Greetings! I’m in great need of advice on a new 15 foot Woodsman canoe I have a chance to buy at a very good price. All I know is that it’s 56 lbs, is olive green, and was–I think–made by Bell. (Bell is closed until mid-August or I’d call them and hit them with questions.) Does anyone know the specs for this canoe, or how it paddles? Is it okay in both flatwater and moving rivers? What’s its stability, first and second? Width? Rocker? Did Bell really make it? etc etc… I’d be very grateful for your thoughts ASAP as I have to act now (pretty soon) or never. Many many thanks!
Could Be Anything
– Last Updated: Aug-07-06 1:19 PM EST –
Woodsman is Dick's name. They have, to date, put the "Woodsman" name on 1 Bell design and at least 2 Dagger designs. All three are decent designs, but they are for different purposes. One was a wide sportsman style boat, one was a short touring design, and the last was a white water crossover boat.
The price is good and the quality should be good, , (although I'd inspect the boat closely for bad plastic), its just a question whether the boat they have on hand is a design that suits your needs.
woodsman II or III
– Last Updated: Aug-07-06 1:44 PM EST –
Galyans sold 2 Bell models. The woodsman II was Bells fishing model at 14.6 ft with straight sides. The woodsman III is the royalex Northwind at 16.5 ft with a good amount of tumblehome. I have this model. It's about 62 lbs and is a northwind except for different seats and gunwales. I believe the model your looking at is the woodsman II. I think it's 14.6 long and called the angler. I checked with Bell about my woodsman III. I don't know for sure Bell made the woodsman II, but that's what I was told. Check this link.
http://bellcanoe.com/products/canoes/angler.html
Really interesting, all of this info—
I think, in fact, the canoe must be a Horizon 15–same weight anyway, and one other thing I just learned about the Woodsman, the width, seems the same. I’d get it from Dick’s though their apparent slap-dash antics in all this are troubling. The seats on this canoe aren’t the tractor seats on the Mad River website for the Horizon, but webbed plastic. Assuming this IS the Horizon 15, is that a decent boat for both flatwater and moving rivers?
Thanks to everyone so far for the quick responses. Any more thoughts would indeed be welcome, of course.