Has anyone paddled one yet?
They just came out with it this year, wondering about stability.
Thanks
You wanna mess with a canoe that
big, and you’re worried about stability? I think you can trust what Wenonah says in their catalog about the boat’s behavior. You’re likely to be carrying a lot of gear in such a boat (or else you’ll be blowing all over the lake), and with so much gear on the bottom of the boat, it will feel like the USS Kitty Hawk.
My thoughts
I haven’t paddled the Seneca yet. But I own a MN3, a Champlain, and a Spirit 2 - all big tripping canoes. The Winona catalog rates the Seneca as having slightly less stability than the Spirit 2 and the Champlain, and slightly better stability than a MN3. I think most folks would find the stability of a Spirit 2 acceptable, even as a fishing platform, so I don’t think you have much to worry about. However I will say this about 3 person canoes. My MN3 as a tandem with gear has rock solid stability - as good as the Champlain. If you load the canoe with 3 adults and gear, the stability is still there, but not as good as the Champlain with a tandem load. If your load is 3 adults and no gear, the MN3 becomes noticeable more tender. The MN3 likes to have a gear load to lower the center of gravity and I suspect this will also be true of the Seneca when 3 adults with no gear are aboard. But like in any canoe buying decision, it’s best to bring your gear and your partner(s) and demo the boat to find out how it behaves under your circumstances before you buy.
Exactly…
OK guys, tell me something I don’t know.
Just looking for someone who’s paddled one.
Ya’ll be cool