Anyone able to compare the two from experience. There’s only 3 inches difference in length, WW 15’4" and the H.E. 15’7". Rocker difference, W.W. 1.25" and the H.E. 1.5". The Wilderness is a tad narrower but deeper than the Eaglet. A little help in comparing performance?
I’ve owned a Hemlock Peregrine but prefer something less tender yet capable of travel/camping and stability for fishing.
I’d go with Hemlock because their
layuyp is superior. Wenonah’s best layup is their Tuff-Weave. Their “Kevlar” layups apparently use Kevlar as an outer layer, which is NOT the best pracice.
Eaglet
Eaglet is much more stable and much less efficient than Peregrine.
I haven’t paddled a Wilderness.
Eaglet does not paddle like a solo but it gives you a ton of stability.
Photos of Wenonah Wilderness
I bought a new Wenonah Wildreness this year, in the Tuffweave layup with wood trim and asked for the Wenonah slightly curved web seat to be fitted, I’m really pleased. I’ve been paddling a Bell Yellowstone Solo in Rx for a few years and was looking to move onto a solo that had a little more volume and glide. Hopefully this link will work and give an idea of how the canoe looks. http://www.songofthepaddle.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=15788
On the water I can comfortably kneel or sit to paddle or. The standard spec. of the canoe in Tuffweave includes an adjustable foot brace. Width is fine, good stability and yet I can can still switch with a bentshaft paddle fine. I reckon it’s weighing about 50lbs.
I can recommend and friends are liking it too. I think the Tuffweave layup is well worth considering unless likely to be running rocky rivers.
Numbers imaginary
The numbers you’re working with are imaginary.
The Wilderness is significantly less than 15’ long at the waterline, and has no discernible rocker.
The HE is slightly under 15 ft at waterline. It had 1.5 in of Yost computed rocker at both ends when it was the Curtis Companion. Remolding has flattened the bottom a little, but Eaglet has enough rocker to be enjoyable on moving water.
Hemlock makes the best hand laminated hulls available.
Wenonah makes lightweight wet bagged hulls with foam cores. If you paddle lakes and portage, that is a nod towards Wilderness. If you expect the hull to survive a steady diet of moving water, consider Eaglet.