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Chestnut Prospector

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My girlfriend and I took our Chestnut Prospector out to Indian Lake Islands two weeks ago. The weather did not cooperate. High winds and large rolling waves all day followed by rain all night. The highlight of the trip was the Prospector.It swallowed all of our gear no problem. Three large Duluth Packs and my pack basket. The wind and waves did not hinder our paddling efficiency. By far the most extreme conditions we have paddled in,but we never felt unsafe or worried. Great boat!
 

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I have seen and paddled several modern "prospectors" and owned a novacraft prospector for years.. I an struck by how different the various brands of Prospectors are. Which one is the most authentic?
 
I have seen and paddled several modern "prospectors" and owned a novacraft prospector for years.. I an struck by how different the various brands of Prospectors are. Which one is the most authentic?

By far the Chestnut Prospector. Modern day Prospectors might share some of the same features there is only one real prospector, with a long history of wilderness tripping, the wood canvas Chestnut

Schuyler Thomson restored over 1500 canoes, was a national downriver champion and a northern tripper, he told me more than once that the loaded 17’ Chestnut Prospector was the best all around canoe from his experience.
 
Turtle,

Not to pile on too much but ditto to all Robin just wrote. The Chestnut Prospector has a very well earned reputation for many reasons. read anything by or about Bill Mason and you'll get his take too.

There are a number of W/C canoe builders using original Chestnut molds but there are also an awful of builders who use the Prospector moniker to describe any deep, wide canoe with high carrying capacity.

Prospector? Don't settle for anything but the original!

Bruce Prospector_1.jpg Prospector_2.JPG
 
Duluth packs and baskets look right in the old boats. I miss having cute young girls in the bow of my canoe. Not PC, but it is an honest sentiment. We used to have couples trips. Now I just paddle mostly with old men and dogs.
 
It survived a trip on Lake Superior from Pic River to Wawa with ease (just a little nerve racking trying to land it on rocky shores).
 
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