Independence or Malecite

[Salty dog]

I have owned canoes for years but am not a great canoeist, finally taking paddling lessons at 71. Owned in order, OT Laker 14 my first in '83, Mad River Explorer restored from bare hull, Advantage too much for me and not a good fit, Argosy not a good fit for coastal flat water, OT Pathfinder I like it. Still have the Laker, Explorer and the Pathfinder. I've mostly used canoes to take me hunting and fishing but now I want to just canoe. A friend has two canoes for sell, a glass Independence project and a older kevlar Malacite. I want to take me and the 50 pound lab with fishing gear or maybe stick a small child in without much else. Weight is of little consideration, I have a trailer. I like them both. Thanks for the guidance

 

[Sweetfancymoses]

I've found the Independence not to be a good fit for me and a 60# dog. It's not a deep canoe, low primary stability, hard to trim with a dog either in front or behind you. I can't speak to the Malecite.

 

[Salty dog]

Thanks. How is the stability in your Independence alone? The dog goes a lot but not every time. I think that was part of the reason for the question. The independence is a fixer upper that has all the new parts but unassembled. $300. Not sure about the Malacite pricing. I am not afraid to walk away from either. I wonder about the Malacite stability. I should mention the odds of me finding any canoe around the coast is very, very slim. I get excited at the sight of one. The local canoe club pics are kayaks with an occasional canoe in the pics. Kayaks rule the world around the coast. The dog is the only one that gets excited about going...

 

[Halpc]

I picked up a 1988 kevlar Malecite last year and am still in the process of repair/restoring it. I have taken it on several river trips and day trips on lakes and would rate it very stable- both initial and secondary. It is not quite as stable as my Kevlar or RX Explorers, but not by much. I take my 40 pound Vizsla in it, so far with no problems. She likes standing with front paws on the gunwale and doesn’t rock it much. I enjoy paddling the Malecite solo, with its center kneeling seat and narrower width, more than the Explorer. Where is the one for sale?

 

[Sweetfancymoses]

Alone it's just fine. The shallow V hull is always going to feel a little tipsy but secondary stability is good.

 

[Mike McCrea]

With a 60lb dog or small child along I’d take the Malecite every time. In an Indy, with a 60b bog or youngster, you would likely need to move the seat for best day boat trim. As a dog and child free solo the Independence is a canoe I (we, the wife claimed it) all love as a lake solo.

You might want to move the bow seat in backwards orientation. Have at it; an inch for two towards midships for solo, or for a lightweight dog/child bowman, or install deeper seat drops for unexpected friskieness of either critter. Those little tweaks, and inch this way or that, can make a world of trim and primary stability difference.

That makes for a tough, honest evaluation, decision. Just you, no dog or child, Independence. Bow burdened, 60 lbs dog or growing child (they grow that you know), Malecite. I’m old, weak and arthritic, but neither a glass Indy (have one) or a kevlar Malecite (also have one) would dissuade me.

BTW, I have a thing for OT Campers, Pathfinders and (rare) Hunters. RX flat bottomed sluggish, they made great young kid family canoes, bow backwards for a few years, then bow forewards for a few more years as offspring bowmen grew in size.

Maybe I’m being selfish, or have too many canoe choices, but I’d stick the dog or child in the Pathfinder or Explorer, and for just-me paddling take the efficiency and glide of the Indy.

 

[Salty dog]

With a 60lb dog or small child along I’d take the Malecite every time. In an Indy, with a 60b bog or youngster, you would likely need to move the seat for best day boat trim. As a dog and child free solo the Independence is a canoe I (we, the wife claimed it) all love as a lake solo.

You might want to move the bow seat in backwards orientation. Have at it; an inch for two towards midships for solo, or for a lightweight dog/child bowman, or install deeper seat drops for unexpected friskieness of either critter. Those little tweaks, and inch this way or that, can make a world of trim and primary stability difference.

That makes for a tough, honest evaluation, decision. Just you, no dog or child, Independence. Bow burdened, 60 lbs dog or growing child (they grow that you know), Malecite. I’m old, weak and arthritic, but neither a glass Indy (have one) or a kevlar Malecite (also have one) would dissuade me.

BTW, I have a thing for OT Campers, Pathfinders and (rare) Hunters. RX flat bottomed sluggish, they made great young kid family canoes, bow backwards for a few years, then bow forewards for a few more years as offspring bowmen grew in size.

Maybe I’m being selfish, or have too many canoe choices, but I’d stick the dog or child in the Pathfinder or Explorer, and for just-me paddling take the efficiency and glide of the Indy.

I couldn't have ask for more of an education/explanation. By the way all boats except the Laker (1983 new) were bought as fixer uppers. My grandson 9 and I have paddled the Pathfinder and it is quite stable even with the Lab. I did not want to have a boat that duplicates too closely another I own. I have had all four grandkids (under 10) in the Explorer and everyone had a paddle, some even paddled in the right direction. We live next door and about 500' from the water, I took lessons to teach them a 'real paddle stroke' at 71. I appreciate that you own both boats and Thursday will probably come home with the Indy. Thanks again, Wayne

 

[Salty dog]

I picked up a 1988 kevlar Malecite last year and am still in the process of repair/restoring it. I have taken it on several river trips and day trips on lakes and would rate it very stable- both initial and secondary. It is not quite as stable as my Kevlar or RX Explorers, but not by much. I take my 40 pound Vizsla in it, so far with no problems. She likes standing with front paws on the gunwale and doesn’t rock it much. I enjoy paddling the Malecite solo, with its center kneeling seat and narrower width, more than the Explorer. Where is the one for sale?

The Malacite is on the NC coast. I believe he told me 58 pounds

 

[lowangle al]

The Malecite is a stable boat. A great hull, it just needs recurved stems and it would be perfect. Even though it is asymmetrical I never had a problem paddling from the bow seat.

 

[Redfishnc]

Thanks for all the input. Bought my third $200 canoe, a Mad River Independence. Missing gunwales but came with a new seat and thwarts. Will be needing a little gel coat help.

 

[Larry650]

I have owned canoes for years but am not a great canoeist, finally taking paddling lessons at 71. Owned in order, OT Laker 14 my first in '83, Mad River Explorer restored from bare hull, Advantage too much for me and not a good fit, Argosy not a good fit for coastal flat water, OT Pathfinder I like it. Still have the Laker, Explorer and the Pathfinder. I've mostly used canoes to take me hunting and fishing but now I want to just canoe. A friend has two canoes for sell, a glass Independence project and a older kevlar Malacite. I want to take me and the 50 pound lab with fishing gear or maybe stick a small child in without much else. Weight is of little consideration, I have a trailer. I like them both. Thanks for the guidance

I am very happy, delighted even, with my '94 Kevlar Malecite.