WTB : Dagger Sojourn / Northstar NW Solo or other- Northeast

[demo243]

Been paddling my old OT Camper for a while now. Great stable slow boat and will be perfect with the kid, but it’s time for me to get a quicker/faster solo. Hopefully then I’ll have a chance at keeping up with a few kayak buddies. I’m stubborn and refuse to swap to a double blade.

Dagger Sojourn would be ideal I think - royalex for durability, yet still fast and hopefully keep the price down. But needle in a haystack I know.

Dream boat would be a NW solo in Blacklite or IXP…

Open to other boats and builds - including lighter builds.

Located near Boston MA. Ideally find a boat within 3hrs or so… but would drive further for the right boat.

Ideally trying to keep it under $1500… but dream boats are dream boats, and I might be able to squeeze a bit more

Thanks!
Devon

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Devon, good luck in your search and welcome to site membership! Feel free to ask any questions and to post messages, photos and videos, and to start threads, in our many forums. Please read Welcome to CanoeTripping and Site Rules! Also, please add your location to your profile, which will cause it to show under your avatar, as this is a geographic sport. Many of the site's technical features are explained in Features: Help and How-To Running Thread. We look forward to your participation in our canoe community.

 

[demo243]

Still on the hunt! Not in a huge rush… had some experimental fun with my OT Camper, pulling the gunwales in adding a kneeing thwart. But definitely ready for a proper solo. Wish I had the budget to just buy new right now.

 

[demo243]

Got a lead on a boat… but not in my hands yet.

Still on the hunt!

 

[NikonF5user]

Still on the hunt! Not in a huge rush… had some experimental fun with my OT Camper, pulling the gunwales in adding a kneeing thwart. But definitely ready for a proper solo. Wish I had the budget to just buy new right now.

How did the Camper respond to your mods? Does the bottom oil pan a bit less when you pulled in the gunwales, or did the bottom shape not change much?

 

[demo243]

How did the Camper respond to your mods? Does the bottom oil pan a bit less when you pulled in the gunwales, or did the bottom shape not change much?

Overall pretty happy with it!

Initial width at the center was 35.5”, when I pulled everything out it actually dropped to 34.5”. I then proceeded narrow it down to 31”. It happily went there, but needed a bit of convincing to go further so that’s where I stopped. It was actually a little narrower then I planned but I didn’t account for the angle of the hardware so it pulled it in an extra 1/2”.

The hope was to try and round out the bottom, lose some rocker and speed up the canoe- I know, lipstick on a pig… But it is definitely faster. Still stable enough to comfortably stand in. The kneeling thwart was more comfortable then I expected too. I never really had an issue with oil canning, but it does feel a bit more firm and maybe slightly more rounded then flat.

Once I find a solo, I’ll definitely widen it back up for family use. Maybe to 33”. A worthwhile experiment overall.

 

[coldfeet]

Thats pretty interesting idea. My camper is still looking for a new owner.

 

[demo243]

Thats pretty interesting idea. My camper is still looking for a new owner.

Make no mistake- It is still a camper. But its definitely a little bit sportier. I would still take a Penobscot over it any day, but holding out for a solo before I pick up another tandem.

 

[adkjoe]

Been paddling my old OT Camper for a while now. Great stable slow boat and will be perfect with the kid, but it’s time for me to get a quicker/faster solo. Hopefully then I’ll have a chance at keeping up with a few kayak buddies. I’m stubborn and refuse to swap to a double blade.

Dagger Sojourn would be ideal I think - royalex for durability, yet still fast and hopefully keep the price down. But needle in a haystack I know.

Dream boat would be a NW solo in Blacklite or IXP…

Open to other boats and builds - including lighter builds.

Located near Boston MA. Ideally find a boat within 3hrs or so… but would drive further for the right boat.

Ideally trying to keep it under $1500… but dream boats are dream boats, and I might be able to squeeze a bit more

Thanks!
Devon

Hemlock Canoe Works Peregrine but sadly even used your talking 2K+...

 

[demo243]

Hemlock Canoe Works Peregrine but sadly even used your talking 2K+...

I’ve been keeping an eye on his site- a couple tempting ones. There is a Bell Merlin II on Umiak’s site in VT too that’s tempting.

The solo market seems to have dried up for the moment- maybe come spring people will pull them back out.

Budget is thin at the moment though so probably relegated to a used Royalex boat at the moment. But still on the hunt!

 

[Gamma1214]

The solo market seems to have dried up for the moment- maybe come spring people will pull them back out.

Budget is thin at the moment though so probably relegated to a used Royalex boat at the moment. But still on the hunt!

Alright, I guess I'll be the one who says it this time... You could always build one. It's easier than you might think and there are lots of people here that will encourage and help. Only downside I've found is that you'll build more than one (I know... tragic, right?)

 

[demo243]

Alright, I guess I'll be the one who says it this time... You could always build one. It's easier than you might think and there are lots of people here that will encourage and help. Only downside I've found is that you'll build more than one (I know... tragic, right?)

The thought has definitely crossed my mind!

I’ve plaid with fiberglass and epoxy briefly before building a couple wood surfboards- and it’s actually pretty simple.

I’d really want to build an IXP type layup which from what I can tell looks like I might need to build a wood one to use as a mold and then build a composite one.

Definitely in consideration!

Not in a rush either so we’ll see

 

[adkjoe]

Dave’s boats are wonderful and I love my Eaglet. I also recently had Dave pull the aluminum trim off my Northstar and re-trim it with wood, came out amazing.

I’ve been keeping an eye on his site- a couple tempting ones. There is a Bell Merlin II on Umiak’s site in VT too that’s tempting.

The solo market seems to have dried up for the moment- maybe come spring people will pull them back out.

Budget is thin at the moment though so probably relegated to a used Royalex boat at the moment. But still on the hunt.