Canoe help

[7 Lakes]

I've worked for a system of Wilderness Camps (alternative schools for kids in trouble) for 30 years we often took groups of kids out canoeing for a month at a time.  One of our vice presidents, Shep Young discovered the "Dry box" and purchased all the forms and materials.  Shep has been building these for years.  Take my word for it, if you want it dry and you want to find it after a tump the "Dry Box is the way to go.

Dry Box:    http://www.dryboxs.com/

 

[Swamp Yankee]

16' Mad River Intrigue - tippy but usable for bowfishing.  Once you practice a little bit and get your "sea legs" under you, it's perfectly possible to shoot standing up in a canoe.  Until then, warm water or wetsuit might be in order.  PFD at all times assumed.

[Steve B.]

I have the 17' Penobscot and love it.  I can solo it by flipping it around and using the front seat to paddle from for better leverage.  
I can put 3 or 4 people in it or 2 people and a weeks worth of gear.
I would not want a canoe any shorter than 16 ft. unless all I was going to navigate was boulder gardens.  The longer and heavier canoes often track better and draft less water.  
Short canoes require more work to keep straight.

Even though they claim the 146 will carry 700 pounds, that is actually the load that will just about sink it.  I think you would be happier with a 16 or 17 footer, and maybe one that is a bit lighter weight.  Never know, maybe one day you may want to go somewhere fun with it.
 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I am also looking at used canoes on Craig's list. I work for Academy so I can get the Old Town for under $400.00, Plus it will be NEW. When the time comes I may just get a used one if the price and size is right.

[bartcanoe]

Sal, I misread you original email. I thought you already had the canoe.

If you're set on Old Town because of the discount, I'd recommend the Penobscot 16.  I own one, and in my opinion it is the most versatile canoe you could possibly buy.  I've owned mine for about 12 years, and it has seen thousands of miles.  I regularly stand in mine, but it takes some getting used to.  It can be paddled either tandem or solo, and I've paddled up to Class 2 rapids and it has a decent turn of speed on flatwater.

[ALwoodsman]

The Old Town Guide 147 is a good boat for the price too.  I have had mine for 12 years now.  I can stand up and cast a fly rod and shoot a bow out of it.  If I have the right person in the canoe we can both stand up and fish.  The only time I ever got dumped out was when me and my wife took our 110 pound dog.   :D

[Swamp Yankee]

Yup, Penobscot 16 was my first choice when I found the discontinued Mad River Intrigue on sale for a price I couldn't pass up.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

We don't sale that module, just the Guide 147 & Saranca 146 and Pelican Dakota

[Richard in OK]

Look at Cliff Jacobson's book on canoeing and camping. It's thorough and has lots of useful information.

I have an Old Town 16' Laker that's about 35 years old. I need to get it back in the water this year. I miss it.

Richard

[Ken Taylor]

Hard to find 1 canoe that will do everything. I have an old town 17' Tripper and a 25' fiberglass freighter. I actually need another one in between those two. LOL

Wood and canvas are absolutely the most beautiful and quietest but the four rivers we basically do all our hunting on here are too fast and rocky for canvas. Lose bowhunting time patching!

Old Town are good, tough, and flexible. Haven't had to patch it yet and have had it for a few years.

[Roughcountry]

Dry boxs are good but if you get one of the plastic canoes get a floatation kit for the canoe also. Learned that one the hard way after having a old town classic wood and canvas for years. The ABS boats don't float.
It takes a bit of work to get a submerged boat to the bank in a fast moving river, and then a bit more to get it empty.

Love that classic Bartcanoe, wish I still had mine.

[nightowl1]

PM sent


forgot to mention.

When I bowfish from a canoe I like to use float jugs attached to my bowstring. I shoot then send the jug overboard. That way if I hit something big and it takes a weird move I'm not going anywhere. Just follow the jug and let them wear out.

Good luck. Canoeing is my first addiction...

[Hit-or-Miss]

My Dad bought me an Old Town Tripper touring canoe over 30 years ago. I have lost count of the trips it has been on. Big, heavy and will carry over 700 lbs. It has taken a ton of use, and some abuse (when it was loaned out), and is still a rugged water craft. A friend and I took it over a small waterfall in the Bangor Canoe race a "few" years back, and the canoe was A-Ok, unlike us...LOL!

Do not loan out your canoe! The fat SOB that USED to be married to my sister dropped it off a moving car, 'cause he was too lazy to tie it on with ropes, and thought he could hold onto to it through the car window. Idiot! The canoe dropped at 30 MPH and scratched and dinged it up, but nothing broke and she is still in A-1 shape!

[woodworker]

I am all for the Adirondack Guide Boat, I try to make one or two a year (cedar strip) they become an addiction to make.  They are very stable but with their width (upwards of 40") they require oars and you can use a sneak paddle.  Depending on length you can get a ton in these lake pick-ups and they move right along and can do all sorts of water, but that is just me.  The down side they weigh just under 100# but with a cart and one that is 16' no big deal to get around.

[Brock]

I love canoeing...I have a Bell Northwind...bought it slightly used from outfitting and retail store up in foothills.  Someone had it for a Summer and then traded or sold for another.  It is Royalex but only weighs 60lbs which is light for a 16.5 boat in this rugged material.  It was designed by David Yost and slices through the water like a dream...

He also designed a few for Sawyer, Swift and a handful of others....

I would second becoming very famililar with the canoe with multiple trips BEFORE I attempted to bow fish from it.  Also look at both initial and secondary stability.  I would prefer better secondary than initial...as if it feels solid standing or even moving around initially once you break that point of stability it is going to dump you suddenly.  With good secondary stability it may feel a little touchy initially but gets progressively more difficult to roll to side as you continue.  Now, it will still dump your butt in the cold water but you have warning...

Dry bags for any clothing or items that could get damaged.....tied into boat for retention and will also provide some flotation.  Also test the loading of your canoe and figure out where the cooler and gear should go if carrying or how it handles and feels differently with empty and two people and then add a couple coolers for fish and refreshments with ice and you have another 200lbs in center area...actually many of the tripping/expedition rigs will gain stability as you load them slightly...I will sometimes add extra weight on purpose with water bladders to get it sitting a little lower for more stability especially when empty or first time paddlers.
Finally...go to Otterbox and get a good waterproof container for your wallet, cell phone and even camera...or another quality company.  You will need it sooner or later as everyone dumps themselves.  Usually in front of crowd and just when you think you got it mastered.
hahahaha

[hardwaymike]

Woodworker, where would be a good place to find a how-to for building one of those cedar strip canoes? I really want to build my own boat and that sounds like it would be perfect for one guy and even better for 2. Thanks for starting this thread Mystic. The weather is starting to warm up here and has got me thinking about some river trips.

[ALwoodsman]

Spend the money for a good paddle.  It will make a big difference.

[reddogge]

For tripping in my OT Tripper we have float bags fore and aft and dry bags for our gear in the middle. My lab layed on the dry bags during the trip.

[dpg]

hardawaymike-

Get the book "Canoecraft" by Ted Moores.  Lots of places to buy supplies, but his book is the best I've found for instructions on building a cedarstrip.