than SOF. However I am not sure that there will be much difference in actual use. And, I think you might become more able to do most field repairs of a SOF. Composite boats can be duct taped, but field repairs take time and expertise. I duct tape and do permanent repairs at home.



My advice is, don’t try for that last 10 pounds of weight reduction. If you accept a weight around 50# in a canoe that can carry 580 pounds, you’ll get a more durable and practical canoe. Keep researching SOF until you’re sure whether they’ll do what you want.

Pak-Canoes
I’ve run rapids with Pak-boats and they were plenty tough. Kind of took some getting used to as they have unique handling characteristics, but they were durable and they paddled efficiently. I know this is different then what you described, but they are a skin/frame type.

SOF
Not quite sure what you’re talking about. If this is the home built Monfort canoe, the Dacron is very light weight and not terribly strong.



There are better covers.



Bill H.

ballistic nylon SOF
Talk to Brian at Cape Falcon about building one of his 42 lb 15’ guide boats or similar canoes. I’ve got a kayak using the same construction (cedar frame, urethane coated nylon skin) and it’s light, fast and super tough.



I also give a thumbs up vote for the PakBoat canoes. They have the added advantage of being collapsible for storage and transport (even by plane.) Very simple to set up (my beau and I are both over 60 and we can assemble his PakBoat kayak in under 20 minutes without breaking a sweat.) And they handle and paddle nicely.

Thanks for the Tips
Talked to Brian @ Cape Falcon and would be diff for me to connect with him to build a Blue Canoe, and he honestly didn’t see a big advantage over the WenEscapadeKUL. Millbrook’s AC/DC light but more rocker for river work and probably not as good tracking in quartering winds. Will stick with the Wen for now. Thanks again. Rick