Another Kestrel recommendation: I don’t think I can improve on what stevet says above. I am 5’-7" and 155#. Mine weighs 32#. I love it.
Hi. I’m doing a similar search (see post starting with “Trillium” and including “looking for comments, owners”.
Based on my search so far, you should also look at Northstar - Trillium, Phoenix and possibly their Northwind Solo. There is a New England dealer in Concord NH who has been really helpful - Contoocook River Canoes. I tried the Trillium and liked the boat, but I think I’m a bit big (6’2’ 180-185lbs) for it. The one I tried was configured for sitting (like you I prefer kneeling) but still felt really nice. It’s fairly not tall, which is nice if you want to occasionally use a double blade. Very good secondary stability and really well built pretty boat. I’m hoping to try the Phoenix and Solo soon.
Folks have also recommended the Swift Keewaydin in 14 & 15 foot lengths and the Swift Osprey. I tried the 15 at Collinsville Canoe and Kayak in CT. It’s a bit bigger than the Trillium so fit me a bit better. Paddled with my 40lb Corgi and without. It was configured so could kneel (sliding seat). Handled well. Still looking though.
I’ll be posting comments in the other thread as I continue the journey. I’ll watch for your’s here. Good luck.
Keith
Thank you for the feedback, suggestions and thoughts. I have been paddling a Valley Anas Acuta Sea Kayak for the past 12 years. Its a 17.5’ x20 inch wide, highly rockered twitt that is a hoot in really bumpy water. But i find myself less willing to travel to the ocean and want top slow things down a bit and enjoy the journey more. That said sitting low with legs outstretched for long periods creates some issues with an old s spine injury. So sitting may work but kneeling opens that spine /femur angle up so i am thinking of starting there. I was actually experimenting with one half of my kayak paddle this past weekend and actually was quite surprised how well it worked (its beena long time since i have paddled a canoe) !
Keith… Heading to Collinsville tomorrow to try the 15 and Osprey. They don’t have a 14 right now but Melissa mentioned she could have one in Dec, but of course not sure of possibility of demoing it depending on ice. I’m in touch with Contoocook see how weather and schedule fares to try the Trillium. I think you and i share a common affiliation from years back at the NSPN club on the Northshore?
Tom/Dave/Others… The Kestrel looks interesting but my guess is i’ll have a harder time finding a demo in my area (Western Mass), but i’ll be keeping my eyes out and will see how these others feel.
As i’ve been away form Canoes for so long, i’m not sure how critical my evaluation skills will be outside of the obvious, buit it should be fun…
Ken
I know a number of former whitewater kayakers who had to go to a canoe because of back problems. Also know some former whitewater open boaters who had to go to kayaks because of knee problems (whitewater canoes are always paddled kneeling).
At your size, many solo canoes are going to be too big for you. The issue is going to be more the width than the length. When kneeling in a canoe you want your knees out in the chines for maximum control and stability. If the hull is too wide it will either be uncomfortable or impossible to do this.
If you have a relatively short torso and short arms, many boats might also be too deep. You won’t need a great deal of depth for your intended use, and you want to be able to easily reach over the gunwales to place your paddle. More depth also means more free board for wind to catch on flat water.
Ideally, you would also like to have a hull narrow enough to execute cross strokes. These might be new to you if you have not paddled solo canoes before, or have not done so for a long time. Cross strokes require you to cross your paddle over the hull without changing hand positions on the single-bladed paddle. A boat that is deeper or wider than ideal will inhibit your ability to do this. Cross strokes can become important in moving water.
Of the boats suggested so far, I would be most inclined to endorse the Kestrel and the Flashfire.
Add a used Curtis Lady Bug to your search list. I’m 5’6" and 160 lbs and mine fits me quite nicely. It’s a joy to paddle. Handles wind nicely. Mine is the lighter version at 32 lbs. Easy to turn or keep straight. Loves a single blade or double blade paddle. Quite efficient for cruising.
A kevlar Wenonah Sandpiper should also be on your list, a very nice fit for smaller paddlers. I have a royalex version and would love to have a kevlar version.
I also have a kevlar Bell Magic that I greatly enjoy paddling. It may or may not seem a bit big to you. I don’t use it on twisty rivers, but other people do.
Bell Flashfire would likely delight you. Similar to the Curtis Lady Bug in many respects, but requires a bit more paddling skill.
A Bell Yellowstone Solo may seem a bit large for you, mine always feels a bit large on me.
All of the above boats can have a foot brace installed for added power and control when paddling seated, rather than kneeling, if you like to do so.
Have fun in your search.
@Ken C said:
Keith… Heading to Collinsville tomorrow to try the 15 and Osprey. They don’t have a 14 right now but Melissa mentioned she could have one in Dec, but of course not sure of possibility of demoing it depending on ice. I’m in touch with Contoocook see how weather and schedule fares to try the Trillium. I think you and i share a common affiliation from years back at the NSPN club on the Northshore?Tom/Dave/Others… The Kestrel looks interesting but my guess is i’ll have a harder time finding a demo in my area (Western Mass), but i’ll be keeping my eyes out and will see how these others feel.
As i’ve been away form Canoes for so long, i’m not sure how critical my evaluation skills will be outside of the obvious, buit it should be fun…
Ken
Very helpful people at Collinsville. I demoed the Swift Osprey, Kee 15 (pack and traditional) and Shearwater there. I’m on the heavier side so the Osprey didn’t cut it for me. I really liked the Keewaydin and Shearwater, but ultimately chose the Keewaydin. I was torn between the pack and traditional and the owner said why not do both? So I bought the traditional with the sliding seat and ordered a pack seat. Depending on my mood and purpose it only takes a few minutes to remove the regular seat and drop in the pack seat, or to take out the pack and install the regular one. I have the pack seat held in place with industrial grade velcro. Works great. The seat doesn’t budge.
I think that being on the lighter side you will probably finding yourself preferring the Osprey.
Well, i found out after doing some demo’s, that while i prefer kneeling, the most or all (depending on boat) will be seated. It seems my knee cannot quite cope with the typical kneel position. I did have some ideas that may allow me to tweak to improve my position, but i was quite comfortable sitting in the Kee15. Great secondary , and with the cross wind i has seemed nicely balanced. I did some sit and switch, and brought a kayak paddle and used that as well. Any of the J or other strokes are gonna take some practice. Oddly enough i preferred the Kee15. The Osprey Paddled much different to me anyway. That said, i have not been in a canoe in 25 years so i am really starting from scratch. The staff that helped me at Collinsville was really helpful. He’s my height and has paddled a 15 for a number of years.
It sounds like you have found your boat Ken. The Kee 15 is an awesome boat! Very stable so great for sitting, quick and fast, friendly, light and well made. Should be prefect for naps too. You can always set it up for kneeling later if you decide that you want to.
@TomL said:
It sounds like you have found your boat Ken. The Kee 15 is an awesome boat! Very stable so great for sitting, quick and fast, friendly, light and well made. Should be prefect for naps too. You can always set it up for kneeling later if you decide that you want to.
If i go with the Kee15 i had thought trying some contoured knee blocks that would allow me to open up the angle a bit. With no padding my knees just kept slipping forward. With my height and the adjustable seat i think it would work fine without affecting stability and give me that option. And i am really liking the weight in Carbon Innegra Textreme . I also think the wife could enjoy this boat too. As we all know, that is a process 
Ken
Besides knee blocks, there are lots of kneeling pads out there. Piragis sells a very good “T” pad, and the Bag Lady sells another great pad. You can also use yoga mats, interlocking play floor mats, etc. They won’t slide around on the bottom of the canoe, and your knees won’t slide around either. But you will be able to move your legs around when you want to adjust your position in the boat. Trust me, having a good pad can make all the difference in the world when it comes to kneeling comfort. While I understand not everyone can kneel comfortably, there are many people who think they can’t kneel because they never tried it with a good pad.
Good advice from Tim…here’s a bit more…rig your seat so that about 60% or a bit more of your weight is on your rear, not your knees. Usually a hair less cant and a hair lower than stock position from the manufacturer. You can always slide more weight onto your knees from that position if necessary.
A good, non-slip (for both mat and knees) is essential to relatively comfortable kneeling for me. I rarely kneel for more than 30 minutes at a time. I’ve been using mostly old Bell strips in front of the seats.
I prefer either glued in pads (flat in my one solo that has them) or a horizontal strip, rather than the T-Pad. For me, the T-Pad takes up too much space under the seat and hinders getting the feet in and out from under the seat, which is important to me, since I switch from kneeling to sitting frequently. It’s also relatively heavy and bulky for storage and transport in the car, compared to smaller pads.
I’ve never had a boat with glued in contoured pads.
Someday I’ll make it out east to try the Kee 14 and 15. Hopefully, I won’t be too old and creaky to paddle by the time I’m out that way.
I’d definitely go with a T-Pad - something like this:
https://www.boundarywaterscatalog.com/northstar-canoes/canoe-kneeling-t-pad-2910
I glued flat pads into my Royalex Yellowstone Solo (and rigged it with straps), but I couldn’t bring myself to glue pads into my composite Wildfire:
I use an old T-Pad from Bell in the Wildfire. It keeps my knees from sliding around and is very comfortable.
My whitewater boats have contoured pads (with straps). Here they are in my tandem tripping boat:
They definitely keep your knees out in the chines, but think you would do fine with the T-Pad.
T pad looks like a decent set up. Possibly hold it in place with 4-5 of those industrial velcro to avoid a lot of glue.
You won’t need Velco - your weight will keep it in place when you are paddling. It does become one more thing to keep track of when you are off the water though.
@Ken C. : Sorry to be delayed responding - been running around a bit.
Glad to see you like the Kee15 - it felt like a good boat when I demo’d it earlier. I’m still looking around a bit, but it’s still on my active list.
I use interlocking foam shop mats in the Malecite - they come in a package of four at Home Depot/Lowes. I like the flexibility to use one if it’s just me, or all four if I’ve got Iain the boat dog along. They also make great “standing on” pads when I’m changing gear by the car, etc. They do have a tendency to slide a bit in the boat, I’m going to experiment with make some slip cuts like you see in the soles of boat shoes to see if that helps.
I do recognize your photo from the NSPN days. Been a while since I paddled with them. I’ll probably do a bit with them over the winter when the fresh water is too solid for canoeing.
Is your search continuing or have you settled on the Kee?
Keith
After paddling the 4 boats that are within my reasonable range, and having a chance to review and revise my needs, i did actually settle on the Kee15. I think it is a boat that will serve my needs well, felt good, handled well and a good boat to learn/improve my paddling strokes and technique. I was also lucky enough to get a used boat in fantastic condition in Carbon Innegra Textreme and i can like it at 27#. My wife expressed an interest in returning to the water in the canoe and liked the 15 as well, so that also influenced my decision.
Good idea on the mats. I have a couple and also have some anti slip i could glue on the mat in a few spots to stop slippage. Good place to start until i see how much i will be able to kneel.
I don’t get to the shore as much as i used to which is part of my getting the canoe, But salt is always nice!!
@Ken C Sounds like y’all have got a plan - good to hear. Also sounds like you got a great value on the boat, which makes it even nicer.
What’s the anti-slip you have?
Keith
A great way to keep a kneeling pad from slipping is to stick a few strips of traction tape to the floor of your boat (3M makes these for use on concrete stair steps, etc.). I put three lengthwise strips on each side, with the strips being long enough to run the full length of the pad. Most pads I’ve used slip and slide like crazy if the inside of the hull is wet, without the use of something to give them a grip against the hull. However, I have one pad I got from Mad River that’s a big rectangular thing with a very rough and almost a sticky coating. I think it would grip the hull pretty well without traction strips.