How do I choose a canoe length?

[E5RSY]

Traditional hull. Just something for me and the kids (or, me solo) to skim around the local soil conservation reservoir in.

Thanks,
Scott

[gypsymoth]

base it on what you want to pick up and put on the roof of your car (or however you are transporting it) solo. then look at the loading capacity - I'd guess a 14 foot polywhatever would suit your purpose.

edit link:

http://www.rei.com/product/750860/ma...nture-14-canoe

[KevinB]

Yes a 14' should do, or maybe a 16' if there will frequently be more than 2 in it.

The weight pretty much determines the price, but for use on a reservoir I'd want a nice stable, flat bottomed, good tracking design.

Take a look at this website for some good info.

[E5RSY]

So, would it be inadvisable to go under 14' in length? Usual complement will be two or three on board.

That Mad River model at REI is a nice ride. Cupholders, seat backs, etc.

[boris bubbanov]

I think a 14 footer could be quite a pig.

By favorite for a boat I can carry on my shoulders and load on a car or truck singlehandedly is a 16 foot fiberglass cloth design, with roving for reinforcement, wooden thwarts, reinforced plastic gunwales. Mine's an Old Town and it weighs maybe 59 pounds. 30 years old, breezed right through the Hurricane in a flooded garage.

How many acres is the reservoir? How heavy are you and the kids? You might need to be thinking 16.5, maybe 17 feet long. I miss my 17 footer, stolen the first day of duck hunting season, November 22, 1982. Still got the serial number, still lookin'.

[E5RSY]

It's about 45 acres. I weigh roughly 170#, kids are typical athletic 7 and 9 year old girls.

How does a 17'er handle solo?

[TNO]

I think 14' is too much of a compromise. You will be so much more comfortable and stable in a 16' with the family. If you have a Nova Craft dealer in your area the Prospector 16 is such a sweet boat. Check the reviews at Paddling.net (I think). I wouldn't want a MR Adventure, a tandem kayak would be so much more stable. Perception makes a three seater sit on top kayak that is affordable and great for families. Kids can use it as a play platform and it's unsinkable.

[gypsymoth]

any size is a compromise - it's just a case of what will work for what you are doing, transport, storage, budget, etc.
I'm not sure what the stability concerns being referred to are.

plenty of nice boats out there.

[boris bubbanov]

Originally Posted by E5RSY

It's about 45 acres. I weigh roughly 170#, kids are typical athletic 7 and 9 year old girls.

How does a 17'er handle solo?

If you can't easily visualize getting on any reservoir, any lake larger than that, either 16 or 17 would be fine.

I loved my 17 footer and used it maybe 3 miles solo for every one mile I did tandem in it. I would sit on the bow thwart facing what is usually the stern, and paddle stern first or kneel just in front of that thwart, so nice trim. The main deal with a 17 is finding one that is light enough to handle readily if you want to take it elsewhere, and getting the type of keel that will give you some straight line control but also some ability to turn readily. My 17 was almost 70 pounds and portaging it up and over hills and around fallen trees, it helped to be young and stubborn.

If you're not going to be crashing over rocks and submerged logs, take a look at boats made of S glass, or other composites as opposed to the ABS sandwich boats which are not real rigid and tend to be quite heavy. Even aluminum is not out of the question, just that they're noisy, they transmit heat and cold all too well, and you can sunburn the "protected" sides of your legs from reflected sunlight (as my brother in law discovered on a trip).

[Jack FFR1846]

If you have an REI near you....or a Bass Pro shop, go and tell them what you're using it for and then get advice from them. Weight, price, ease of use, materials, length are all variables to consider.

I bought mine because it was cheap and nearby on craigslist. I have a bad back, but also have a 4 wheel drive tractor and the lake is across the street. Yes, I make somewhat of a parade with the tractor (with a bucket loader) pulling the canoe out of the lake path. Oh.....my older son takes the kayak....which I strap to the end of the canoe to pull home.

[muudcat]

Being from Winona ( Wenonah Canoes) and having raced and recreated canoes for years I'd suggest calling Wenonah or mailing them with your question. They will steer you right and if you don't buy a Wenonah, no problem, they are passionate about canoeing and Kayaking. They have a very informative catalog. I'd suggest, with children in mind, at least a 16 ft but hull shape is important too and if you got the bucks, do Kevlar. It's life long sport and a good boat makes the experience enjoyable

[boris bubbanov]

Muudcat is right; you shouldn't just go and say:

I'll have a blue 17 footer, please! There's a bunch of hull profiles, designs. This can be every bit as complicated as choosing the right model of Telecaster. But a lot of options are precluded by high price or visualize you carrying the boat indoors and storing it there so as to protect your investment.

[glen smith]

Do you want to build it yourself?

[E5RSY]

Originally Posted by glen smith

Do you want to build it yourself?

Man, I wish I had the time and funds for that. No, I'm just looking for something with which to introduce my girls to the water and hopefully ignite a passion for it in them.

I'm looking cheap, but I don't like the Colemans with their centerline metal tube that runs the length of the interior. There's a pretty clean Pelican 15.5 on the local Craig's List for a few hundred bucks that looks pretty good, at this point.

Thanks,
Scott

[boris bubbanov]

Glad to hear you say the Coleman makes no sense to you.

I like the basic Coleman lamps and stoves, but those canoes are bleah.

Reminds me of a $ 15 pair of knockoff Rollerblades. They work in theory, there's just Zero Joy.

[popthree]

i went through this a couple of summers ago.. i ended up buying an oldtown expedition at bass pro. i tried to buy used but i had a difficult time finding a seller who had a title.. in ok that's important. the old town is great, the expedition is a bass pro branded discovery. my complaint with it is its heavy to load and carry around. but it was 7 bills new.... i could've gotten something just as nice and a lot lighter for about 3 times that price.

[uriah1]

Wood, aluminum or plastic...

Size and weight, and rocks you intend to hit..lol

[Thebluesman]

A Log! just find a tree,Chop it down,,Choose length.Submerge in the river.Paddle, return to the bank.Allow log to drift away.Few days later,return to the forest.see tree..repeat logging process.Family outing..build a raft! etc etc.

[boris bubbanov]

Originally Posted by Thebluesman

A Log! just find a tree,Chop it down,,Choose length.Submerge in the river.Paddle, return to the bank.Allow log to drift away.Few days later,return to the forest.see tree..repeat logging process.Family outing..build a raft! etc etc.

Which reminds me:

In the UK and possibly elsewhere, this canoe we're talking about is called a "canadian" or "canadian canoe". In "British English" I guess one says.



Could this explain Thebluesman's underdeveloped concept of what it is? Or is this why there's so few trees in Great Britain?

[h2ocreeker]

Take a close look at what you will really use it for most of the time. For the 3 of you with not too much gear a 16-17 foot canoe would be great. The problem comes in when you say I want to use it solo also. Most tandem boats are not very good solo boats but they will work for playing around. Your kids are old enough to take it out by themselves so focus on a good tandem. Also I suggest you look at a boat built with royalex. It is tough, can be fairly light in the right lay up, and you don't have to worry about the kids banging it around. If your budget allows avoid a boat with a poly hull. They are heavy, flex, deform fairly easily, and are no comparison to a well designed royalex, fiberglass, kevlar, or carbon boat. Look at boats like the Bell Northwind (used), Wenonah Aurora or Prospector, Mad River Explorer. There are plenty of boats out their. It is a price vs. performance, weight thing. The bottom line is that if it floats its fun. And sometimes when it sinks its fun too.