My Perfect Solo River Canoe

[Black_Fly]

I’m researching high volume solo canoes with responsive, not tippy hull designs. My NC 15 is a fine boat, but a little heavy for my new upper carriage situation. To be honest, it was a load before my injury. I could handle it, but it was tough to load on my car and flip in some landings. It weighs 54 lbs as I have it decked out. I’d like to shave 10-15 lbs off, and still have a hull that will work with shallow, fast streams.

One candidate is the Swift P14, but I’m not sure if the expedition Kevlar would hold up, and perhaps the rocker is not adequate on this model. It certainly has the capacity for me and the mutt, though. Just a place to start.

This gives you an idea what I’m looking for. Weight, hull durability, and responsiveness are the primary search criteria. I prefer a bench seat and foot brace. Any help sorting through the prospective canoe models would be appreciated.

 

[snapper]

Not sure if this would work for you but I hear a lot of good comments on the Hemlock Canoe "SRT". According to the website the heaviest model is only 42 pounds. I know that a molded bench type seat is available based on a conversation I had with Dave Curtis a while ago. Dave is looking to retire so these may not be available much longer so it might be worth a look.

Their website is: hemlockcanoe.com/srt,html

That's all for now. Take care and until next time....be well.

snapper

PS - If my memory serves me correctly, there have been lots of folks in this group that are more familiar with the canoe than I am. Hopefully they will chime in soon.

 

[GeoBoy]

How about a Northstar Trillium in IXP layup, 38 lbs., they also have an adjustable seat that adds 3 lbs..

 

[memaquay]

I has messaged swift to ask if they would build a light weight Raven...apparently there had been a couple built in the past, but the answer was negative. You could always join the club and build a cedarstrip Raven, use it as a plug for a kevlar build. Be a good winter project!

 

[riverstrider]

I have a Hemlock SRT in Expedition Layup. It has also gotten an extra layer of carbon cloth and new gunnels & seats as part of a repair from an accident I had playing in floodwaters in 2013 (it got wrapped a bit in a pile of trees), so it gained a pound from that, but still only weighs in at 42 pounds. It is a solid, responsive hull. I've scraped it up and down many shallow streams...most memorably Allagash Stream between Allagash Lake and Chamberlain Lake, and the hull took all the abuse I could dish out. It won't take a solid hit on a large rock and it can be wrapped (see above) but these hulls can be repaired. You may find it a bit tippy, but I have actually stood and poled in mine a time or two...keeping weight properly oriented to the hull is always important no matter what hull you paddle. I don't have a foot bar in mine but I imagine one is easily installed. The SRT has a ton of volume and freeboard and can be a handful if you find yourself on a windy lake with not much of a load. I could go on...bottom line is I love that boat. Another option, if you have any luck finding used boats, is to keep an eye out for either a Mad River Guide or a Mad River Independence in Kevlar.

-rs

 

[stripperguy]

I think mem has hit the nail on the head…
You’re just gonna HAVE to build your own canoe!
No way around it.
I have a cedar strip Kite that is a wonderful compromise hull, I built it extremely strong for whitewater and flat water use.
It ended up waaay too heavy at 39 lbs, lighter than some of those lightweight production boats.

 

[MrPoling]

"shallow fast water"

I think you're on the right track with a prospector. The Trillium is a 14.5 foot solo. Compared to a 15 ft prospector it's going to draw more water, maybe an entire inch.

I think you're right with the bench seat too. That will allow you to shift your weight enough to lean and turn 14 or 15 ft Prospector.

 

[SouthernKevlar]

In September I ordered a Northstar Phoenix (14.5 foot, but a bit more volume than the Trillium) in Blacklight with internal skid plates, kneeling drops and wood trim. It arrived last month. It is very maneuverable and a great canoe for rivers, streams and creeks. Weight is 32 lbs. I highly recommend this canoe, and yes it already has some scratches from use.

If you want a tougher layup, it comes in IXP at around 40 lbs.

 

[ppine]

OT Canadienne in kevlar at 15'7". I converted the seats and thwarts to solo configuration.
48 pounds.

 

[MrPoling]

"not sure if the expedition Kevlar would hold"

I have a carbon Kevlar Bell solo, and I'm surprised how well it's held up to logs and rocks. I have a expedition layup kevlar-foam tripping canoe and much prefer the extra stiffness of the carbon lay up.

Swift has a finish with gel coat on the bottom. I think that's great because if you scratch it up you can refinish it.

My advice is get the lightweight layup and try to keep yourself healthy, and let the canoe take the abuse.

 

[GeoBoy]

Forgot about the Phoenix, more rocker and payload capacity should be a good river/stream boat.

 

[tomo]

I think the SRT is often characterized as responsive but also tippy, though like everything such a declaration is often in the eye of the beholder. I remember a dog owner on here whose dog hated the SRT because it was so deep that the dog couldn't put its nose on the gunwale when lying down. With foot pegs and a full load, I'm comfortable sitting in the SRT, though I haven't paddled it much empty or lightly loaded. As Southern Kevlar said, the Phoenix would seems to fit the criteria; you'd just have to decide on the strength to weight trade-offs with the layup selections.

I think my SRT weighs a little over 40 pounds.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Black Fly says he doesn't want a tippy canoe. As much as I love my Hemlock SRT, I would classify its 26" waterline and rounded bottom as on the tippier end of the 15' solo canoe spectrum, especially if a big dog is going to be flopping around in it.

For Hemlock canoes, I'd recommend instead the 15'-7" long x 32.75" wide Eaglet set up as a solo canoe. It can be made as low as 36 lbs. with Hemlock's "Lite-Tech" layup, which is a high grade S-glass, Kevlar and carbon composite hull with skin coat instead of gel coat to save weight plus some lighter weight wood selections for seats, thwarts, decks and gunwales.

In fact, Hemlock has a used Eaglet 3 seater in Lite-Tech construction on the website now, listed at 39 lbs. I'm sure Dave could remove the bow and stern seats and replace them with thwarts, so as to lose 2 or 3 pounds.

Eaglet video:

 

[Dirigo]

Great topic with great suggestions. The reason there are so many hulls is because canoe builders do not agree on other hulls that have been built. Personal preference to their liking and disliking. We are very fortunate there are many, many canoe designers and builders!

For example: not ever will I paddle a composite hull on the Machias River (downriver). Why? Royalex withstands the impacts, abuse and neglect during several days of river running. My paddling is restorative- not abusive !

Paddling the Allagash Lake Loop? Yes to composite, no to Royalex. Clearly the weight factor and the minor amount of whitewater on the route decides the composite hull. There are many portages on this route- minor to major.

Equally important is the water level. Using the many water level resources (USGS) to the best of your ability will decide which hull you choose.

Long live large fleets!

 

[Gamma1214]

You could always join the club and build a cedarstrip Raven, use it as a plug for a kevlar build. Be a good winter project!

I agree. Jump in & build one (or 10). Bonus (at least for me) is that, having built it myself, I see little need to baby it or worry about whether it will take the beating that the trip inflicts. If I break it in 1/2, I'll just build another before next trip.

Stripper, expedition kevlar or 30 year-old fiberglass, it will likely take more of a beating than you think it will before it leaves you stranded and pushing the SOS button. I look forward to seeing what you decide upon.

 

[tomo]

I have a Mohawk Odyssey 15 in Royalite (maybe), an old Swift Osprey in fiberglass/kevlar and a Hemlock SRT. I'll use the Odyssey for really bony stuff, the Osprey for moderately bony and the SRT for trips where I don't think the hull will get much dragging or shallow river abuse.
To Gamma's point, I feel pretty good about the Swift's capabilities to withstand some river abuse (and the SRT, though I do baby it because it's the prize of my small fleet).

 

[billconner]

I've only test paddled it, but the Esquif Echo, while a little heavy at 4t pounds, send very stable and the T-Formax kis pretty tough. Plus costs less than Kevlar. I like my sub 30 pound Swift Prospector pack, but sometimes wonder if the Echo would have suited me better

 

[Dirigo]

The Hemlock SRT is just what it is. A solo river tripper. Certainly not a tandem, definitely not a lilly pad dipper and definitely a river tripper due to its length, width and composite build.

No insult to the author, if you want a lower weight canoe, then lose the weight to meet your wants. Hulls will always accommodate.

The union of canoes and weightless hulls (durable beyond imagination) has not and may not ever occur.

 

[Black_Fly]

In September I ordered a Northstar Phoenix (14.5 foot, but a bit more volume than the Trillium) in Blacklight with internal skid plates, kneeling drops and wood trim. It arrived last month. It is very maneuverable and a great canoe for rivers, streams and creeks. Weight is 32 lbs. I highly recommend this canoe, and yes it already has some scratches from use.

If you want a tougher layup, it comes in IXP at around 40 lbs.

I actually had a phoenix and it was perfect except it didn’t do well with my dog. I was constantly leaning to offset his movements. This was why I went to the prospector. The additional weight of the prospector was manageable then. Not so much now. I like the looks of the swift prospector 14, but I’m not sure if it’s a true prospector or not. Seems to have minimal rocker, like a lake boat.

Alone, the phoenix performed well, but I rarely paddle without my fur shadow. I had it in IXP. Sold it for more than I paid for it.

 

[memaquay]

You can get an Aramid Lite Nova Craft Pal for just under 5000 Canadian loonies, which would make it about a buck fifty American. It comes in at 40 pounds. The Pal is a compromise solo canoe, but it will handle your dog no problem. I have put Pals used solo through most canoe situations, and it was fine. Sure, I wasn't carving any Eddie's to impress the hot whitewater chicks, but I got through stuff. I have also paddled it tandem in a tripping situation and found it wanting, but for solo with a doggo it might ve the answer.