I’m looking at my first boat and have decided on the Prospecter 16’. It’s light(65lbs) in Royalex and narrow enough to paddle solo. Does anyone out there have any experience with these? I also noticed that other companies make almost exact copies of this design. I have two small children and plan to use it for fishing in small lakes and The Susquehanna River which is very rocky. I may also use it to Duck hunt in some of the larger streams in the area. They are mostly slow water but do have some class 2-3 water, especially when high. The only thing that concerns me about this boat is the 4" of rocker. Will that make it a bear on smooth lakes?
well
I have never paddled that canoe or any canoe with 4 inches of rocker. I cannot imagine it would be easy on a lake, especially solo. However, you can probably spin it in circles without much trouble. Have you thought about a wenonah heron, adirondak, or aurora? They are 15 to 16 footers and you can paddle from the front seat facing the stern to solo. They would probably behave better on flat water. The heron, aurora, and spirit 2 have the same basic design but are a foot diff each. You can even get a 17 foot sundowner still. good luck, wenonah canoes are great.
re-prospector
Check out the Nova-Craft Prospector it’s similar to the Wenonah but it has only a 2inch rocker. I
feel that Prospector style canoes are better for solo paddling backwards because they are symmetrical and the stern height is the same as the bow.
rocker
Four inches of rocker won’t really do much on flatwater other than slow you down a bit and, depending on the design, require a bit more care when executing corrective strokes. That said, it’s really a canoe for river tripping more than lake hopping.
Most prospector canoes are based on the original Prospector design and are pretty similar, but with variations in the details. Perhaps you can find a like boat with a more moderate rocker that will make you happier.
Chuck
I’d ask on the Advice forum
– Last Updated: Jun-30-05 3:29 PM EST –
I know of at least one knowledgeable paddler, c2g, who owns a Wenonah Prospector but I don't think he fishes.
helluva boat but
maybe not ideal for your purpose, but then again…
if you like “technical” paddling or want to get into that the WP would be a good boat. lots of steering strokes due to the big rocker. it will turn on a dime. quite rounded cross section so initially a bit tender on center.
a fine boat all around (that’s what Prospectors are for) but a very highly rockered and sporty version that’s for sure. try others, like the Nova Craft for comparison sake…
good luck
Why don’t you stop
in at Blue Mountain Outfitters on the Susquehanna River in Marysville, and talk with the folks there for some good advice and canoe comparison. It sounds like you have your mind already made up by a salesman and you could do some more researching before buying. Good luck,
mickjetblue
I Hope I’m Not Too Late!
The Prospector is NOT the canoe for you! It should be considered a performance boat for experienced paddlers.
I’ve paddled two Prospectors for years. The features that make it an excellent boat are beyond the novice paddler. It’s a sports car compared to a sedan.
Go with something like an Old Town Discovery and spend some time on the water learning. When you get comfortable, try a Prospector.