Which solo canoes are best for heeling?

[canoedad89]

I've had mixed results when it comes to heeling a canoe to the point that the gunwale is touching the water. In some canoes it seems that I can effortlessly tilt the rail all the way down to the water and maintain that position comfortably as I paddle, but in other canoes I am constantly fighting it and require lots of effort and energy.

I would like to know which canoes others prefer for ease when heeling. Assume a kneeling position with your butt on a bench seat and one knee in each chine.

 

[NikonF5user]

Any canoe that you think of as having very good secondary stability is likely a boat that can easily be heeled, but I am sure the best answer to this is that it depends on the skill and technique of the paddler first and foremost. I am so madly in love with the WildFIRE in part because it is playful and locks in well when heeled. Many that love the Dragonfly feel similarly about that boat, which heels quickly and can catch paddlers off guard, but in the hands of an experienced paddler can do great things. Depending on your height / weight, my suggestion would be to paddle a WildFIRE or FlashFIRE while kneeling and really play with heeling and bracing - it will be a ton of fun. If you do so on a warm day in nice water, let yourself go over to feel the extent to what you can reach!

 

[stevet]

The boat that will give you the most solid feel when at the rail is one that is constantly flared from the keel up to the rail a midships. Doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of those around these days. (Lotus Dandy and Egret/Cygnet are great examples of that)
The next would be something like a Wildfire, where the widest part of the hull is just below the rails. There are lots of these “shouldered” hulls being produced these days.
There are really too many to start listing them all. As always, the proof is in the paddlin’. Try a bunch. As mentioned by NikonF5user skill level is a factor, too.