I’m looking for my first canoe. We’ve rented the indestructable aluminum canoes for our family of 3, but are fairly inexperienced (although my son will be earning his canoeing merit badge in the coming weeks!).
I’m seeking advice/suggestions…
I think it will be used mostly for my son and I for fishing in lakes/ponds/rivers.
Mom will occasionally join us.
I imagine about 30-50% of the time, I’ll be solo.
Is it unreasonable to think there is a canoe which is less than ~65 lb (so I can handle it on my own) that will fit the bill? I’ve seen some nice Wenonahs and Nova Craft, but figuring out the stability and general handling from the reviews on this site is difficult, as there are always a few who have had terrible experiences. I don’t know if it is because they are inexperienced or have high standards…
Sure, there are canoes that meet your needs. How much total weight does it need to carry? Will any of you kneel or will everyone always sit? Will you sit or kneel solo?
Something like the Northstar Northwind 16 would work well and so would a Swift Keewaydin 16 Combi. There are lots options for used canoes too like a Mad River Malecite or Bell Morningstar or Northstar. I actually have two boats that would suit your needs and one is for sale so if you live anywhere near SW Michigan and are interested please send me a personal message…I’ll be posting it in the Classifieds soon.
Well, you’re going to get an assortment of suggestions and there will be good reasons for most of them. It sounds like you’re looking for a general purpose boat, so the “fast cruisers” and almost any boat built primarily for whitewater use are probably not your best choices. (The fast cruisers that can carry three will likely be pretty hard to turn solo and anything with a lot of rocker - the bow to stern curvature along the keel line - like white water boats usually have will be spinning around quite a bit while you’re trying to fish. Got to keep your hands on the steering wheel - paddle - with those.)
The most versatile general purpose canoes I can think of and what leaps to my mind first is something on the order of a 16’ Prospector. Many companies make a version of this famous and very traditional design, or something very much like it. I like the Nova Craft Prospector 16. The Bob’s Special is quite similar but seems to track a little straighter, which can be nice on lakes but not so good for maneuvering on rivers.
In Royalex or Royalite a 16’ Prospector or similar is going to be near your maximum desired weight. Not so much in other materials. If you think a couple pounds over your target weight is too much, consider whether you could still pick it up while wearing a coat or PFD that weighs a couple pounds. Bet you can.
Prospectors have quite a bit of freeboard (the amount of side area above the waterline which can catch wind) and so can be tricky to handle solo in a strong wind. Its a compromise. That freeboard is also what gives you a safety margin in waves when the whole family is with you.
For comparison sake with other models and brands, generally a pretty good estimate can be made by comparing length/width ratios for speed (for a given length, a higher ratio is usually faster, has a longer glide, and is tipier), more inches of rocker turns faster but requires attention to keep on a straight course, more freeboard is better for hauling weight in waves and harder to keep on course while soloing empty in a wind. Its all about making the right trade-offs for you and yours, and everyone’s a little different.
Test paddle if you can and give each boat a half hour or so trial time. Sometimes something that feels startlingly tippy at first you’ll get used to and come to enjoy after just a little seat time.
Hope there’s something of help to you in this and welcome on board. Happy hunting. Whatever you choose it’ll likely be the “keys to the kingdom” for you and your family. It’ll take you places you never knew you were missing and open new doors to adventures large and small. This stuff can get addictive in the best possible way.