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Solo boat - which one?

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Im looking into possibly getting a solo boat as my partner is moving abroad to go back to school. We have a 17.5 prospector that is too big for me to paddle on my own. I know there’s a handful of these posts around but I didn’t see anything too recent and everyone’s preferences are different as well.

Me and what i paddle:
5’10”
150lbs
28 years old
fairly fit
Live in British Columbia
gear is likely 50lbs + food depending on the length of trip

I try to avoid paddling lakes and prefer to paddle class 2 rivers. As I get back into it I’ll want to be able handle some class 3. Anything above that I’d line/portage if tripping or get a specific ww play boat.

I’m experienced enough I guess but not well practiced. I hadn’t paddled much in the last 5+ years till getting the prospector this year. Before that I had been in a tandem up to maybe class 2+ and kayaked class 3-4.

Ideally I want something I could take out for the day or up to a couple weeks. I’ve got dreams of multi-month trips but I’ll find a boat suited to that when it actually happens.

I imagine I’ll buy new as I don’t see many used coming up (solo ones anyway) anywhere near me.

Canadian made boat would be a bonus as our dollar and duty is terrible. The Canadian solos I’ve looked into all seem like they have a lot more lake tripping DNA in them than river running though.

The Northstar Phoenix IXP and Hemlock SRT (don’t know anything about the durability) keep coming up in what I’ve read so far (really expensive to get to the west side of Canada though). If anyone has other suggestions or comments about those that’d be great. Although solos don’t take hits as hard as tandems durability is bigger factor than weight. I’m not against something like t-form but composites seem to be so strong these days and easy enough to fix that they’re probably worth the weight saving.

Cheers
 
Here we go Pandora's Box opens, again.

Not a center seat canoe, No detachable center thwart, narrow hull, 15 or 16'. That's my next solo.
 
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I'm not a fan of Ted Bell or Bell canoes or Northstar canoes but I have to acknowledge they have some good hull designs so I own 2 Bells and 1 Northstar. I've owned a Phoenix and an SRT in the past and both would be excellent for your intended use because they are downriver trippers with buoyant full ends that will keep you dry and both have excellent predictable handling and they are comfortably deep and your load would be light for them. The Phoenix has the advantage of the IXP option while the SRT has slightly better quality and attention to detail. With your size the Firebird in IXP is a cool option and it's a much hotter and more playful boat than the Phoenix if you don't mind a shorter boat. On the Canadian boat side one option is a Swift Osprey in expedition Kevlar...the size/capacity is perfect for you and for paddling empty and up to class 2 may be more fun...again it is hotter (quicker, faster, more responsive) than Phoenix or SRT but once you get to class 3 you may well prefer a bigger, dryer more conservative boat like Phoenix or SRT.
 
Look at Clipper. They are in BC too. Prospector 14 in Duraflex.. Never mind that there are other fine canoes.. Get one you can try before you buy. ie buy local.
Me I would never buy a Clipper as its impossible to find one to try here on the East Coast to try. But the company makes good canoes I know that.
 
Look into Hellman canoes in Nelson BC. He makes a nice solo, and a variety of layups. Clippers tend to be heavy, but they have some decent designs.
 
I have a Caribou S by Clipper and I really like it. Lots of room for gear and does everything I want on the river.
 
Hi,
I'll start by saying I don't paddler solo canoes per se- I have but much prefer paddling tandem canoes solo.
You mention class II and Class III so you are looking for a good whitewater capable tripping canoe.

I'll add to Yellowcanoe and Lauras vote: A number of folks in our club have 14 and 15 foot Clippers, especially Kevlar Caribou and Prospectors set up for WW and tripping with floatation, pads, straps, etc. . I've tried em (and I'll keep paddling my tandems, thank you,). There is a reason for their popularity.
Bruce
 
I second the swift osprey. I owned one for years. other boats will do what you want, but it will be more fun and faster. get the sliding seat.
 
The real question is what you can get a hold of. I would never drop a wad of money on something someone else liked without me trying it out first.
 
Gumpus, just curious , why don't you like Bell/Northstar?
I've just seen too many second quality boats sold as first quality...like the quality control is questionable or they just ship whatever they build and take the profit. It's affected me directly (I had to complain and return a boat) and two friends (one returned a boat and the other was just disappointed). I also think the quality and attention to detail on Northstars is a notch below the best like Hemlock or Colden or even Swift...for example the wrinkles in the interior (from the vacuum bagging?) seem a little bit sloppy to me. I'm very happy with the 3 I have but I would not be comfy buying another without looking at it first.
 
Look at Clipper. They are in BC too. Prospector 14 in Duraflex.. Never mind that there are other fine canoes.. Get one you can try before you buy. ie buy local.
Me I would never buy a Clipper as its impossible to find one to try here on the East Coast to try. But the company makes good canoes I know that.

Both Helllman and Clipper do a top notch construction job and offer a variety of lay ups. We have been lucky enough to have several Clipper canoes shipped to the east coast (Sea-1, Freedom, Prospector 14).

I was impressed with the 14’ Prospector; even paddled by a bigger guy (me) and a hefty load of gear it lost little in performance. A friend of a friend currently paddles that P-14. He is about Paddlewaddle’s height and weight; while he carries more than 50lbs on trips he is also happy with the Prospector 14 as a moving water day boat. I should note that his Prospector 14 has a Northwater spray cover.

http://www.clippercanoes.com/14-foot-prospector/

The Clipper Caribou is a foot+ longer, a touch wider at the gunwales and has a ½” more rocker; kinda depends on how much boat length and width you want.

The Hellman Purcell is shallower, and wider (32” gunwales) and has less than an inch of rocker, so not a great choice for Class II/III.

The Solitude has the depth and rocker (2 ½”) for class II or III, but is also 32” at the gunwales, where both the Prospector 14 and Caribou are a narrower.

Of those west coast solo canoes, for what the OP describes, I’d lean towards the Clipper Prospector 14, but the Caribou and Solitude would also be in the running.
 
I would go with a Hellman Scout, it would make a great solo tripping class II III boat!!
 
I have a friend here who recently got a Hellman Scout and uses it as a solo. He's a pretty tall guy though, so it really fits him well. I did paddle it briefly (I'm 5'11"; 165 lb) and I think it's a very good all-around river canoe for a moderate to large load. But I think at Paddlewaddle's size it might lack some sportiness.

PW, if you happen across a Mad River Courier, Guide, or Freedom Solo - buy it. Man, I love that boat!
 
I would go with a Hellman Scout, it would make a great solo tripping class II III boat!!

I hadn’t considered soloing a tandem, which with a more centered seat is actually my preference for a tripping hull. But I am a big guy given to carrying a big gear load, so I need that much boat under me.

PW, if you happen across a Mad River Courier, Guide, or Freedom Solo - buy it. Man, I love that boat!

Agree with all three of those same design-lineage canoes, especially if you could find a composite Courier or Guide and avoid the weight of Royalex.

Kevlar Courier = 43lbs
Royalex Courier = 60 – 62lbs (back in the days of beefy RX)
Kevlar Guide = 46lbs
Royalex Guide = 57lbs
 
The only time I solo a dedicated solo is when I paddle ww for fun, then I use my Millbrook 20/20 or Prowler, other than that I'm in a 16' Composite creations expedition or a Hellman Slocan! I like soloing big boats, I cary a big load, and I pole sometimes, I find them more versatile!
 
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