Solo canoe design recommendation for small paddler

[Willtaylor]

I’m a small fella (5’6”, 130 lbs, age 72) & anticipate no more than 40 lbs of duffel. Am experienced in strip canoe building, with several tandem trippers under my belt, and with many lengthy trips in northern Maine & the Boundary Waters with my family of 4. Looking to build a solo boat for myself for extended tripping, lake (including big lake) & quiet river. Considering Winter’s Kite (am drawn to as 1st choice) or the Northwest Passage, (something in the 14-15’ & 30# range, & wondering about appropriate recommendations of a boat for my size & load (total around 170lbs, self + gear).

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Welcome to site membership, Will! Feel free to ask any questions and post messages, photos and videos in our many forums. We look forward to your participation in our canoe community. You might consider adding your location to your profile so it shows up under your avatar. This is, in a real sense, a geographically oriented hobby and community.

I'm not one of the builders, but I know the Kite has been a favorite hull for decades—closely related, as I recall, to Winters' popular Swift Osprey, which I have paddled with great satisfaction. At your size and lightweight gear load, you could even go down to a 13' solo to save even more boat weight.

 

[Willtaylor]

Welcome to site membership, Will! Feel free to ask any questions and post messages, photos and videos in our many forums. We look forward to your participation in our canoe community.

I'm not one of the builders, but I know the Kite has been a favorite hull for decades—closely related, as I recall, to Winters' popular Swift Osprey, which I have paddled with great satisfaction. At your size and lightweight gear load, you could even go down to a 13' solo to save even more boat weight.

Thanks Glen. Do you know of designs in that 13-14’ range that I might look into ?

I’m a small fella (5’6”, 130 lbs, age 72) & anticipate no more than 40 lbs of duffel. Am experienced in strip canoe building, with several tandem trippers under my belt, and with many lengthy trips in northern Maine & the Boundary Waters with my family of 4. Looking to build a solo boat for myself for extended tripping, lake (including big lake) & quiet river. Considering Winter’s Kite (am drawn to as 1st choice) or the Northwest Passage, (something in the 14-15’ & 30# range, & wondering about appropriate recommendations of a boat for my size & load (total around 170lbs, self + gear).

my principal question is, how would the Kite (Osprey) or the Northwest Passage handle with my relatively light load?

 

[dogbrain]

I built a Kite and would just say that 170# might be on the light side for that hull. With just me at 190# and day gear another 20# the canoe is fast and responsive and very light on the water, but gets pushed around a bit by wind and waves. At about 270# the Kite is rock solid and paddles well all around. It starts to get a bit sluggish when total payload exceeds 300#. Stripperguy is closer to your size and would be a better judge of the Kite for you. Good luck, Mark

 

[lowangle al]

FWIW, I bought a boat from a guy who had a little kid size stripper in his garage that he built for his Grandkids. When I asked about it he said it was a downsized version of a known model and that it was too tippy to be usable.

 

[stripperguy]

I was and remain a welterweight (146 limit) and often paddle my Kite on day trips with minimal loads. My daypack on such days is generally around 10 lbs, so under 160 total on day trips.
On bigger water with wind, I need to take advantage of my adjustable seat as well as strategically maneuver the day pack for optimal trim.
The Kite still handles just fine, not gonna win any races but it is fast enough to get me where I wish without too much delay.
I can heel it over empty or loaded to the crease and it always feels rock solid.
In Class II, it’s comfortable and predictable and a dry ride, plenty of buoyancy in reserve in the bow, and above the waterline too, thanks to the flare up there.
Overall, I think it’s an excellent compromise hull, doing most everything well enough.
Oh, and properly trimmed, it is completely devoid of stern hook!
That’s a big plus for me.
If you think such a design is still too much excess load capacity, you could easily scale it down by 10% or so, likely with little change in on water characteristics.

 

[Cruiser]

Big fan of the Bear Mountain Boats Freedom Solo ... it handles waves and weather very well and requires little effort to keep it speeding along eating up the Kms. (fast enough that it is not unusual to have to slow down for friends)
It can be built in 2 lengths from the plans (15'3" and 16'3") and with your light load the shorter version would likely be the best choice.

Brian