Very informative. I went from a 16 prospector fiberglass to a 16' Kevlar. The weight factor was more the determinant factor. Just too many birthdays to keep portaging the fiberglass one.
Great information and explanation on the areas of a canoe. I am in the market to own my first canoe. Up until now, I’ve been flat water kayaking, so I appreciate your comments on waves and wind :) I have found the versatility of a canoe is unmatched and I am wanting to settle down a bit by taking small day and weekend trips with wife and dog. Taking the gear along we need, and maybe want, is very appealing. Per your advice, I will try to test paddle various canoes before buying one and will do so soon. I feel I still have a few more good years left and want to try and experience something new. I’m almost 71.
Thank you very much for the comment Alan! Im excited for you. Makes me want to go test paddle more canoes. You couldn't be more right about canoes....I don't think there is another watercraft more versatile. Good luck with the new adventure and let me know if you happen to have any questions. All the best Alan.
I know this video is a few years old, but I’ve just got to say I’ve found it really helpful and thanks for the effort 🍻 I’ve paddled kayaks and outrigger canoes over the years, but not really any Canadian canoes. I now live inland and am becoming fascinated by these boats. I’ve watched countless hours of RUclips videos by loads of creators, this video has answered so many questions and helped me quantify what I should be focusing on for my first Canadian canoe. Top job, thanks again 👍
Thanks for posting this! It was really helpful. My husband and I are looking at two Wee Lassies (10’6“)from Slipstream which come in a kevlar hybrid material. I have been putting together a list of questions that I want to ask when I talk to the manufacturer in the next couple of weeks, and your video gave me some ideas about what I needed to add to my list. We have lots of lakes and rivers around us, and most of our canoeing is going to be day tripping. Having helped with canoe tours at our local national park, I thought having two small solo canoes might be a better fit until we are both more experienced. We have enjoyed kayaking and being able to easily come along side each other if we want to talk since both of us have some hearing loss. We also both have some shoulder issues, so being able to get the canoes up onto the car easily as well as being able to use a kayak paddle is important if we are going to use them at least weekly if not daily depending on the time of year. We have one river that runs colder, and the morning air off the water feels amazing when the heat starts to kick in.
I have a 17ft fiberglass Herters canoe that is 60 yrs. old. Bought out of a Herters (out of business) outdoors catalog. Yes it probably the heaviest canoe in existence, but the most stable. Never been capsized great for fishing, have it decked out set up for fishing. Have it on RUclips under - modified fishing canoe. Great video on the types of canoes and the materials used to construct them.
Greetings, you have a great channel here. I particularly like how your relaxed presentation and obvious joy in your films is infectious. I have been canoeing In Canada for almost 20 years and before that over 10 years in the UK. Your advice on buying a canoe is spot on, it is very important for those folks who are getting in to canoeing to have a good understanding of the complexities of the canoe before parting with their hard earned cash. I have a 16' Faber Prospector Bass Canoe in Canvas and bought a Hellman Scout 15'9" last year (Hellman makes canoes in Nelson, BC) The canoe is designed to be a very good whitewater boat, although I am not a big whitewater paddler mor of a big lake paddler in BC, so if a squall comes in quick I can stay afloat!
A comprehensive introduction to how a particular design of canoe will behave on the water in different conditions. Having recently ordered a 16 footer (Enigma Prospector) I now feel more confident it will fulfill my requirements thanks to your assessment. That is to say generally solo, flat water with a sail being fitted to add versatility. So thank you & 'props' to 'Canoe the North. BTW, Canada has to be on my canoeing bucket list. "Bannock for breakfast anyone" ?
Good info . Thank you . I learned what to look for and am more comfortable with the terminology and how it affects the overall actions of the craft in the water .
Thanks for the video! It really helps. I want to buy an Esquif canoe for tripping; 75% Class I to class III rivers, and 25% flat water such as the Okefenokee swamp. Can only afford one boat... I am trying to decide between the Prospecteur 17 and the Canyon. I know the Canyon would hold an edge on moving waters, but I am wondering how exhausting the Canyon would be to paddle on flat-water... If you could only have one of the two boats for what I described, which one would you choose? How does the Canyon and the Prospecteur 17 compare in primary & secondary stabilty?
Well you really couldn't go wrong with either canoe. Its just down to your personal preference really. If you want a canoe thats more maneuverable go with the canyon. If you value slight more speed on flat water go with the prospector. You probably would even notice that much of a difference on flat water to be honest. I paddle a pocket canyon solo on flat water often and it doesn't bother me at all. For 75% river Id personally pick the canyon. As far as stability goes id probably give the edge in primary to the prospector and secondary to the canyon but both are great. We've paddle the canyon empty with a 150lb Newfoundland dog in the middle with no issues. The prospector does feel a little more reassuring though. Both amazing canoe. good luck in the search for a new vessel!
I've been paddling since my teen years.... long time ago haha. Mostly a solo paddler. 1st canoe was a 16' fibreglass St. Maurice. Good durable craft in its day but a bit heavy by today's standards. Next came a 17' Lund aluminum. Light for its size & a great hauler. I got a bracket for motor & put a little 2 hp Johnson on it to cover distance a little quicker. I always wanted a cedar canvas canoe but the opportunity to get one just never materialized. Tried & true construction for a lightweight canoe. The odd one comes up on the used market from time to time.... ;) 2005 I decided to build my own, an option folks may wish to consider. Cedar strip, fibreglass, epoxy. Build process makes for a strong, light monocoque structure. The end result can be a work of art, so not something you want to beat around in whitewater even though it will take a lot of punishment. The 2005 build was a 16' Bob's Special from plans by Bear Mountain Boats. Plans are for a 15' craft but it can be stretched the extra foot by spacing the mold stations farther apart. This is noted on the plans. The Bob's Special is a good all-around stable design & a decent load carrier, particularly if stretched to 16'. 2020 I completed another Bob's, this time the 15' version. Last year I launched a Rob Roy solo, much shorter at just under 13'. Although a canoe, it is paddled like a kayak with double paddle, seat just off the bottom, more or less centered. It's much faster than my 16' Bob's but the tradeoff is lower stability & load carrying capability. Where it shines is in weight savings, 36# vs the Bob's 56#. I can still portage the Bob's for a good distance but getting it up on my shoulders is more difficult as I age haha.
That is so cool. Love hearing about people building their own canoes. Such an art. I’ve watch quite a few videos of people building their own canoes on RUclips and am always so impressed at the skill involved.
@@CanoeTheNorth Thx. Building a strip canoe is more about time & patience vs skill. Basic tools most folks already have on hand & the decision to start the process is really all that's required. There are other build methods as well, stitch & glue, skin on frame etc. Plenty of options.
Hii!! Thank you so much for posting. So grateful to be guided to your video first thing! I wanted to ask if you would mind taking just a couple minutes to skim my answers to your suggested contemplations and recommend a canoe model. Please don’t feel the need to put too much thought into the answer, just give me your first 2 instinctual canoe models or so! This video was incredible!! Thank you again! What am I using my canoe for? (1)lake Ontario (behind the break wall)/Humber river, (2) Algonquin portaging trips and (3) gentle rivers Whitewater rafting: no, not really/minimal Material preference: Kevlar (tripping canoe) Weight - +/- 50 lbs Bottom: flatish (priority is stability) Size - 16-17 foot for tandem and solo Symmetrical - yes Rocker - approx 2 inches Fullness - yess yes please Across - 35/36 inches Sides of canoe: straight ish Such a helpful video, thank you again for the brilliant education. So helpful for anyone starting out!
Hi Eleni. Thanks so much for the comment and I apologize for the delay getting back to you. Ill give you a couple models that I think would work for you. First one would be the the Souris River Quetico 16 or 17. If you were going to be solo more often I would take the 16, otherwise the 17 would probably work a little better. Its a stable canoe thats well made and durable. They are well made and all handmade in Ontario. Ive visited the factory where they are made and they were more then happy to walk me through the whole building process. The only downside with this canoe I've found it that its not most seaworthy. If a lake gets really choppy and you have a good load your probably going to have to get off the water. Otherwise its a great stable easy to paddle canoe. Another option would be the Souris river prospector. It would not be as stable but would be more seaworthy. It all depends on your preference. Another option possibly the Nova craft prospector in blue steel layup. 16-17' models. Most prospectors are kind of a do all canoe. Not great at one thing but very well rounded. Hope this helps a little. Let me know if you have any other questions. I know its hard right now but if you get the chance to try before you buy thats always the best bet. Thanks again.
I have a 17ft michicraft and a 16 ft Grumman aluminum canoes. Both extremely good for tracking and stability. They are really good in small rivers with beaver dams. Don't have to worry about scratches. Heavy to portage.
I have the perfect canoe, one for the river,one for the lake, and one for fishing the ponds. Just looking for my fourth perfect canoe. Good job explaining everything. Now do one on paddles. I’m tired of explaining this to newbies and my son.
Thank you very much for the compliment and we are glad the video possibly helped a little bit. I am definitely not an expert but we do spend months every year paddling around in a canoe. I just wanted to share some of what I have learned along the way from personal experience and I hope it helps people maybe avoid some of the mistakes I've made along the way. Thanks very much for watching and taking the time to leave a nice comment. We really appreciate it. Hope to see you on the water!
Hey Keenan, Hope you and Ashley are doing well . Last year you gave me the advice to not overthink my first canoe and just get something and start paddling and it was the right advice. I bought a 14 foot fibreglass solo boat and installed a yoke and it is 55lbs but I have had a great time in it in the last 1-2 years. I am now thinking about a major upgrade since I love tripping in it and for the most part it’s just me and my dog out for up to 2 weeks. I am looking at a 16 foot Langford Ranger Carbon that weighs under 40 lbs and was thinking this may work great as a solo boat or if someone wanted to join me. It is pretty wide so stable and I plan to only do flat water tripping in it. It’s 3 years old, in great shape and 1/2 of what it costs new. Is this too much boat to solo in which will be 80% of what I do? I am guessing it is symmetrical and I can just solo paddle from the bow seat like most people.
Nice to hear you’re enjoying paddling! Amazing. I don’t think that a 16 foot canoe is too big to solo personally. Bill mason paddled a 16 canoe solo….thats enough for me.
Thanks for this. So much good information and helped me as I'm looking for my second canoe right now. Replacing a fiberglass with something lighter for flatwater. I liked the solo and tandem discussion...exactly what I'm thinking of doing. I need a canoe that can do both. Thinking a 15 or 16 foot prospector.
My canoe is a trilayer Old Town Discovery 158 and it weighs 80 lbs. I paddle it both tandem and solo. I don't have to worry about portaging my canoe here in the South, but the durability is rather helpful. I love the versatility of the canoe. Thanks for the information!
Thanks for watching and commenting. The Old Town Discovery is definitely a tough canoe and yes....there is nothing as versatile as the canoe. They are amazing!
@@CanoeTheNorth What are your thoughts on seat height? I have recently changed my seats to the wood frame seat with the strap weave and I dropped them into the canoe 4 inches to gain a lower center of gravity. I have heard that some paddlers like the nondropped seat for kneeling in the canoe, but I can't do that.
@@inthewoodswithbigfoot3941 I personally much prefer higher seats. I like being able to get my feet under the seat when Im kneeling and I also find a higher seat more comfortable when Im sitting. As you said though if you never kneel and as long as you find the lower seat more comfortable then that's awesome. Having a lower centre of gravity is also a really nice benefit!
I have a Souris River Quantico 18.5. We take 2 kids, a dog, 2 barrels and 4-5 dry bags. Some times we throw in a cooler. It is nice to have the space to be comfortable when tripping.
Hey Aron. The Quetico 18.5 is a beauty canoe. As you said it’s got lots of room for everything and then some. Sounds like you’ve definitely got a good load on board. Hope you have a great paddling season and thanks for the comment!
No doubt, the flat bottom boat is not given credit it deserves, its almost like it though of as a beginner boat, they have so much to bring to the event, shallow draft on low rocky rivers is key, great to stand and pole in with that stable platform and fish from it. I'm all of 145 pounds and can solo a 17 footer but I do like my 15 footer and have a 14 as well. mostly for the weight and getting up some crooked brooks often alder choked etc. Can't have one boat that does it all. Great over view.
Switching to conoe after trying a cayack. Conoes have more stable and can carry more camp gear. I just need to find one light enough to Portage. I am not intenting to hit too much white water Rapids but want the capability if the situation requires me to. I am a new subscriber. Thank you for a general knowledge video for us newbies.
Hello and thanks for the comment. There are certainly many great options out there. It’s hard to beat a prospector model for all around use. Nova craft makes a nice one in several different layups. Blues steel layup seems like a nice option. They also make tougher heavier models that are intended for whitewater. I would highly recommend renting a canoe if possible and try a few different models to see what you like before buying a new one. Hope this helps a little.
Keenan- I have no intention of buying a canoe but found this most interesting! I am a daughter of a father who had his own boat shop where he repaired, did rebuilds and also could build a B.C West Coastal worthy boat, so I saw all that went into the importance of boat construction. Hence my interest to see what all was optional for canoes. A lot of similarities in some areas regarding safety and stability and purpose. BTW- I have never ridden in a canoe. I was one of those with the preconceived idea they were 'tippy' but in watching this video, you showed me it is the choices one makes when purchasing. But: also, in watching some of your trip videos, I did wonder if you (& passengers) ever found yourselves in the water?! 🙃You have been in some pretty choppy water as well as some of the white water patches in some videos I have watched.
That's very interesting. Your father must have been extremely talented. That's an interesting career! We've been lucky that our pups haven't tipped the canoe on us. The only time Ive gone swimming is falling while getting into the canoe!
Hi Trent. Thanks for the comment. I think with most canoes the gelcoat will weight a bit more then that. 4 plus pounds I would think would be fairly common. For some people that weight is 100% worth it. For me personally I would rather add an extra layer of fabric for almost the same weight. Gelcoat does absolutely help add some protection to the canoe material. Also give it some UV protection. Makes for a nice looking canoe as well!
there are many better Old Town options then Discovery. used market you can get th pathfinder or ospray in royalex for fairly cheap. Discovery is 3 ply poly, which isn't bad but heavier
One thing about fibre glass mine isn’t heavy and easy to repair and cheap. Some of your favourite type canoes are vey expensive and most people like to go out fishing once and awhile and not spend a ton of money. My fibre glass only weighs 45 lbs . I’m older now and it’s perfect for me it is a 14 foot. And it also has a keel . Thanks 👍🇨🇦
Just a note to say thanks. I enjoyed your informative and objective insight. I bought my dream canoe a few weeks ago; a 17’ Carbon Innegra Swift Keeywadin. 38 lbs; unbelievable! It’s literally in my living room right now hahaha. I was looking at it thinking man that first load of firewood is gonna be tough; it’s just so nice “right now.” Anyways, you’re videos are inspirational. Thanks, again & Happy paddling!
Hey James. Thank you very much for the comment. You just made our morning!!! That sounds like such a sweet lightweight setup! We know the feeling all to well of that first scratch and rock you didn’t see….it hurts soooo much lol. Hope the new canoe works out great for you and carry’s you to some amazing places. 🛶
On the topic of fiberglass, on the west coast, Clipper canoe still build a majority of there boats in fiberglass, BC has few developed trips that require portage, most of our water is large lakes, or even costal ocean paddling, and when you do the bowron, you just get a cart. Glass is cheaper, fairly strong, and with a gel coat, it has good uv protection for outdoor storage, and very good abrasion resistance to being dragged up and down our rocky beaches. Ultra light weight, and whitewater durability is less important when there's few runnable rivers, and fewer portages [I do prefer Kevlar if I have covered storage and extra cash]
Those are all really great points. We are currently looking at a clipper canoe. They make some really great products meant for big water! We appreciate the comment.
Amazing video! Ive been looking at replacing a canoe thats older then 30years old, 90lbs solid wood 18footer. I am curious at what you might choose in my situation. I'm wanting to get a purely solo canoe that I can have an easier time for backcountry rivers in northern saskatchewan that are connecting into small lakes. Portaging will be common and many back country rivers trips have shown me up north has some nasty rocks and white caps/rapids (not planning on hitting lvl 3 rapids if I can but lvl2 will be somewhat common at times) There's also always a lot of strong endless wind here as well very few calm days if that might influence your choice haha.
Thanks very much for the comment on the video. If I were in your shoes I would probably be looking at something like the nova craft 15’ prospector or and esquif prospector. I have an esquif pocket canyon that I use as a solo canoe and it can basically do anything as well although it’s not the fastest on flats or the best in wind. The prospector is probably the best all around where as the pocket canyon is more suited to river travel and whitewater. Hope this helps a little. Feel free to send me another message if you have any questions.
I've been solo'ing my grumman 17 footer for years now. I'm now looking into a prospector that'll fit my needs more. The grumman is great for stability or tandem stuff. Cheers!
Great content! Thank you. I look forward to exploring your other videos :) Why with the red canoe (tumblehome shape) the waves are more likely to get in as opposed to the straight side? I have looked everywhere for a good, in-depth, extensive book or online course on paddling techniques but no luck. Any suggestions? I want more than just a bite-size, scattered info that exists out there.
Hello and thanks for the comment. You’ve more than likely seen these video but the bill mason video’s available online are must watch films for paddling techniques. Might be a good place to start anyways if you haven’t already watched them.
@@CanoeTheNorth Thank you. Yes, I did see his videos. Very good. One thing that I noticed is that he is raising his hand above his head before he puts his paddle in the water. According to ORCA, it is not a good idea to raise your hand so high as you will get shoulder issues/injuries. What do you think of that?
@@Alien2799 i see what ORCA is saying but if never go against bill mason. He’s just the best ever. I don’t think lifting your arm that way is going to do any harm personally.
Thanks for all the amazing content Keenan and I finally bought my own canoe at the end of the season last year and give it a few years and I’ll buy a really great one when I know a little more. I didn’t want to drop $5K and have buyers remorse so a used one will do now. Can you tell me what sort of canoe repair kit I should carry with me in case disaster strikes in the backcountry? Is some Flextape, zip ties and a bible enough ?
Nice one! Yes that sounds like a great plan. Lots of good used ones available from time to time as well. As far as a repair kit I think you’re on the right track for sure. We actually just watched a good video talking about a repair kit that you might want to check out. Kind of a crazy story as well. ruclips.net/video/4m96YqJrgUk/видео.htmlsi=KJYESYACBQkMZ3U9 Hope this helps and happy paddling!
This video was exactly what I was hoping someone did. I am an avid backpacker and spend a lot of time in the backcountry of Killary and Algonquin with my dog. 2023 I plan to get into doing some trips in a canoe up north and needed a primer like this. From all you said it sounds like a good choice for me is the Prospect (red one you have there) maybe around 15 -16 feet since it has the flat bottom for stability and can be paddled solo which I will do most of and can also have 2 paddle. I wonder what your feelings are about looking for a used ones? What do you look for, or is it one of those things you should just buy new from an outfitter for peace of mind?
Hey Cliff. Thanks for the comment. I think a 15-16 foot canoe would be great for you by the sounds of things. A prospector is a great do it all canoe. I also think that a model like the souris River quetico would be a really good fit for you (prospectors normally have a semi arch hull where as the quetico has a flat Bottom for more initial stability). As far as buying a used canoe goes I think that’s the best option if you can find one. I’ve bought a couple used canoes with no issues at all. Just take a good look at the hull condition. As long as there is no major damage you should be good to go. Some scrapes and scratches I wouldn’t worry about at all. After a couple days of good use a new canoe will look like it’s been on an expedition so don’t worry to much about perfect condition. If you trip in Algonquin and Killarney try renting a couple of different models to see what suits you best if possible. Hope this helps and best of luck with paddling in 2023!!!
You seem like you've been around this stuff for a while now. I'm trying to find something for my daughter and I to fish on lakes with. I've looked at bass boats and party boats, but I don't really feel like launching/towing/storing a big boat right now. I just want to strap something to the top of my truck and get out there. I always wanted a canoe but kept being steered away from them by people saying they tip, consequently I have no boat and missed out on years of experience/knowledge. Zero experience and I'm definitely not a canoe snob or anything like that. Just be real happy to not sink. Some of these waters get pretty cold. And we get a little wind down here from time to time too. Thanks man for any insights you can offer.
Hey Red Stallion. Thanks for the question. I just want to start by saying that everyone I know thinks its insane to canoe with a 150lb dog because canoes are so tippy. Those same people have never been in a stable canoe. There can be a huge difference between different canoes. Thats the issue. There are some canoes that are really stable. Right now we own two canoes that I think are excellent for fishing in. The first is a souris river quetico 18.5. It really is a very stable canoe especially with a little bit of weight in it. Its lightweight and expensive but as far as a lightweight fishing canoe that would be the one I would pick personally. If portaging is not a big concern at all and you want a seriously sea worthy and extremely stable canoe I would look at the esquif miramichi 18 or 20' model. These canoes are absolute tanks on the water. Even completely empty this canoe is stable but loaded I really don't think you could find a more stable canoe. It handles big water easily and is a pleasure to paddle. It's just heavy to portage. The 18' model weight 85lbs and the 20' model is over 100. You can also put a 2.5hp outboard on one of these canoes if you wanted to without and trouble. They are also relatively cheap is the canoe world. We own the 20' model and it is my favourite canoe ever. Sounds like the 18' model would be plenty for you guys though. Another canoe that is worth looking at is called the clipper mackenzie. I have not paddled it but just by looking at the specs I'm sure it would be a great canoe for stability and to paddle. Almost and canoe thats around 40" wide and 18-20' long is almost guaranteed to be a pretty comfortable canoe to fish out of. I hope this helps a little. Let me know if you want any more information on any of this stuff. It can be very overwhelming for sure. hope to see you guys on the water one day!
Nice video All boats are very finicky with design it’s not like a car or truck a little extra weight or different design affects the boat greatly. The size of canoe also depends on size of person. I rebuilt a wood and canvas Huron canoe 14 ft long. I can limit load for a 2 week trip to less than 80 lbs I’m 160 lbs this canoe works For me. A heavy person with a bigger load would require at least 16’ canoe
Hope you guys are doing well and I look forward to more adventure videos. I am a backpacker who wants to get into canoeing and will more than likely do most of my trips in Algonquin. I can rent from an outfitter but I think in the end I’ll just buy something for convenience sake. Most trips will be solo with my dog and I saw on Kijiji a Wenonah Heron 15ft Royalex Canoe for $1500. Does this seem like a reasonable price and a decent first canoe? Thanks again for the great videos you guys make
Hi Cliff. Thanks very much. That canoe seems like it would be a decent option for a first canoe. I’m sure you could probably even get it for a bit less. It seems like people more and more are trying to stay away from royalex canoes. Hope you enjoy whatever canoe you end up getting.
Can you recommend a good 16' tandem canoe (strong but lightweight) for Muskoka lakes,day trips,1-2 night trips. Swift,Nova Craft,H2O, Souris River ...?
Well that is a tough question because everyone likes different styles of canoes. I’m not super familiar with swift canoes so I can’t talk about them. Souris River makes good solid canoe that I know holds up well. Their quetico series are a good choice with more primary stability and their prospector line is more performance oriented. Both sold choices. A lot of good paddlers are using nova craft prospector canoes and I like their blue steel layup. H20 also makes some nice stuff and I would say in general the are also more performance oriented. For a short time I had a h20 canoe in a epoxy pro layup and it was definitely a well made canoe. My biggest advice is to test paddle as many canoes as you can before you make a purchase. If your near Algonquin it would be worth while to rent a few canoes for the weekend and you’ll know really fast what you like and what you don’t. The portage store on canoe lake rents souris River and h20 canoes I believe and Algonquin outfitters on opeongo has swift canoes. Hope this help a little.
16 ft is probably plenty of volume. But go demo lots of them (with representative gear and empty]). You will quickly learn what you like. Later, you will discover your preferred kind of trip. if you feel the current boat is holding you back, you will know exactly what you want to buy next. No one has just one canoe over your entire life.
hey just curious, you used to have a canoe cart video right? i went looking for it the other day and cant remember if it was you guys that had it. also curious why it got taken down of course? lol... Got my first canoe too!!
Hey awesome to hear you got your first canoe! What did you get? We did have a video on the canoe cart that is no longer up. There was an issue with a copyright claim on the music and rather than fight it we decided it was easiest to take the video down. Enjoy the new canoe.
Thanks very much Luke. My opinion on aluminum canoes......well I have no issue at all with them. They are definitely not the lightest but they have their place. They are relatively inexpensive compared to laminate canoes. They are cheap and easy to repair. If your planning on paddling around a lake to do some fishing I think they are great. I wouldn’t personally want to go on long canoe trips with one and would much prefer a Kevlar canoe but if all I have was a aluminum canoe I wouldn’t hesitate to use it. They tend to almost stick to rocks when you hit them as opposed to laminates or plastic canoes. They can be a bit cold and noisy as well. They will however basically last forever and you never need to worry about how they are stored. My dad has has one for years and it’s still going strong. Hope this help a little. Let me know if you have any more questions.
Thank you very much Carl. I think this was one of the first videos we ever made and I’m sure it’s a bit rough but we are glad you found the information useful.
Hey David. That’s a good point. The gel coat is there for some protection to the fabric of the canoe 🛶 for sure. Also makes for a nice looking canoe. It definitely a good option for some people. I personally prefer added layers of material over a gel coat. I find the Kevlar/fiber glass is easy to make look like new with either polyurethane or epoxy. Some expedition canoes use both gelcoat and added layers for maximum durability. I always like the look of a gelcoat just don’t find the weight worth it for me personally. Appreciate the comment.
@@CanoeTheNorth After "Glad you found the video helpful. The...." none of your reply came through. Could you please try again....I'm really interested in your experiences with the Miramichi 20. All the best !
Hey Uri. Not sure what that reply didn't post but ill try again. The Miramich 20 is my favourite canoe to paddle. This thing is a beast on the water and handles really well considering its huge size. It is a real pain to portage though because of its weight. As far as paddling solo although its not impossible it is just too big. It catches the wind like crazy and it so wide. Its meant for big water, big rivers and long trips with lots of gear. It is so stable and solid and we love it. It's my favourite canoe in our fleet.
My Swift Kipawa is an excellent canoe to paddle both Solo and Tandem and it is an asymmetrical design. So just because its not symmetrical doesnt mean you cant paddle it solo.
Absolutely Brandyn. You can paddle any canoe solo. Looks like you have a kneeling thwart installed possibly? That would work well. I’m not a huge fan of kneeling all day and but some people prefer it and that’s awesome. Thanks for watching Brandon.
Hi Roger. I like the blue steel layup from Nova craft from what I have heard. I’ve never personally used one but there are some really good paddlers that use nova craft canoes in blue steel. For the Yukon River basically any canoe that isn’t overloaded will do just fine. It’s mostly sandy or gravelly and the only real rapids are just big waves with no rocks to smack into. I’m sure the blue steel layup could take some abuse but if you mostly run whitewater I might look at a different layup. Hopefully this helps Roger.
Hello, I assume that those are Bourquin boats yoke pads you have. How do you like them? Do you feel you can portage with more comfort/ a little farther with them on? TIA
Wooo that’s a cool trip! For that kind of trip where weight is really a non issue so you don’t need an ultralight canoe I would maybe look at an esquif prospector 15 or something similar to that design. Very seaworthy, stable, tough canoe. Nova craft and others make a similar model. Hope that helps a little. We would love to do that route one day.
Good video, but there are lots of pretty good fibreglass tripping canoes still being made by Clipper, Trailhead, NovaCraft to name a few. I have a fiberglass Trailhead Prospector 16, its a pretty nice boat, have also paddled a fiberglass Clipper Tripper quite a bit, also a good tripping boat.
Thanks very much. I agree. There are plenty of good fibreglass canoes out there. As you said with nova craft and clipper offering all of their models in a fibreglass layup. Quite a bit cheaper than Kevlar that’s for sure. I think if people are doing a lot of portaging and can afford it the benefits of Kevlar are pretty nice but there is nothing wrong with fibreglass. Thanks again.
@@CanoeTheNorth was thinking about how you were talking about the Quetico on Lake Huron (I also do a fair bit if great lakes as well as some ocean paddling). I can think of almost no benefit to a Kevlar canoe on the great lakes aside from the 2 minute carry from the car to the water.
I am looking to get a canoe for the family (kids aged 7, 5, and 3, with one adult - I am a single parent) to start using while car camping, as well as introducing them to wilderness tripping - something I grew up doing and where my heart lays. I have lots of canoe experience but my children do not. Because they do not have much experience, and no available second adult to stern, I am not willing to get two small canoes. I am considering one larger canoe for now and then later down the road getting something smaller for solo/tandem use. I have been considering a 17 prospector (swift or nova craft), 17.5 prospector (Souris River), Quetico 17 or 18.5 (souris river), 18 prospector (nova craft), 16’6” prospector (holy cow) and a 17’4” explorer (holy cow canoe) all with 3rd seat options. I’m still undecided on materials for each. I’m leaning more towards a Kevlar or tough stuff, maybe blue steel. I like the durability of tformex but that’s some heavy weight to portage alone while having to carry everything else myself as well. I know ultimately there will be compromises but I want to make sure that I will not be overblown by wind while day tripping with minimal weight, but still am able to trip in it when I want to as well. I don’t see us becoming a two tandem canoe family for a very long time. Any thoughts, comments, or suggestions? It’s greatly appreciated.
Hi Jay. First just want to say that I give you all the credit in the world for taking three kids tripping by yourself. Lots of work but very rewarding no doubt. As far as canoes go out of the ones you had listed I would probably lean more toward the larger ones. Owning a quetico 18.5 I could 100% see this canoe working for you guys. It’s got lots of room, stable, and light. I haven’t paddled the nova craft prospector 18 but I would imagine that it would work very well for you. I don’t have experience with nova craft but I like the sounds of their blue steel layup. If I were you I would go to a place like Algonquin (I have no idea where you are located) and rent a quetico 17 and then a 18.5 just to see the difference in size and how they feel. I would imagine you would appreciate the little bit of extra room in the bigger canoe but I could be wrong. Another canoe you maybe want to look at is the clipper Mackenzie 18.5. We actually just received a Mackenzie 20’ canoe a couple days ago and it’s beautiful and well built. Hope this helps a little. There are so many choices and layups it can certainly be a tough decision. Hope you guys have an amazing paddling season.
How long can you partage a 75 lb canoe before needing a break? I’ve only portaged 50 lb canoes and after 1km I was pretty gassed. But I do want t-formex in the future.
hmmm thats a good question. Id say that on a fairly level maintained portage trail I could carry a 75 lb canoe around kilometre maybe 1.5 kms before stopping for a minute to give my shoulders a break. Nice to have those 50lb canoes on portage intense trips.
A big part of how long you can carry a canoe during a portage depends on how in shape you are. If you're used to hiking or backpacking, then portaging a canoe wil be much easier. One of the things I do is workout with my canoe long before going tripping, just the same as you do for bowhunting, where you practice with your bow long before season begins. I walk with my canoe on my shoulders, increasing the distance over a series of days and weeks. I also practice picking up and putting down my canoe to build those muscles, and reduce the chances of an injury or accident while out in the backcountry. I have portaged my OT Charles River over 2.5 miles with only stopping halfway to shuttle all of my gear and saving having to make the full trip twice. So 1.25 miles was not a problem, but, again, I had trained to be able to carry my canoe, just the same as I'd do with a backpack before a long backpacking trip. If you're going to do long distance canoe tripping, you want to make sure you're in shape to do so, and minimize the chance of injury.
maybe i missed it but you didnt mention aluminum canoes like the sportspal style. what are your thoughts for fighing, and being able to stand and cast?
Hey Willie. I think I briefly talked about aluminum canoes but didn't really go into a whole lot of detail. I think if your not doing a whole lot of portaging and want something affordable and stable there is probably not a better option. My dad has had one for years and they are basically bullet proof. Great option for fishing.
So yeah, very informaitive. Cheers! I believe many people appreciate the time and effort put into such topics. From Vancouver Island, I encounter ALL manners of terrain. T-formex looks like the economic winner - inegra (sp) is clearly the better choice, but, yowch, $$$$. Love the Esquif label, being Canadian. Mostly lake trip with occasional WW. Now, don't get me wrong, I ain't trolling for advice...but the Pocket Canyon looks okay, n'est pas?
Hey Gord. I love my pocket canyon. As long as you’ve got a good J stroke it’s totally fine in flat water and a lot of fun on moving water. Also tough as hell. We’ve been lucky and been able to find both esquif canoes we own used for a very cheap price. Good luck in the search.
Hey Keenan. Just an update. Decided on the Esquif Adirondack. Given the Vancouver Island terrain and total lack of portage trails, I feel it is the best option. Solo traveller, small footprint, good volume and not a bad weight. I appreciate your responding and advice. Looking forward to more vids. Heck, I may even post some! 😀 cheers.
What canoe would you suggest that could be used solo or tandem, and is lightweight, cover long distances (but could handle the occasional rapid) , and carry camping gear for multi day paddling trips?
Hi Emily. Well there are a lot of options but it sounds like you may eat to look for something in the 16' range if you are planning on paddling solo sometimes. The most all around canoe you can buy is almost always a prospector. Every manufacture has their own take it. Souris river makes nice canoes and do a 16' prospector as well as another model called the Quetico which can be paddled solo and would have a little more initial stability but not be as good on rivers or whitewater. Nova craft makes nice canoes as well and offer a 16' prospector in a blue steel layup which is fairly light. Im not all that familiar with swift canoes but they would offer something similar Im sure. H20 also has their 16' prospector and offer a big range of layups. If I could give any advice I would say try to test paddle or even rent several different canoes before spending thousands on a new canoe if possible. Some manufactures will meet up with you for a test paddle depending on where you live. Let me know if you have any more questions. Hopefully this helped a little.
My MAIN PROBLEM is when you CAN NOT to choose a canoe, becausr you CAN NOT ANY MODEL of canoe in you country (some part of Europe), FANTASTIC USA and Canada brands dont exist here, sadily, there few (if nothing to choose), only by websites (very few models)
I recently inherited my deceased grandfather's canoe. It's fiberglass and VERY old although it's in great shape! Do you have any advice for me? The canoe is HUGE! I'm going to guess around 20 feet give or take. I haven't checked yet.
Hi Hanna. Sounds like a beast of a canoe. I love it! Well it all depends on what you want to do with it really. It’s sounds like it’s probably more of a stay at the cottage style of canoe then a lightweight tripping canoe that’s for sure. There’s nothing wrong with fibreglass canoes though. They last forever. If there is something specific your interested in let me know and thanks for watching.
I had never heard of Souris River canoes until I watched this video. I guess you like them. Out my way (central east Ontario), Swift, Langford and Nova Craft seem to be the dominant Canadian players. I'm not into brands...I'm into a damn good canoe for my dollar. Do the Souris River make great canoes for the Loonie?
Hey Ian. Ive paddled my sours river quetico 18.5 for the past 5 years maybe. Its been a really good canoe and I have no complaints on its build quality at all. Well made, really tough and light. I wish it was deeper and able to handle big water a little better. As far as good value though I think it's a good value for sure. I would imagine one of their canoes would last most people a lifetime. You can find them used to which is always nice. If you get the chance take on out for a paddle and let me know what you think. I think some rental places carry them (portage store algonquin).
I have a Souris River Quetico 16. I rented and tried about 7 or 8 different canoe models and liked the Souris River the best by a country mile. Very light weight and carried lots of gear. We could do a one week canoe trips with two humans and three 45 lb dogs. It was supper tough and you could ram rocks (not intentional) with just some cosmetic scratches. We also intentionally rammed beaver dams (fully loaded) so it was easier to drag it the rest of the way over - no problems.
@@davesutherland1864 As luck would have it, our cottage is quite near Swift's South River location. We stopped by as we closed the cottage this past Thanksgiving and, after a bit of dickering, walked away with a new-to-us 16' Keewaydin Kevlar Fusion boat. It's 38lbs which for my old back and knees is perfect. My wife and I put in about 50km before the snow flew last season. And this year, we did a short back country trip and it worked like a charm. It easily carried our 60L barrel, Eureka dry bag pack, my large camera bag and another largish pack. Space was not an issue and the canoe was very stable and fast.
Great job man. In the market right now. My wife and I aren't pro's but we have tripped numerous times and are completely comfortable in a canoe. We want to do some light tripping (say, a 5-day back country trip through Algonquin) but we are over 60 now and my knees are a bit beat up from sports. We are looking for a lighter canoe for sure. For sure we need a canoe for 2 people but I'd want one that will work well solo. We want a Canadian made canoe. Any thoughts? (Besides renting.) Langford-Swift-Nova Craft? Thanks for this video.
Hey Brain Freeze. Thanks for the comment and kind works. I think a 16 foot prospector would work great for the kind of trips your looking at. I like the nova craft prospector 16 in the blue steel layup. I think its just under 50lbs and is a little bit bigger and deeper than most prospectors out there. Swift and souris river also make very similar models that can be 10+ pounds lighter. The sours river quetico 16 could also work. I really like my quetico 18.5 but wish is was deeper and able to handle bigger water a little better. H2O canoe also make a nice canoe and I think they are well made. I have test paddled some of their canoes and the owner is able to customize the canoe whichever way you like it. He also can normally arrange for test paddles. Hope that gives you a few models to look into. Feel free to send me another message if you have any questions you think I might be able to help with.
I watched this video last year and pretty much decided Souris River was what I wanted. Then we rented we an H20 16’ 4 Prospector from the Portage Store in Algonquin last year, nice and light, handled well too. After that we were sold on it, plus this anti vaxx nonsense from Souris sealed the deal. Just placed the order with H20, the owner was great to deal with, is customizing it how we like no problem. Can’t wait to get it on the water this spring/summer. Love the channel, thanks for all the tips and tricks, you guys even helped out with the type of coffee I bring now, keep up the great work
Thanks Aryu. H20 makes some nice stuff. We actually had one of Jeffs canoes and he does a great job with the customization. Hope you have a great paddling season in your new canoe!
Just an update: We ended up getting a "new to us" 16' Swift Keewaydin (kevlar fusion) We were up at the cottage over the Thanksgiving weekend and stopped by their South River outfitting location and low and behold, they had one available. A very nice boat that is fast is paddles like a dream. 38lbs.
Hey Mort. Thanks for the comment. We have lots of footage of using a few different canoes. Feel free to check out the rest of our videos. Thanks again!
Hi Matt. The plugs are for a spray deck that lashes onto those loops. I glued in lightweight anchor points on the inside of the canoe and then just use some lightweight line and a cam lock to strap everything in. Maybe I’ll make a quick video to show the setup. Let me know if you need any more info.
@@CanoeTheNorth A spray deck? When do you need that? Also, would love to see a video on that and the Straps you put on. How did you add those straps to the inside of the hull near the centre of the boat? Did SR do this for you or was it done after market?
Hi Matt. As far as the attachment points I glued them all on myself. I’ll make a video in the next couple of weeks hopefully because I have to do the same mod in a couple other canoes we have. A spray skirt basically keeps you dry when going through big waves. It also helps reduce the effect of wind. It can be a little bit warmer as well if it’s really cold out. It’s really good for whitewater though. Hope this helps.
Just to be picky, and to add comments to your videos, I believe the weight comes from the glue or epoxy they use to bond the fabric, and not the actual amount of fabric.
Hey Jim. Ya it would be interesting to know the exact breakdown of weight of fabric to epoxy. I'll have to send a few emails and see if I can find out. Thanks for the comment.
I do have the Esquif Miramichi. Other then portages it is my favourite canoe. It’s an absolute beast on big water. We have the 20’ model. Esquif came out with an 18’ model this year. Are you thinking about getting one or do you already own one?
@@CanoeTheNorth Definitely thinking about getting the 20 footer. Great to hear that you're very happy with how it handles big water. Portaging is not a concern for most our trips since we've been doing primarily 4-6 day island camping on lakes. This year we had a bit of a scare in our loaded 17 foot Grumman rental in 1-2 foot steep chop and 15mph winds so me and my wife both decided then and there when we buy a canoe we'll need a bigger canoe. We bring firewood too so a boat will inevitably carry 200 pounds extra right there. We kayak and kayak/camp around islands in the Long Island sound too, and seems the Miramichi 20 could work well there as well. Especially if taking a non-boater friend.
I think you have the perfect canoe then in the Miramichi. It’s on another level compared to almost every canoe out there. We can load 2 people, 2 dogs (200lbs total) and gear/ supplies for 1 month plus and still have so much freeboard. We have taken it on everything from rivers in the Yukon to Lake Superior and it’s just a beast of a canoe. Hope you get one. Let me know what you end up doing. I would love to hear your thoughts afterwords.
Your reply didn't come through....after "Glad you found the video helpful. The"......none of your reply came through.....I'm really interested in your experiences with the Miramichi 20. All the best !
@@CanoeTheNorth it’s all good haha, but yes love mine. Got it off a buddy it was his granddads from the 1950’s. Needs a bit of work. But plenty of enjoyment for the time being. A canvas was added a while back. I may convert it back to canvas-less
Ive paddled both the quetico 18.5 and the keewayden 18.6. The keewayden is better in my opinion. It tracks better and is faster. Just feels like a more refined boat. I don’t know which one is more durable, both felt similar for durability.
Going to disagree on fiberglass canoe comments. You can get them made. I have had two made lately. I also have two older ones manufactured in 1982 and 1993. The selling points for me are 1. good price, 2. UV resistance (can live on the roof racks for weeks or outside in a shaded area, 3. Mid point on weight, 4. stiffer and paddle better than most other boats in same design (second to carbon). 5. Very easy to repair. 6. They last a lifetime.
@@CanoeTheNorth Thanks for putting these videos together. I have enjoyed them a lot. Algonquin is on my list of must go places. I plan to bring my kevlar canoe! :)
I’m sure it’s a nice little canoe. I have tried 6 different esquif canoes and enjoyed paddling all of them. Bang for buck I don’t think you can beat esquif.
Hi JB. If I was in your shoes a canoe like the souris river quetico 18.5 would work really well depending on the age and size of your children. I don't think i would go any shorter than 18-18.5 and might even go with a 20 footer depending on the length of trips you want to go on. Are you looking to portage a lot? If weight is not super important something like the esquif Miramichi 18 might work well. A lot cheaper very stable. Im not sure where about you are located. if your in the west Clipper make a canoe called the mackenzie 18.5 which would work well Im sure. If you are in the states northstar makes a northward 18 and 20 that would probably work as well as a b19 which would work as well. Nova craft in S. Ontario make an 18' prospector that looks like a nice canoe. Maybe this will give you a couple options to look at. Feel free to send me another message if you want any more info. Hope it helps a little bit anyways!
@@CanoeTheNorth Cool, thanks for the info. I’m in California. I like to fish in the lakes in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Just came back from Lake Powell, Utah. Could’ve used a kayak or canoe.
![How to get BACK IN when your Canoe tips over [SOLO]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/lFP1cHGVQkM/mqdefault.jpg)
Very informative. I went from a 16 prospector fiberglass to a 16' Kevlar. The weight factor was more the determinant factor. Just too many birthdays to keep portaging the fiberglass one.
Nice canoe. Can’t go wrong with the prospector!
Great information and explanation on the areas of a canoe. I am in the market to own my first canoe. Up until now, I’ve been flat water kayaking, so I appreciate your comments on waves and wind :) I have found the versatility of a canoe is unmatched and I am wanting to settle down a bit by taking small day and weekend trips with wife and dog. Taking the gear along we need, and maybe want, is very appealing. Per your advice, I will try to test paddle various canoes before buying one and will do so soon. I feel I still have a few more good years left and want to try and experience something new. I’m almost 71.
Thank you very much for the comment Alan! Im excited for you. Makes me want to go test paddle more canoes. You couldn't be more right about canoes....I don't think there is another watercraft more versatile. Good luck with the new adventure and let me know if you happen to have any questions. All the best Alan.
I know this video is a few years old, but I’ve just got to say I’ve found it really helpful and thanks for the effort 🍻
I’ve paddled kayaks and outrigger canoes over the years, but not really any Canadian canoes. I now live inland and am becoming fascinated by these boats. I’ve watched countless hours of RUclips videos by loads of creators, this video has answered so many questions and helped me quantify what I should be focusing on for my first Canadian canoe.
Top job, thanks again 👍
Almost forgot I’d made this video. Glad you found it useful. Appreciate the comment and happy paddling.
Thanks for posting this! It was really helpful. My husband and I are looking at two Wee Lassies (10’6“)from Slipstream which come in a kevlar hybrid material. I have been putting together a list of questions that I want to ask when I talk to the manufacturer in the next couple of weeks, and your video gave me some ideas about what I needed to add to my list. We have lots of lakes and rivers around us, and most of our canoeing is going to be day tripping. Having helped with canoe tours at our local national park, I thought having two small solo canoes might be a better fit until we are both more experienced. We have enjoyed kayaking and being able to easily come along side each other if we want to talk since both of us have some hearing loss. We also both have some shoulder issues, so being able to get the canoes up onto the car easily as well as being able to use a kayak paddle is important if we are going to use them at least weekly if not daily depending on the time of year. We have one river that runs colder, and the morning air off the water feels amazing when the heat starts to kick in.
That’s awesome. Happy
Paddling and good luck looking for the new craft!!! It’s always exciting.
I have a 17ft fiberglass Herters canoe that is 60 yrs. old. Bought out of a Herters (out of business) outdoors catalog. Yes it probably the heaviest canoe in existence, but the most stable. Never been capsized great for fishing, have it decked out set up for fishing. Have it on RUclips under - modified fishing canoe. Great video on the types of canoes and the materials used to construct them.
Thanks Mike. Sounds like you’ve your yourself a good solid workhorse of a canoe! Having that stability for fishing is so nice.
Greetings, you have a great channel here. I particularly like how your relaxed presentation and obvious joy in your films is infectious. I have been canoeing In Canada for almost 20 years and before that over 10 years in the UK. Your advice on buying a canoe is spot on, it is very important for those folks who are getting in to canoeing to have a good understanding of the complexities of the canoe before parting with their hard earned cash. I have a 16' Faber Prospector Bass Canoe in Canvas and bought a Hellman Scout 15'9" last year (Hellman makes canoes in Nelson, BC) The canoe is designed to be a very good whitewater boat, although I am not a big whitewater paddler mor of a big lake paddler in BC, so if a squall comes in quick I can stay afloat!
Thank you. I always like those whitewater canoes on big lakes. They work great. Appreciate the comment very much. Happy paddling.
Great video Lot of helpful information Thanks!
Thanks for the message. Appreciate your support!
A comprehensive introduction to how a particular design of canoe will behave on the water in different conditions. Having recently ordered a 16 footer (Enigma Prospector) I now feel more confident it will fulfill my requirements thanks to your assessment. That is to say generally solo, flat water with a sail being fitted to add versatility. So thank you & 'props' to 'Canoe the North. BTW, Canada has to be on my canoeing bucket list. "Bannock for breakfast anyone" ?
Sounds like you have found your perfect canoe! All the best in the new year with your new craft. Thanks Suzy. 🛶
Thank you for the clear information! It's hard to come by more localized recommendations and advice for paddlers in Ontario.
Thanks for taking the time to post a comment Vincent. Appreciate it!!!
Good info . Thank you . I learned what to look for and am more comfortable with the terminology and how it affects the overall actions of the craft in the water .
Thanks Wayne. Glad you got some useful information out of that video. 🛶
Watched this a number of times and will probably watch it again... great information and advice!
Thanks Mike. I was probably a little long winded in the video but I feel like I could talk about canoes all day. Thanks for the comment.
I haven't canoed in years and I'm so excited to get back at it! Thanks for your videos.
Hope you have a year full of adventures. Thanks Ian.
Thanks for the video! It really helps.
I want to buy an Esquif canoe for tripping; 75% Class I to class III rivers, and 25% flat water such as the Okefenokee swamp. Can only afford one boat... I am trying to decide between the Prospecteur 17 and the Canyon. I know the Canyon would hold an edge on moving waters, but I am wondering how exhausting the Canyon would be to paddle on flat-water... If you could only have one of the two boats for what I described, which one would you choose?
How does the Canyon and the Prospecteur 17 compare in primary & secondary stabilty?
Well you really couldn't go wrong with either canoe. Its just down to your personal preference really. If you want a canoe thats more maneuverable go with the canyon. If you value slight more speed on flat water go with the prospector. You probably would even notice that much of a difference on flat water to be honest. I paddle a pocket canyon solo on flat water often and it doesn't bother me at all. For 75% river Id personally pick the canyon.
As far as stability goes id probably give the edge in primary to the prospector and secondary to the canyon but both are great. We've paddle the canyon empty with a 150lb Newfoundland dog in the middle with no issues. The prospector does feel a little more reassuring though. Both amazing canoe. good luck in the search for a new vessel!
@@CanoeTheNorth Thank you for the advice.
I've been paddling since my teen years.... long time ago haha. Mostly a solo paddler. 1st canoe was a 16' fibreglass St. Maurice. Good durable craft in its day but a bit heavy by today's standards. Next came a 17' Lund aluminum. Light for its size & a great hauler. I got a bracket for motor & put a little 2 hp Johnson on it to cover distance a little quicker. I always wanted a cedar canvas canoe but the opportunity to get one just never materialized. Tried & true construction for a lightweight canoe. The odd one comes up on the used market from time to time.... ;)
2005 I decided to build my own, an option folks may wish to consider. Cedar strip, fibreglass, epoxy. Build process makes for a strong, light monocoque structure. The end result can be a work of art, so not something you want to beat around in whitewater even though it will take a lot of punishment. The 2005 build was a 16' Bob's Special from plans by Bear Mountain Boats. Plans are for a 15' craft but it can be stretched the extra foot by spacing the mold stations farther apart. This is noted on the plans. The Bob's Special is a good all-around stable design & a decent load carrier, particularly if stretched to 16'.
2020 I completed another Bob's, this time the 15' version. Last year I launched a Rob Roy solo, much shorter at just under 13'. Although a canoe, it is paddled like a kayak with double paddle, seat just off the bottom, more or less centered. It's much faster than my 16' Bob's but the tradeoff is lower stability & load carrying capability. Where it shines is in weight savings, 36# vs the Bob's 56#. I can still portage the Bob's for a good distance but getting it up on my shoulders is more difficult as I age haha.
That is so cool. Love hearing about people building their own canoes. Such an art. I’ve watch quite a few videos of people building their own canoes on RUclips and am always so impressed at the skill involved.
@@CanoeTheNorth Thx. Building a strip canoe is more about time & patience vs skill. Basic tools most folks already have on hand & the decision to start the process is really all that's required. There are other build methods as well, stitch & glue, skin on frame etc. Plenty of options.
Hii!! Thank you so much for posting. So grateful to be guided to your video first thing! I wanted to ask if you would mind taking just a couple minutes to skim my answers to your suggested contemplations and recommend a canoe model. Please don’t feel the need to put too much thought into the answer, just give me your first 2 instinctual canoe models or so! This video was incredible!! Thank you again!
What am I using my canoe for? (1)lake Ontario (behind the break wall)/Humber river, (2) Algonquin portaging trips and (3) gentle rivers
Whitewater rafting: no, not really/minimal
Material preference: Kevlar (tripping canoe)
Weight - +/- 50 lbs
Bottom: flatish (priority is stability)
Size - 16-17 foot for tandem and solo
Symmetrical - yes
Rocker - approx 2 inches
Fullness - yess yes please
Across - 35/36 inches
Sides of canoe: straight ish
Such a helpful video, thank you again for the brilliant education. So helpful for anyone starting out!
Hi Eleni. Thanks so much for the comment and I apologize for the delay getting back to you. Ill give you a couple models that I think would work for you.
First one would be the the Souris River Quetico 16 or 17. If you were going to be solo more often I would take the 16, otherwise the 17 would probably work a little better. Its a stable canoe thats well made and durable. They are well made and all handmade in Ontario. Ive visited the factory where they are made and they were more then happy to walk me through the whole building process. The only downside with this canoe I've found it that its not most seaworthy. If a lake gets really choppy and you have a good load your probably going to have to get off the water. Otherwise its a great stable easy to paddle canoe.
Another option would be the Souris river prospector. It would not be as stable but would be more seaworthy. It all depends on your preference.
Another option possibly the Nova craft prospector in blue steel layup. 16-17' models. Most prospectors are kind of a do all canoe. Not great at one thing but very well rounded.
Hope this helps a little. Let me know if you have any other questions. I know its hard right now but if you get the chance to try before you buy thats always the best bet. Thanks again.
Wow!! Thank you so much for taking the time to write out your recommendations. This helps so much!! Hope you have a beautiful summer out on the water!
Awesome information nice and clear no crap . Great job thanks .🇨🇦👍
Thanks Tom. Appreciate you taking the time to post a comment. Glad the information in the video was helpful!
You did a great job explaining advantages and disadvantages of different canoes ., Thanks tons . 👍🇨🇦
Thanks for taking the time to post a nice comment! Glad you got some information out of the video. See you on the water!
I have a 17ft michicraft and a 16 ft Grumman aluminum canoes.
Both extremely good for tracking and stability. They are really good in small rivers with beaver dams. Don't have to worry about scratches.
Heavy to portage.
Very cool. Nothing wrong with an aluminum canoe. Very tough and as you said you don’t have to worry about scratches. Enjoy the paddling season.
I have the perfect canoe, one for the river,one for the lake, and one for fishing the ponds. Just looking for my fourth perfect canoe. Good job explaining everything. Now do one on paddles. I’m tired of explaining this to newbies and my son.
Paddle talk....good idea, Thank you!
cant tell but I think I lucked out in researching canoes with you! You sound like you know your stuff!
Thank you very much for the compliment and we are glad the video possibly helped a little bit. I am definitely not an expert but we do spend months every year paddling around in a canoe. I just wanted to share some of what I have learned along the way from personal experience and I hope it helps people maybe avoid some of the mistakes I've made along the way. Thanks very much for watching and taking the time to leave a nice comment. We really appreciate it. Hope to see you on the water!
Great Advice on how to select a canoe... so many brands, materials and styles... your advice is Bang on my friend... Dennis, Canoehound Adventures
Thanks very much Dennis! I appreciate that feedback very much. Find what works for you. There’s a canoe for everyone!!!
Hey Keenan, Hope you and Ashley are doing well . Last year you gave me the advice to not overthink my first canoe and just get something and start paddling and it was the right advice. I bought a 14 foot fibreglass solo boat and installed a yoke and it is 55lbs but I have had a great time in it in the last 1-2 years. I am now thinking about a major upgrade since I love tripping in it and for the most part it’s just me and my dog out for up to 2 weeks. I am looking at a 16 foot Langford Ranger Carbon that weighs under 40 lbs and was thinking this may work great as a solo boat or if someone wanted to join me. It is pretty wide so stable and I plan to only do flat water tripping in it. It’s 3 years old, in great shape and 1/2 of what it costs new. Is this too much boat to solo in which will be 80% of what I do? I am guessing it is symmetrical and I can just solo paddle from the bow seat like most people.
Nice to hear you’re enjoying paddling! Amazing. I don’t think that a 16 foot canoe is too big to solo personally. Bill mason paddled a 16 canoe solo….thats enough for me.
Good information, I'd add the best canoe to get is the one you can afford that gets you out there on adventures. That's what I did.
Your 100% right!
Thanks for this. So much good information and helped me as I'm looking for my second canoe right now. Replacing a fiberglass with something lighter for flatwater. I liked the solo and tandem discussion...exactly what I'm thinking of doing. I need a canoe that can do both. Thinking a 15 or 16 foot prospector.
Glad you found it helpful Aaron. I think a 16’ prospector is about as versatile as it gets. Thanks for watching and commenting!
My canoe is a trilayer Old Town Discovery 158 and it weighs 80 lbs. I paddle it both tandem and solo. I don't have to worry about portaging my canoe here in the South, but the durability is rather helpful. I love the versatility of the canoe. Thanks for the information!
Thanks for watching and commenting. The Old Town Discovery is definitely a tough canoe and yes....there is nothing as versatile as the canoe. They are amazing!
@@CanoeTheNorth What are your thoughts on seat height? I have recently changed my seats to the wood frame seat with the strap weave and I dropped them into the canoe 4 inches to gain a lower center of gravity. I have heard that some paddlers like the nondropped seat for kneeling in the canoe, but I can't do that.
@@inthewoodswithbigfoot3941 I personally much prefer higher seats. I like being able to get my feet under the seat when Im kneeling and I also find a higher seat more comfortable when Im sitting. As you said though if you never kneel and as long as you find the lower seat more comfortable then that's awesome. Having a lower centre of gravity is also a really nice benefit!
I have a Souris River Quantico 18.5. We take 2 kids, a dog, 2 barrels and 4-5 dry bags. Some times we throw in a cooler. It is nice to have the space to be comfortable when tripping.
Hey Aron. The Quetico 18.5 is a beauty canoe. As you said it’s got lots of room for everything and then some. Sounds like you’ve definitely got a good load on board. Hope you have a great paddling season and thanks for the comment!
No doubt, the flat bottom boat is not given credit it deserves, its almost like it though of as a beginner boat, they have so much to bring to the event, shallow draft on low rocky rivers is key, great to stand and pole in with that stable platform and fish from it. I'm all of 145 pounds and can solo a 17 footer but I do like my 15 footer and have a 14 as well. mostly for the weight and getting up some crooked brooks often alder choked etc. Can't have one boat that does it all. Great over view.
Thank you. Yes no one canoe can do it all! Appreciate the comment very much. Happy paddling this spring. 🛶
Switching to conoe after trying a cayack. Conoes have more stable and can carry more camp gear. I just need to find one light enough to Portage. I am not intenting to hit too much white water Rapids but want the capability if the situation requires me to. I am a new subscriber. Thank you for a general knowledge video for us newbies.
Hello and thanks for the comment. There are certainly many great options out there. It’s hard to beat a prospector model for all around use. Nova craft makes a nice one in several different layups. Blues steel layup seems like a nice option. They also make tougher heavier models that are intended for whitewater. I would highly recommend renting a canoe if possible and try a few different models to see what you like before buying a new one. Hope this helps a little.
Keenan- I have no intention of buying a canoe but found this most interesting! I am a daughter of a father who had his own boat shop where he repaired, did rebuilds and also could build a B.C West Coastal worthy boat, so I saw all that went into the importance of boat construction. Hence my interest to see what all was optional for canoes. A lot of similarities in some areas regarding safety and stability and purpose. BTW- I have never ridden in a canoe. I was one of those with the preconceived idea they were 'tippy' but in watching this video, you showed me it is the choices one makes when purchasing. But: also, in watching some of your trip videos, I did wonder if you (& passengers) ever found yourselves in the water?! 🙃You have been in some pretty choppy water as well as some of the white water patches in some videos I have watched.
That's very interesting. Your father must have been extremely talented. That's an interesting career! We've been lucky that our pups haven't tipped the canoe on us. The only time Ive gone swimming is falling while getting into the canoe!
That paint at most weighs 1 pound when dried on even the largest 17-19 foot boats. It also helps protect that material and glue.
Hi Trent. Thanks for the comment. I think with most canoes the gelcoat will weight a bit more then that. 4 plus pounds I would think would be fairly common. For some people that weight is 100% worth it. For me personally I would rather add an extra layer of fabric for almost the same weight. Gelcoat does absolutely help add some protection to the canoe material. Also give it some UV protection. Makes for a nice looking canoe as well!
Old Town Discovery 133 I think would meet must of my needs . At 72yrs old my adventures have taken on a slower pace . Yet this craft multi functional.
Cant go wrong with one of those old towns. They have been making canoes for a long time now.
there are many better Old Town options then Discovery. used market you can get th pathfinder or ospray in royalex for fairly cheap. Discovery is 3 ply poly, which isn't bad but heavier
One thing about fibre glass mine isn’t heavy and easy to repair and cheap. Some of your favourite type canoes are vey expensive and most people like to go out fishing once and awhile and not spend a ton of money. My fibre glass only weighs 45 lbs . I’m older now and it’s perfect for me it is a 14 foot. And it also has a keel . Thanks 👍🇨🇦
Sounds like a perfect canoe to get out on the water Tom. Nice and light as well. Thanks for the comment!
Just a note to say thanks. I enjoyed your informative and objective insight.
I bought my dream canoe a few weeks ago; a 17’ Carbon Innegra Swift Keeywadin. 38 lbs; unbelievable! It’s literally in my living room right now hahaha. I was looking at it thinking man that first load of firewood is gonna be tough; it’s just so nice “right now.”
Anyways, you’re videos are inspirational.
Thanks, again & Happy paddling!
Hey James. Thank you very much for the comment. You just made our morning!!! That sounds like such a sweet lightweight setup! We know the feeling all to well of that first scratch and rock you didn’t see….it hurts soooo much lol. Hope the new canoe works out great for you and carry’s you to some amazing places. 🛶
Great video. Very informative and much appreciated.
Thanks very much Liam. Appreciate you leaving a comment. Happy paddling.
On the topic of fiberglass, on the west coast, Clipper canoe still build a majority of there boats in fiberglass, BC has few developed trips that require portage, most of our water is large lakes, or even costal ocean paddling, and when you do the bowron, you just get a cart. Glass is cheaper, fairly strong, and with a gel coat, it has good uv protection for outdoor storage, and very good abrasion resistance to being dragged up and down our rocky beaches. Ultra light weight, and whitewater durability is less important when there's few runnable rivers, and fewer portages [I do prefer Kevlar if I have covered storage and extra cash]
Those are all really great points. We are currently looking at a clipper canoe. They make some really great products meant for big water! We appreciate the comment.
Amazing video! Ive been looking at replacing a canoe thats older then 30years old, 90lbs solid wood 18footer. I am curious at what you might choose in my situation. I'm wanting to get a purely solo canoe that I can have an easier time for backcountry rivers in northern saskatchewan that are connecting into small lakes. Portaging will be common and many back country rivers trips have shown me up north has some nasty rocks and white caps/rapids (not planning on hitting lvl 3 rapids if I can but lvl2 will be somewhat common at times) There's also always a lot of strong endless wind here as well very few calm days if that might influence your choice haha.
Thanks very much for the comment on the video. If I were in your shoes I would probably be looking at something like the nova craft 15’ prospector or and esquif prospector. I have an esquif pocket canyon that I use as a solo canoe and it can basically do anything as well although it’s not the fastest on flats or the best in wind. The prospector is probably the best all around where as the pocket canyon is more suited to river travel and whitewater. Hope this helps a little. Feel free to send me another message if you have any questions.
I've been solo'ing my grumman 17 footer for years now. I'm now looking into a prospector that'll fit my needs more. The grumman is great for stability or tandem stuff. Cheers!
Thanks very much WafflePotato....The old Grumman. Great canoe. Thanks for the comment!
Great content! Thank you. I look forward to exploring your other videos :)
Why with the red canoe (tumblehome shape) the waves are more likely to get in as opposed to the straight side?
I have looked everywhere for a good, in-depth, extensive book or online course on paddling techniques but no luck. Any suggestions? I want more than just a bite-size, scattered info that exists out there.
Hello and thanks for the comment. You’ve more than likely seen these video but the bill mason video’s available online are must watch films for paddling techniques. Might be a good place to start anyways if you haven’t already watched them.
@@CanoeTheNorth Thank you. Yes, I did see his videos. Very good. One thing that I noticed is that he is raising his hand above his head before he puts his paddle in the water. According to ORCA, it is not a good idea to raise your hand so high as you will get shoulder issues/injuries. What do you think of that?
@@Alien2799 i see what ORCA is saying but if never go against bill mason. He’s just the best ever. I don’t think lifting your arm that way is going to do any harm personally.
Thanks for all the amazing content Keenan and I finally bought my own canoe at the end of the season last year and give it a few years and I’ll buy a really great one when I know a little more. I didn’t want to drop $5K and have buyers remorse so a used one will do now. Can you tell me what sort of canoe repair kit I should carry with me in case disaster strikes in the backcountry? Is some Flextape, zip ties and a bible enough ?
Nice one! Yes that sounds like a great plan. Lots of good used ones available from time to time as well. As far as a repair kit I think you’re on the right track for sure. We actually just watched a good video talking about a repair kit that you might want to check out. Kind of a crazy story as well.
ruclips.net/video/4m96YqJrgUk/видео.htmlsi=KJYESYACBQkMZ3U9
Hope this helps and happy paddling!
This video was exactly what I was hoping someone did. I am an avid backpacker and spend a lot of time in the backcountry of Killary and Algonquin with my dog. 2023 I plan to get into doing some trips in a canoe up north and needed a primer like this. From all you said it sounds like a good choice for me is the Prospect (red one you have there) maybe around 15 -16 feet since it has the flat bottom for stability and can be paddled solo which I will do most of and can also have 2 paddle. I wonder what your feelings are about looking for a used ones? What do you look for, or is it one of those things you should just buy new from an outfitter for peace of mind?
Hey Cliff. Thanks for the comment. I think a 15-16 foot canoe would be great for you by the sounds of things. A prospector is a great do it all canoe. I also think that a model like the souris River quetico would be a really good fit for you (prospectors normally have a semi arch hull where as the quetico has a flat
Bottom for more initial stability).
As far as buying a used canoe goes I think that’s the best option if you can find one. I’ve bought a couple used canoes with no issues at all. Just take a good look at the hull condition. As long as there is no major damage you should be good to go. Some scrapes and scratches I wouldn’t worry about at all. After a couple days of good use a new canoe will look like it’s been on an expedition so don’t worry to much about perfect condition.
If you trip in Algonquin and Killarney try renting a couple of different models to see what suits you best if possible. Hope this helps and best of luck with paddling in 2023!!!
You seem like you've been around this stuff for a while now. I'm trying to find something for my daughter and I to fish on lakes with. I've looked at bass boats and party boats, but I don't really feel like launching/towing/storing a big boat right now. I just want to strap something to the top of my truck and get out there. I always wanted a canoe but kept being steered away from them by people saying they tip, consequently I have no boat and missed out on years of experience/knowledge. Zero experience and I'm definitely not a canoe snob or anything like that. Just be real happy to not sink. Some of these waters get pretty cold. And we get a little wind down here from time to time too. Thanks man for any insights you can offer.
Hey Red Stallion. Thanks for the question. I just want to start by saying that everyone I know thinks its insane to canoe with a 150lb dog because canoes are so tippy. Those same people have never been in a stable canoe. There can be a huge difference between different canoes. Thats the issue. There are some canoes that are really stable. Right now we own two canoes that I think are excellent for fishing in. The first is a souris river quetico 18.5. It really is a very stable canoe especially with a little bit of weight in it. Its lightweight and expensive but as far as a lightweight fishing canoe that would be the one I would pick personally.
If portaging is not a big concern at all and you want a seriously sea worthy and extremely stable canoe I would look at the esquif miramichi 18 or 20' model. These canoes are absolute tanks on the water. Even completely empty this canoe is stable but loaded I really don't think you could find a more stable canoe. It handles big water easily and is a pleasure to paddle. It's just heavy to portage. The 18' model weight 85lbs and the 20' model is over 100. You can also put a 2.5hp outboard on one of these canoes if you wanted to without and trouble. They are also relatively cheap is the canoe world. We own the 20' model and it is my favourite canoe ever. Sounds like the 18' model would be plenty for you guys though.
Another canoe that is worth looking at is called the clipper mackenzie. I have not paddled it but just by looking at the specs I'm sure it would be a great canoe for stability and to paddle. Almost and canoe thats around 40" wide and 18-20' long is almost guaranteed to be a pretty comfortable canoe to fish out of. I hope this helps a little. Let me know if you want any more information on any of this stuff. It can be very overwhelming for sure. hope to see you guys on the water one day!
Nice video All boats are very finicky with design it’s not like a car or truck a little extra weight or different design affects the boat greatly. The size of canoe also depends on size of person. I rebuilt a wood and canvas Huron canoe 14 ft long. I can limit load for a 2 week trip to less than 80 lbs I’m 160 lbs this canoe works
For me. A heavy person with a bigger load would require at least 16’ canoe
You are right, canoe design is very specific and it takes a lot of consideration. Great advice on the size for different loads!
Hope you guys are doing well and I look forward to more adventure videos. I am a backpacker who wants to get into canoeing and will more than likely do most of my trips in Algonquin. I can rent from an outfitter but I think in the end I’ll just buy something for convenience sake. Most trips will be solo with my dog and I saw on Kijiji a Wenonah Heron 15ft Royalex Canoe for $1500. Does this seem like a reasonable price and a decent first canoe? Thanks again for the great videos you guys make
Hi Cliff. Thanks very much. That canoe seems like it would be a decent option for a first canoe. I’m sure you could probably even get it for a bit less. It seems like people more and more are trying to stay away from royalex canoes. Hope you enjoy whatever canoe you end up getting.
Can you recommend a good 16' tandem canoe (strong but lightweight) for Muskoka lakes,day trips,1-2 night trips. Swift,Nova Craft,H2O, Souris River ...?
Well that is a tough question because everyone likes different styles of canoes. I’m not super familiar with swift canoes so I can’t talk about them. Souris River makes good solid canoe that I know holds up well. Their quetico series are a good choice with more primary stability and their prospector line is more performance oriented. Both sold choices. A lot of good paddlers are using nova craft prospector canoes and I like their blue steel layup. H20 also makes some nice stuff and I would say in general the are also more performance oriented. For a short time I had a h20 canoe in a epoxy pro layup and it was definitely a well made canoe.
My biggest advice is to test paddle as many canoes as you can before you make a purchase. If your near Algonquin it would be worth while to rent a few canoes for the weekend and you’ll know really fast what you like and what you don’t. The portage store on canoe lake rents souris River and h20 canoes I believe and Algonquin outfitters on opeongo has swift canoes. Hope this help a little.
@@CanoeTheNorth Thank you for your reply! I like Souris River, Quetico 16 in Clear Kevlar Where did you buy your Souris River canoe?
I got mine from White Squall up by parry sound I believe. Very good to deal with!
16 ft is probably plenty of volume. But go demo lots of them (with representative gear and empty]). You will quickly learn what you like. Later, you will discover your preferred kind of trip. if you feel the current boat is holding you back, you will know exactly what you want to buy next. No one has just one canoe over your entire life.
Absolutely Alex. I couldn’t agree more.
hey just curious, you used to have a canoe cart video right? i went looking for it the other day and cant remember if it was you guys that had it. also curious why it got taken down of course? lol... Got my first canoe too!!
Hey awesome to hear you got your first canoe! What did you get? We did have a video on the canoe cart that is no longer up. There was an issue with a copyright claim on the music and rather than fight it we decided it was easiest to take the video down. Enjoy the new canoe.
@@CanoeTheNorth got a clipper scout acctually
Very informative and helpful. Thank you.
Thank you very much for the support. It is very much appreciated!
This really helped to show me more types of canoes. What would your opinion be on aluminum canoes?
Thanks very much Luke. My opinion on aluminum canoes......well I have no issue at all with them. They are definitely not the lightest but they have their place. They are relatively inexpensive compared to laminate canoes. They are cheap and easy to repair. If your planning on paddling around a lake to do some fishing I think they are great. I wouldn’t personally want to go on long canoe trips with one and would much prefer a Kevlar canoe but if all I have was a aluminum canoe I wouldn’t hesitate to use it. They tend to almost stick to rocks when you hit them as opposed to laminates or plastic canoes. They can be a bit cold and noisy as well. They will however basically last forever and you never need to worry about how they are stored. My dad has has one for years and it’s still going strong. Hope this help a little. Let me know if you have any more questions.
Man is this informative. Great video--best.
Thank you very much Carl. I think this was one of the first videos we ever made and I’m sure it’s a bit rough but we are glad you found the information useful.
Gel coat is a sacrificial layer. That way the composite layers never see damage . And the gel coat is easily repaired unlike carbon or Kevlar
Hey David. That’s a good point. The gel coat is there for some protection to the fabric of the canoe 🛶 for sure. Also makes for a nice looking canoe. It definitely a good option for some people. I personally prefer added layers of material over a gel coat. I find the Kevlar/fiber glass is easy to make look like new with either polyurethane or epoxy. Some expedition canoes use both gelcoat and added layers for maximum durability. I always like the look of a gelcoat just don’t find the weight worth it for me personally. Appreciate the comment.
Great info...thanks for sharing. Are you satisfied with your Miramichi 20 ?
Are you able to paddle it well in solo mode ?
@@CanoeTheNorth After "Glad you found the video helpful. The...." none of your reply came through. Could you please try again....I'm really interested in your experiences with the Miramichi 20. All the best !
Hey Uri. Not sure what that reply didn't post but ill try again. The Miramich 20 is my favourite canoe to paddle. This thing is a beast on the water and handles really well considering its huge size. It is a real pain to portage though because of its weight. As far as paddling solo although its not impossible it is just too big. It catches the wind like crazy and it so wide. Its meant for big water, big rivers and long trips with lots of gear. It is so stable and solid and we love it. It's my favourite canoe in our fleet.
@@CanoeTheNorth Thanks so much !
My Swift Kipawa is an excellent canoe to paddle both Solo and Tandem and it is an asymmetrical design. So just because its not symmetrical doesnt mean you cant paddle it solo.
Absolutely Brandyn. You can paddle any canoe solo. Looks like you have a kneeling thwart installed possibly? That would work well. I’m not a huge fan of kneeling all day and but some people prefer it and that’s awesome. Thanks for watching Brandon.
Do you recommend blue steel layup from NovaCraft for Yukon River or for whitewater?
Hi Roger. I like the blue steel layup from Nova craft from what I have heard. I’ve never personally used one but there are some really good paddlers that use nova craft canoes in blue steel.
For the Yukon River basically any canoe that isn’t overloaded will do just fine. It’s mostly sandy or gravelly and the only real rapids are just big waves with no rocks to smack into. I’m sure the blue steel layup could take some abuse but if you mostly run whitewater I might look at a different layup. Hopefully this helps Roger.
Hello, I assume that those are Bourquin boats yoke pads you have. How do you like them? Do you feel you can portage with more comfort/ a little farther with them on? TIA
I love the pads. They are awesome and do make a difference. They are the best I’ve found and make every portage just a little bit more enjoyable.
Wooo that’s a cool trip! For that kind of trip where weight is really a non issue so you don’t need an ultralight canoe I would maybe look at an esquif prospector 15 or something similar to that design. Very seaworthy, stable, tough canoe. Nova craft and others make a similar model. Hope that helps a little. We would love to do that route one day.
Good video, but there are lots of pretty good fibreglass tripping canoes still being made by Clipper, Trailhead, NovaCraft to name a few. I have a fiberglass Trailhead Prospector 16, its a pretty nice boat, have also paddled a fiberglass Clipper Tripper quite a bit, also a good tripping boat.
Thanks very much. I agree. There are plenty of good fibreglass canoes out there. As you said with nova craft and clipper offering all of their models in a fibreglass layup. Quite a bit cheaper than Kevlar that’s for sure. I think if people are doing a lot of portaging and can afford it the benefits of Kevlar are pretty nice but there is nothing wrong with fibreglass. Thanks again.
@@CanoeTheNorth was thinking about how you were talking about the Quetico on Lake Huron (I also do a fair bit if great lakes as well as some ocean paddling). I can think of almost no benefit to a Kevlar canoe on the great lakes aside from the 2 minute carry from the car to the water.
hello im looking to buy my first canoe for fishing on a lake pond, river, bay any recommendations
I am looking to get a canoe for the family (kids aged 7, 5, and 3, with one adult - I am a single parent) to start using while car camping, as well as introducing them to wilderness tripping - something I grew up doing and where my heart lays. I have lots of canoe experience but my children do not. Because they do not have much experience, and no available second adult to stern, I am not willing to get two small canoes. I am considering one larger canoe for now and then later down the road getting something smaller for solo/tandem use.
I have been considering a 17 prospector (swift or nova craft), 17.5 prospector (Souris River), Quetico 17 or 18.5 (souris river), 18 prospector (nova craft), 16’6” prospector (holy cow) and a 17’4” explorer (holy cow canoe) all with 3rd seat options. I’m still undecided on materials for each. I’m leaning more towards a Kevlar or tough stuff, maybe blue steel. I like the durability of tformex but that’s some heavy weight to portage alone while having to carry everything else myself as well.
I know ultimately there will be compromises but I want to make sure that I will not be overblown by wind while day tripping with minimal weight, but still am able to trip in it when I want to as well. I don’t see us becoming a two tandem canoe family for a very long time.
Any thoughts, comments, or suggestions? It’s greatly appreciated.
Hi Jay. First just want to say that I give you all the credit in the world for taking three kids tripping by yourself. Lots of work but very rewarding no doubt.
As far as canoes go out of the ones you had listed I would probably lean more toward the larger ones. Owning a quetico 18.5 I could 100% see this canoe working for you guys. It’s got lots of room, stable, and light. I haven’t paddled the nova craft prospector 18 but I would imagine that it would work very well for you. I don’t have experience with nova craft but I like the sounds of their blue steel layup.
If I were you I would go to a place like Algonquin (I have no idea where you are located) and rent a quetico 17 and then a 18.5 just to see the difference in size and how they feel. I would imagine you would appreciate the little bit of extra room in the bigger canoe but I could be wrong.
Another canoe you maybe want to look at is the clipper Mackenzie 18.5. We actually just received a Mackenzie 20’ canoe a couple days ago and it’s beautiful and well built. Hope this helps a little. There are so many choices and layups it can certainly be a tough decision. Hope you guys have an amazing paddling season.
Informative knowledge.
Thanks.
Thank you!
How long can you partage a 75 lb canoe before needing a break? I’ve only portaged 50 lb canoes and after 1km I was pretty gassed. But I do want t-formex in the future.
hmmm thats a good question. Id say that on a fairly level maintained portage trail I could carry a 75 lb canoe around kilometre maybe 1.5 kms before stopping for a minute to give my shoulders a break. Nice to have those 50lb canoes on portage intense trips.
A big part of how long you can carry a canoe during a portage depends on how in shape you are. If you're used to hiking or backpacking, then portaging a canoe wil be much easier. One of the things I do is workout with my canoe long before going tripping, just the same as you do for bowhunting, where you practice with your bow long before season begins.
I walk with my canoe on my shoulders, increasing the distance over a series of days and weeks. I also practice picking up and putting down my canoe to build those muscles, and reduce the chances of an injury or accident while out in the backcountry.
I have portaged my OT Charles River over 2.5 miles with only stopping halfway to shuttle all of my gear and saving having to make the full trip twice. So 1.25 miles was not a problem, but, again, I had trained to be able to carry my canoe, just the same as I'd do with a backpack before a long backpacking trip. If you're going to do long distance canoe tripping, you want to make sure you're in shape to do so, and minimize the chance of injury.
maybe i missed it but you didnt mention aluminum canoes like the sportspal style. what are your thoughts for fighing, and being able to stand and cast?
Hey Willie. I think I briefly talked about aluminum canoes but didn't really go into a whole lot of detail. I think if your not doing a whole lot of portaging and want something affordable and stable there is probably not a better option. My dad has had one for years and they are basically bullet proof. Great option for fishing.
So yeah, very informaitive. Cheers! I believe many people appreciate the time and effort put into such topics. From Vancouver Island, I encounter ALL manners of terrain. T-formex looks like the economic winner - inegra (sp) is clearly the better choice, but, yowch, $$$$. Love the Esquif label, being Canadian. Mostly lake trip with occasional WW. Now, don't get me wrong, I ain't trolling for advice...but the Pocket Canyon looks okay, n'est pas?
Hey Gord. I love my pocket canyon. As long as you’ve got a good J stroke it’s totally fine in flat water and a lot of fun on moving water. Also tough as hell. We’ve been lucky and been able to find both esquif canoes we own used for a very cheap price. Good luck in the search.
@@CanoeTheNorth appreciated.
Hey Keenan. Just an update. Decided on the Esquif Adirondack. Given the Vancouver Island terrain and total lack of portage trails, I feel it is the best option. Solo traveller, small footprint, good volume and not a bad weight. I appreciate your responding and advice. Looking forward to more vids. Heck, I may even post some! 😀 cheers.
What canoe would you suggest that could be used solo or tandem, and is lightweight, cover long distances (but could handle the occasional rapid) , and carry camping gear for multi day paddling trips?
Hi Emily. Well there are a lot of options but it sounds like you may eat to look for something in the 16' range if you are planning on paddling solo sometimes. The most all around canoe you can buy is almost always a prospector. Every manufacture has their own take it. Souris river makes nice canoes and do a 16' prospector as well as another model called the Quetico which can be paddled solo and would have a little more initial stability but not be as good on rivers or whitewater. Nova craft makes nice canoes as well and offer a 16' prospector in a blue steel layup which is fairly light. Im not all that familiar with swift canoes but they would offer something similar Im sure. H20 also has their 16' prospector and offer a big range of layups. If I could give any advice I would say try to test paddle or even rent several different canoes before spending thousands on a new canoe if possible. Some manufactures will meet up with you for a test paddle depending on where you live. Let me know if you have any more questions. Hopefully this helped a little.
My MAIN PROBLEM is when you CAN NOT to choose a canoe, becausr you CAN NOT ANY MODEL of canoe in you country (some part of Europe), FANTASTIC USA and Canada brands dont exist here, sadily, there few (if nothing to choose), only by websites (very few models)
We are certainly spoiled in Canada with so many different manufactures to choose from. Hopefully more brands will start selling overseas.
Where do you live?
Same problem here. Sweden...it is a mystery! Conditions are not bad
I recently inherited my deceased grandfather's canoe. It's fiberglass and VERY old although it's in great shape! Do you have any advice for me? The canoe is HUGE! I'm going to guess around 20 feet give or take. I haven't checked yet.
Hi Hanna. Sounds like a beast of a canoe. I love it! Well it all depends on what you want to do with it really. It’s sounds like it’s probably more of a stay at the cottage style of canoe then a lightweight tripping canoe that’s for sure. There’s nothing wrong with fibreglass canoes though. They last forever. If there is something specific your interested in let me know and thanks for watching.
I had never heard of Souris River canoes until I watched this video. I guess you like them. Out my way (central east Ontario), Swift, Langford and Nova Craft seem to be the dominant Canadian players. I'm not into brands...I'm into a damn good canoe for my dollar. Do the Souris River make great canoes for the Loonie?
Hey Ian. Ive paddled my sours river quetico 18.5 for the past 5 years maybe. Its been a really good canoe and I have no complaints on its build quality at all. Well made, really tough and light. I wish it was deeper and able to handle big water a little better. As far as good value though I think it's a good value for sure. I would imagine one of their canoes would last most people a lifetime. You can find them used to which is always nice. If you get the chance take on out for a paddle and let me know what you think. I think some rental places carry them (portage store algonquin).
I have a Souris River Quetico 16. I rented and tried about 7 or 8 different canoe models and liked the Souris River the best by a country mile. Very light weight and carried lots of gear. We could do a one week canoe trips with two humans and three 45 lb dogs. It was supper tough and you could ram rocks (not intentional) with just some cosmetic scratches. We also intentionally rammed beaver dams (fully loaded) so it was easier to drag it the rest of the way over - no problems.
@@davesutherland1864 As luck would have it, our cottage is quite near Swift's South River location. We stopped by as we closed the cottage this past Thanksgiving and, after a bit of dickering, walked away with a new-to-us 16' Keewaydin Kevlar Fusion boat. It's 38lbs which for my old back and knees is perfect. My wife and I put in about 50km before the snow flew last season. And this year, we did a short back country trip and it worked like a charm. It easily carried our 60L barrel, Eureka dry bag pack, my large camera bag and another largish pack. Space was not an issue and the canoe was very stable and fast.
Thank you for a lot of sensible and real world comments.
Thank you very much Wayne. Hope you have a great paddling season.
Great job man. In the market right now. My wife and I aren't pro's but we have tripped numerous times and are completely comfortable in a canoe. We want to do some light tripping (say, a 5-day back country trip through Algonquin) but we are over 60 now and my knees are a bit beat up from sports. We are looking for a lighter canoe for sure. For sure we need a canoe for 2 people but I'd want one that will work well solo. We want a Canadian made canoe. Any thoughts? (Besides renting.) Langford-Swift-Nova Craft?
Thanks for this video.
Hey Brain Freeze. Thanks for the comment and kind works. I think a 16 foot prospector would work great for the kind of trips your looking at. I like the nova craft prospector 16 in the blue steel layup. I think its just under 50lbs and is a little bit bigger and deeper than most prospectors out there. Swift and souris river also make very similar models that can be 10+ pounds lighter. The sours river quetico 16 could also work. I really like my quetico 18.5 but wish is was deeper and able to handle bigger water a little better. H2O canoe also make a nice canoe and I think they are well made. I have test paddled some of their canoes and the owner is able to customize the canoe whichever way you like it. He also can normally arrange for test paddles. Hope that gives you a few models to look into. Feel free to send me another message if you have any questions you think I might be able to help with.
@@CanoeTheNorth Hey..thanks for the great reply. I not familiar with H2O so I will look them up. And I will take you up on questions! Cheers.
I watched this video last year and pretty much decided Souris River was what I wanted. Then we rented we an H20 16’ 4 Prospector from the Portage Store in Algonquin last year, nice and light, handled well too. After that we were sold on it, plus this anti vaxx nonsense from Souris sealed the deal. Just placed the order with H20, the owner was great to deal with, is customizing it how we like no problem. Can’t wait to get it on the water this spring/summer. Love the channel, thanks for all the tips and tricks, you guys even helped out with the type of coffee I bring now, keep up the great work
Thanks Aryu. H20 makes some nice stuff. We actually had one of Jeffs canoes and he does a great job with the customization. Hope you have a great paddling season in your new canoe!
Just an update: We ended up getting a "new to us" 16' Swift Keewaydin (kevlar fusion) We were up at the cottage over the Thanksgiving weekend and stopped by their South River outfitting location and low and behold, they had one available. A very nice boat that is fast is paddles like a dream. 38lbs.
I listened to this while doing something. Every time I looked, I saw you or a canoe on land. Do you have, then, footage of the boats in the water?
Hey Mort. Thanks for the comment. We have lots of footage of using a few different canoes. Feel free to check out the rest of our videos. Thanks again!
@@CanoeTheNorth, I thought I missed such images in this video.
I will look for the other ones; thank you!
great vid. thanks
Thanks very much Roberto! Greatly appreciate the support my friend.
Thanks for the info
No problem. Thanks Thomas.
What are the plugs on the side of the hull by the gunnels? Also, how did you put those straps in for the paddles/fishing rods?
Hi Matt. The plugs are for a spray deck that lashes onto those loops. I glued in lightweight anchor points on the inside of the canoe and then just use some lightweight line and a cam lock to strap everything in. Maybe I’ll make a quick video to show the setup. Let me know if you need any more info.
@@CanoeTheNorth A spray deck? When do you need that? Also, would love to see a video on that and the Straps you put on. How did you add those straps to the inside of the hull near the centre of the boat? Did SR do this for you or was it done after market?
Hi Matt. As far as the attachment points I glued them all on myself. I’ll make a video in the next couple of weeks hopefully because I have to do the same mod in a couple other canoes we have. A spray skirt basically keeps you dry when going through big waves. It also helps reduce the effect of wind. It can be a little bit warmer as well if it’s really cold out. It’s really good for whitewater though. Hope this helps.
Just to be picky, and to add comments to your videos, I believe the weight comes from the glue or epoxy they use to bond the fabric, and not the actual amount of fabric.
Hey Jim. Ya it would be interesting to know the exact breakdown of weight of fabric to epoxy. I'll have to send a few emails and see if I can find out. Thanks for the comment.
Did you say you bought a Miramichi skiff for the great lakes? Is it the Equif Miramichi?
I do have the Esquif Miramichi. Other then portages it is my favourite canoe. It’s an absolute beast on big water. We have the 20’ model. Esquif came out with an 18’ model this year. Are you thinking about getting one or do you already own one?
@@CanoeTheNorth Definitely thinking about getting the 20 footer. Great to hear that you're very happy with how it handles big water. Portaging is not a concern for most our trips since we've been doing primarily 4-6 day island camping on lakes. This year we had a bit of a scare in our loaded 17 foot Grumman rental in 1-2 foot steep chop and 15mph winds so me and my wife both decided then and there when we buy a canoe we'll need a bigger canoe. We bring firewood too so a boat will inevitably carry 200 pounds extra right there. We kayak and kayak/camp around islands in the Long Island sound too, and seems the Miramichi 20 could work well there as well. Especially if taking a non-boater friend.
I think you have the perfect canoe then in the Miramichi. It’s on another level compared to almost every canoe out there. We can load 2 people, 2 dogs (200lbs total) and gear/ supplies for 1 month plus and still have so much freeboard. We have taken it on everything from rivers in the Yukon to Lake Superior and it’s just a beast of a canoe. Hope you get one. Let me know what you end up doing. I would love to hear your thoughts afterwords.
Thanks for the video! I finally decided on a swift pack boat. Kevlar fusion with carbon innegra outer layer. 27lbs.
That’s a crazy light canoe!!! Hope you enjoy it. I’m sure it will be a dream to paddle and definitely a nice canoe to portage. Thanks for the comment!
Your reply didn't come through....after "Glad you found the video helpful. The"......none of your reply came through.....I'm really interested in your experiences with the Miramichi 20. All the best !
No love for the cedars?
Oh Angelo......My bad. They look so amazing and you're paddling a work of art. Forgot to mention them but I do love them. Hope you are paddling one!
@@CanoeTheNorth it’s all good haha, but yes love mine. Got it off a buddy it was his granddads from the 1950’s. Needs a bit of work. But plenty of enjoyment for the time being. A canvas was added a while back. I may convert it back to canvas-less
ever paddle a swift keewayden 18.6?
I have not paddled that canoe. Looking at the specs though it looks like a fast tripping canoe.
Ive paddled both the quetico 18.5 and the keewayden 18.6. The keewayden is better in my opinion. It tracks better and is faster. Just feels like a more refined boat. I don’t know which one is more durable, both felt similar for durability.
How come you never mentioned anything about an aluminum canoe?
Guess I forgot. Nothing wrong with aluminum. Stick to rocks, are loud and cold but are relatively cheap, easy to fix and last forever.
Going to disagree on fiberglass canoe comments. You can get them made. I have had two made lately. I also have two older ones manufactured in 1982 and 1993. The selling points for me are 1. good price, 2. UV resistance (can live on the roof racks for weeks or outside in a shaded area, 3. Mid point on weight, 4. stiffer and paddle better than most other boats in same design (second to carbon). 5. Very easy to repair. 6. They last a lifetime.
Perfect. Sounds like you’ve found the canoe for you! Good points.
@@CanoeTheNorth Thanks for putting these videos together. I have enjoyed them a lot. Algonquin is on my list of must go places. I plan to bring my kevlar canoe! :)
have you ever used a 12' er
Hi Brent. Never paddled a 12’er. 15’ is the smallest canoe I’ve used.
@@CanoeTheNorth ok ty. I just saw the esquif adirondack in a video and it looked nice. And lite. And inexpensive.
I’m sure it’s a nice little canoe. I have tried 6 different esquif canoes and enjoyed paddling all of them. Bang for buck I don’t think you can beat esquif.
Old Town Tripper.......you'll thank me later
nice canoe!
I’m still looking for one that price! 🛶
I want a canoe for small lakes that I can take my wife and two kids.
Hi JB. If I was in your shoes a canoe like the souris river quetico 18.5 would work really well depending on the age and size of your children. I don't think i would go any shorter than 18-18.5 and might even go with a 20 footer depending on the length of trips you want to go on. Are you looking to portage a lot? If weight is not super important something like the esquif Miramichi 18 might work well. A lot cheaper very stable. Im not sure where about you are located. if your in the west Clipper make a canoe called the mackenzie 18.5 which would work well Im sure. If you are in the states northstar makes a northward 18 and 20 that would probably work as well as a b19 which would work as well. Nova craft in S. Ontario make an 18' prospector that looks like a nice canoe. Maybe this will give you a couple options to look at. Feel free to send me another message if you want any more info. Hope it helps a little bit anyways!
@@CanoeTheNorth Cool, thanks for the info. I’m in California. I like to fish in the lakes in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Just came back from Lake Powell, Utah. Could’ve used a kayak or canoe.
Very cool! Sounds like a beautiful place to paddle and live. I’m sure there are probably some nice trout lakes there!!!
like u had more experience than i do
Hi Charles. Not sure what you meant by this comment??? Feel free to explain.