Deciding which canoe

[Canoewiia]

Hi everyone. I am looking to buy a kevlar/carbon canoe for fishing and easy paddling on ponds and small lakes. No stream/river or large lake use. I estimate it will be used 90% solo but may have an occasional person. I'm not new to canoes as I had a 16'6" BlueWater kevlar canoe for many years. I am new, however, to the concept of using a double-blade paddle rather than a single one, should that be the course I take. I prefer a canoe no longer than 14' and the weight less than 30lbs.

I'm open to a recommendation of any company although Slipstream and Hornbeck immediately come to mind as they are located in my region. I've never paddled from a position low in a canoe so that concept has been a challenge in determining which canoe is right or wrong. My back isn't what it used to be so I'm thinking of an elevated seating position of some degree.

I've also see some companies that use vacuum infusion either in all their models or as an add-on feature. It comes as a cost of $400-$600+ which is either built-in or added on the total cost. Not sure if there is a tangible benefit to me other than a slight reduction in weight. If not, I likely wouldn't choose one that used the VIP.

Any words of wisdom and direction would be greatly appreciated. I am a clean slate and willing to look at any company and model although I'm looking for a really-nice Toyota rather than a Formula One Ferrari.

 

[dutchlennart]

hi Canoewiia,
A lot depends on youur size and your companion. if hormbeck is closeby , I would go there for a testpaddle. they like sitting low and doubleblading. over here the waters are to big and windy to enjoy most of their boats. I doulbeblade in a kayak or surfski on big open waters/sea. I singleblade in most other environments.
lookingforwrd in reading what others will advise and what you will choose. and of course tripreports with the new canoe.

 

[canootrippa]

Hi everyone. I am looking to buy a kevlar/carbon canoe for fishing and easy paddling on ponds and small lakes. No stream/river or large lake use. I estimate it will be used 90% solo but may have an occasional person. I'm not new to canoes as I had a 16'6" BlueWater kevlar canoe for many years. I am new, however, to the concept of using a double-blade paddle rather than a single one, should that be the course I take. I prefer a canoe no longer than 14' and the weight less than 30lbs.

I'm open to a recommendation of any company although Slipstream and Hornbeck immediately come to mind as they are located in my region. I've never paddled from a position low in a canoe so that concept has been a challenge in determining which canoe is right or wrong. My back isn't what it used to be so I'm thinking of an elevated seating position of some degree.

I've also see some companies that use vacuum infusion either in all their models or as an add-on feature. It comes as a cost of $400-$600+ which is either built-in or added on the total cost. Not sure if there is a tangible benefit to me other than a slight reduction in weight. If not, I likely wouldn't choose one that used the VIP.

Any words of wisdom and direction would be greatly appreciated. I am a clean slate and willing to look at any company and model although I'm looking for a really-nice Toyota rather than a Formula One Ferrari.

It sounds like you are just starting the decision process, but have put some good thought into it. I would suggest that the next step be to separate the 'musts' from the 'wants'. For example, do you 'want' the ability to paddle tandem, or is it a 'must'? That will have a huge influence on your boat choice. There aren't many (any?) 14 foot tandem canoe options that weigh 30 pounds or less. There are 15 foot tandem canoes that can easily be paddled solo approaching the 30 pound target, but they are expensive. If you choose a dedicated solo canoe, it will be much easier to achieve the 14 foot / 30 pounds or less objectives.

As a next step, I would highly recommend that you do some test paddling. If you don't own a double-bladed paddle, there will likely be one available at the test paddle event for you to try. If you haven't paddled a pack-style canoe with a low seating position, it would be best to try it before making a decision to confirm that it meets your fishing style (bring your fishing equipment and other canoe gear with you to try it in the boat). There are several manufacturers and dealers who offer test paddling in the Central NY and ADK region.

If you are still having trouble making up your mind, I would suggest that you make a 'best guess' and buy a used canoe at a fair market price and start paddling it. If it's not what you end up wanting in a canoe, you can sell it for about the same price you paid for it.

The multitude of choices is all part of the fun with canoes. All the best to you!

 

[GeoBoy]

Slipstream is having their End of Summer demo days on September 19th from 10AM to 3PM, check out their website. They make a 14’ tandem in the weight range you’re looking at, but meet with them and discuss your needs. Good luck.

 

[Canoewiia]

Great advice, thank you both. Most of my paddling will be on smaller bodies of water or meandering streams that offer trees to help reduce wind to a small extent. I won't doing large bodies of open water at all nor anything that is not flatwater.

The seat position is the one issue I haven't figured out yet because it not only involves paddling and back considerations but fishing from a much lower position which I've never done. I'm confident neither are insurmountable...I'm just trying to avoid a self-inflicted mistake in judgment with the purchase.

The only time I'd have someone else in the canoe would possibly just to paddle around for an hour or two. It's down the list of my wants and not on my list of must haves. Only if it can work without compromising the 90% of the time I will alone. For example, Slipstream has their SportsDuo 13 which would allow a 2nd person to cruise around the pond with me, so to speak. I wouldn't subject someone else to a prolonged ride in it.

https://www.slipstreamwatercraft.com/sportduo13

I am going to take a look at some Northstar canoes in a few hours.

 

[Canoewiia]

Thank you, GeoBoy. I'll be sure not to miss the End of the Summer event. That would be very helpful.

 

[Alan Gage]

Normally I would day to completely forget about tandem but you seem to be realistic about the types of water you'll be paddling and what you want to do with your occasional tandem partner. Most of us here would much rather have a dedicated solo canoe because it would be so much more versatile and a tandem of those dimensions would be a very poor compromise. But most of us are not using a canoe the way you plan to. I think you're on a good track so far and some test paddles will be the next step to answer questions that probably can't be answered otherwise.

As for the low seating position that would not be my favorite but, realistically, kayaks are the most popular water craft out there and they all have low seats. Tons of people fish from them. I used to fish from kayaks before I switched to canoes. I really didn't find it to be an issue.

For the back issues I'd look into something like a kayak seat that supports your lower back or a back band. I'm sure both Hornbeck and Slipstream have dealt with this issue before and can provide good advice.

I wouldn't say my back is 'bad' but I do have two fused discs in my lower back (about 7 years ago). Last year I bought a surfski and had no trouble at all sitting and paddling in the low bucket.

Alan