Used solos to look for for your size:
Wenonah Sandpiper
Wenonah Vagabond
Curtis Lady Bug
Curtis Mayfly
Curtis Vagabond
Blackhawk Zephyr
Clipper Packer
Blackhawk Shadow 13
Blackhawk Fishhawk
Sawyer Summersong
Mad River Liberty
Mad River Slipper
Grass River Peeper
Grumman G-129 Solo
Vermont Tupper
Hemlock Kestrel
Bell Flashfire
Placid Flashfire
Colden Flashfire
Placid Spitfire (set up for kneeling)
I’m sure that I’ve forgotten a few.
None of the above boats should feel extremely overly large for you in most conditions and none would likely be too small.
Good luck in your search.
I need a primer in boat design…
For instance, if you gave me the geometry of a bicycle frame, I would have a pretty good idea of what a bike with those numbers would be suited to, how it would handle etc.
I don’t want to spend what is, to me, a sizable chunk of money without having some kind of idea of my own about what exactly it is that I’m purchasing.
That said, please continue with the boat suggestions.
And if someone can point me to a good intro to boat design/geometry/whatever, I’d appreciate it.
Adding to Yanoer’s List:
For a small person like the OP: Mohawk Solo 13 would work well.
Bigger boats that would still be very manageable: Mohawk Solo 14 and Odyssey 14.
Of these, the largest, but also the most playful on rivers would be the Odyssey 14. The Odyssey 14 also handles light whitewater the best, but is less easily paddled in wind. The Solo 13 and 14 don’t have much rocker, but these boats respond really well to being heeled (that is, the stems lift clear of the water better than is the case with some others, one in particular being the Wenonah Vagabond. The Vagabond responds rather poorly to being heeled).
The old Bell Wildfire and Bell Yellowstone Solo might do well too (the Wildfire in Royalex is the same boat as the Yellowstone Solo, but the composite Wildfire is unique). The Royalex Wildfire was once the best-selling solo canoe in production, so there may be decent chances of finding one on the used market. The composite Wildfire is not the same boat as the Royalex model, and it’s probably a better choice for someone really wanting to enjoy single-blade paddling (the Royalex Wildfire, and Yellowstone solo, have a sticky stern which makes paddling easier for beginners, but also detracts from overall capability). Still, the Royalex Wildfire is well liked by many river paddlers.
Mad River Slipper in Ft. Wayne, IN
– Last Updated: Mar-19-15 1:27 PM EST –
for $825. http://swmi.craigslist.org/spo/4911815946.html
I'm 5'6 and about 160 and used to own one. The gunwales are a bit wider than I prefer.
It tracks well, turns well enough and has decent speed.
I don't know where you are in MI, but if not too far from Ft. Wayne, it might be worth checking out. I'd try to get it for $650 or $700.
It would be good if you could test paddle it or get some solo paddling instruction in it.
At under a grand, don’t be too picky
– Last Updated: Mar-19-15 1:47 PM EST –
see what pops up used in your area, or as far as you are willing to travel, and then do another post here to ask if that boat will work for you - I suspect the makret for used RX boats has dried up a bit with the demise of RX - people are hanging on to what they have
also, consider contacting BWCA area outfitters to see what used boats they have - most of them tend to turnover thier rental fleets every year or two - most would be "lake" boats, but see if anyone has an old Merlin II for sale - that would work nicely for you I think - Ely would be within a day's drive for you I'd guess
EDIT: took a quick look at the classifieds on here - a quick run to NC for a Mohawk Odyssey for $350, or a soloized Penobscot 15 in WI for $950 - that's about it - haven't looked at the classifieds for a while, but I'd think normally, in years past, there would be a couple of pages of offerings at this time of year- now not so many
If I were you and wanted to get on the water sooner rather than later, I'd probably go make a play for that Odyssey - a good deal is going to disappear fast - snooze and you lose. Buy now, enjoy now, and sell it later if you don't like it - vs waiting for the "perfect" boat in your price range
Picked up my Summersong for $200
It floated, but didn’t like the color and it had some poorly done patches on bow, stern and both sides.
http://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/109227719241938487931/albums/5932902693955342561
Spent another $200 on supplies and turned it into this…
http://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/109227719241938487931/albums/5932903351406815297
Worth every penny I spent!
Basic Stuff
– Last Updated: Mar-19-15 3:33 PM EST –
Look at the specs for every solo canoe for which you can find published info (usually this can be found online).
Since you are small, and looking more for maneuverability than tracking, you'll want something toward the short end of the spectrum (discounting whitewater boats). That shorter range would be between 13 and 15 feet, and the best ones for you probably would be less than 15 feet. The Merlin II mentioned by another poster is about 15 feet long, and for basic cruising, that would probably work, but for a "turny" boat you'll do better with something shorter.
For width, you will probably want something within the narrower half of what's available, though where the cutoff is (what's too wide) won't be absolute.
For rocker, you want it to be "moderate". This isn't necessarily well defined, but rocker that's between 1.0 and 2.5 inches probably fits the bill (note that with differential rocker, there will be more rocker at the bow). Anything that's not a whitewater boat and not a lake cruiser will often (not always) have rocker within this range, but be aware that not all companies measure rocker the same way, and rocker isn't necessarily the same on boats made from different materials. Neither is length the same for all materials, for that matter (for example, a Wenonah Vagabond in composite has the same specs as shown in the catalog, while the same boat in Royalex has zero rocker and is half a foot shorter).
As far as hull profile goes (how the bottom looks when viewed from one end), most decent canoes will have a "shallow arch" bottom. More rounded makes the boat feel more tippy but handle well in waves, more flat makes it feel more stable. Most decent boats will "tip" fairly easily but provide firmer resistance to tipping once they are heeled over a ways.
Tumblehome is when the gunwales are tucked in compared to the widest part of the hull, and this makes handling normal paddle strokes easier. Not all boats have it. Some forms of tumblehome are not so good when the boat is leaned far to one side.
Anyway, this is a good place to ask specific questions about specs and performance, for example if you come across a specific boat and need to decide if it will work for you. I agree with others who've said you don't necessarily need THE right boat, especially the first time you buy.
Also, check out the "Guidelines" section on this site (it's a subsection within "Articles"). There's a lot of really good, basic info there.
Very nice job, sir! n/p
WOW
Awesome job
Flashfire/Wildfire or what is availabe
The best boats for the handling you want would be a Flash or Wild. Wildfire or other larger solo canoes will need ballast for the optimal weight. Ballast is easy to add. Just get some cheep wally world dry bags and fill with sand.
Used Flash Fires are harder to find than hens teeth or a jackalope. Wild fires can be had but usually sell for more than your budget.
The problem with solo canoes except for the Mohawk solo series, Classfive dolphin and Oldtown pack everything is high end. They have stopped making roylalex a while a go so the Mohawk Solo 14 is no longer made. Oldtown seems to still be making the Discovery 119. An interesting choice in a new boat that is within your budget. Classfives Dolphin has basically the same shape as the Discovery 119 but as it is made out of fiberglass is much stiffer. The Dolphin looks to be close to the old Mohawk fiberglass Solo. That makes sense as Classfive bought all the Mohawk fiberglass canoe molds.
Dolphin is wide and heavy. 59 lbs, 32".
Where in Michigan?
I know a guy who has a habit of picking up some used canoes & doing some refurb on them. Prices can be good if he likes you. He may have a couple around the house.
Slight disagreement here
First, those aren’t the only two solo canoes that would work well. The OP’s requirements are pretty general, and he could likely do well with several of the small- to medium-sized solo canoes out there. Second, sand is a poor material to use as ballast. Most stock canoes (with no extra flotation installed) will barely float high enough to get the gunwales out of the water when swamped, and some will float even lower, with just one gunwale, or just the tops of the stems above the water’s surface. A canoe in that condition won’t stay afloat at all if there’s much extra weight on board in the form of material that is denser than water (heavy packs are safe, because they invariably float). A swamped canoe carrying sand or rocks is likely to make a one-way trip to the bottom of the river. Using water for ballast is much safer, because if the boat is swamped, the ballast then weighs nothing. Third, I’m not convinced that a 130-pound person needs ballast to get the most from a Wildfire or similar boat in ordinary situations. Lots of people solo-paddle various canoes when lightly loaded (I do it all the time), and have no problems. Ballast is most likely to have value if the wind is very strong. The OP might add ballast when he needs it, but I don’t think there’s any reason to most of the time.
Never ever have I picked a solo
from a printed list. And I do have a dozen
Each was played with and handled and bought not ordered
I feel bad for those of you who have to order from a menu… You know the print numbers tell you about half of the personality of a solo,
Maybe that is why there is so much buying and trying and then discarding.
My boats are with me forever.
Wisconsin Canoe Symposium in June will have plenty of play and try boats and the Western Pennsylvania Solo Canoe Rendezvous is an entirely swop and play, get informal instruction and talk to at least three of solo canoes top designers… They usually do on the grass presentations but too often will come up to you with a block of wood and start designing for you.
I’ll second Kayamedic’s comments
Regarding the Wisconsin canoe symposium or the WPASCR, both coming up in June. The Wisconsin event will feature a class in “Creekin Freestyle” which sounds like it might be right up your alley. Both events will have many boats, that meet your requirements, available to test paddle.
More information about these events can be found on the FreeStyle home page at www.freestylecanoeing.com.
Thanks for all the help so far.
There’s a great liklihood I’ll be in NC on the week of the 30th, so if the odyssey is still available, I will probably snatch it.
I have a couple of reservations about that boat, like, the width for a person my size, and how well it tracks on lakes and such, but at this point, I just want to start learning.
My experience
1. Solo canoe preference is a very individual thing.
2.Particularly if you are new, your skill level and tolerance to tenderness will increase.
3. After you have one for a while, the things you want to do and places you paddle may change.
4. My first solo doesn’t suit me now.
My advise, buy an inexpensive solo somewhere in your size range and get out and paddle it. Don’t worry about buying the “perfect forever” solo, because that is a moving target. Keep learning and go and paddle as many as you can. Enjoy the ride. Once you find one that is a keeper, then you may want to invest in a new, expensive version. I was fortunate to buy a used Bell Flashfire reasonable and became so fond of it that I had Paul from Colden canoe build me a lightweight,dream version o this hull.
Turtle
Quick comment on that part
– Last Updated: Mar-20-15 9:47 AM EST –
I have an Odyssey 14, and I paddle it a lot. It's my most-used boat. I agree that it is bigger and wider than what's ideal for you. The good news is that for situations where you won't have a great need for cross strokes (a correction of some kind done on the opposite side of the boat, but without switching your hands), you can sit about two or three inches off-center toward your paddling side, let the boat lean a little, and all will be fine.
The tracking of that boat on lakes is fine. It may not seem that way when you are first starting out, but once the quality of your forward stroke is halfway decent, you'll find it tracks more than comfortably.
Also on the subject of big boats, the Odyssey 14 will be more of a handful in wind than some smaller boats, but I find that correcting for the wind is quite a bit more predictable and straightforward in that boat than is the case for some boats I've paddled that are less bothered by wind overall.
Every factor you can concern yourself with always ends up boiling down to a combination of sub-factors, and everything is always a compromise. This is well illustrated by the wind issue I mentioned above. Overall size of the boat is like that too, and on that same note, there really isn't a strict cutoff on what boat is too big or too small. You'll have to based that decision, as always, on a combination of things.
None of this is likely to matter immediately. The Odyssey 14 is a highly sought-after boat, and it might get snatched up before you get to decide. Of course that means if you can get it and later decide to switch to something with a bit less volume, you should have no trouble selling it for a good price.
A couple of things…
1. To the person who asked: I’m in Mid-Michigan.
2. To those who suggest that the sheer numbers aren’t enough to operate on when making a selection, and that a person must first paddle a boat to ever really know it’s true character: I know this to be true in other arenas, so am not surprised at all.
3. I fully expect that Odyssey to be long gone by the time I get into the Asheville area. I’m keeping my fingers crossed, though.
Again, thanks for all the helpful replies.
Odyssey
If you’re pretty confident you want the Odyssey contact the seller and ask them to hold it. Ten days isn’t very long and I’m sure they’ll be willing, especially if you go ahead and pay now.