Top 3 Solo Canoes By Nova Craft: New 14 ft Prospector, 16 ft Prospector & 14 ft Fox
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- Опубликовано: 27 дек 2024
- The Happy Camper goes over his three top Nova Craft solo canoes: 16 ft Prospector, 14 ft Fox, and the new 14 ft Prospector.
www.novacraft....
I've been wanting to get back into tripping after about 25 years away from it. All my backpacking and bikepacking are solo...I appreciate the insight. Thanks for sharing your Dash!!! - Davey.
Hope you get out their solo soon.
Nice Video Kevin! I usually prefer to paddle my own boat too, lol. The number of cool feathered friends this time was amazing.
Thanks. It sure was an active day for my feathered neighbours. I am like "squirrel" when I spot wildlife. LOL
I use both a traditional paddle and a double blade. I painted the double blade with “never Wet” a Rustoleum product that prevents water from sticking to the blade and I get NO drips in the boat. I paddle a Winona 14.5 Vagabond. I don’t do trips, but love to bird watch from the boat and explore backwaters.
Super helpful comparison, thank you!
awesome. i was just looking at this exact conundrum! thanks Kevin
Glad it helped.
So good Kevin... I have been thinking of buying my own canoe for sometime now but haven't yet pulled the trigger... This information really helps me a lot. Once I have done few solo trips this year, I guess I will get a solo canoe next year. My wife is always scared of letting me go alone on trips :) LOL
Good luck with your canoe choice - and you'll end up being addicted to solo tripping.
Thanks Kevin. Good stuff.
Oh the issues with having so many boats! :) I love my Nova Craft 16' Prospector, the size is great for long solo trips as well as tandem and gives me a sense of comfort on big lakes with big waves. I think the 14' would be great for short solo trips on smaller water bodies.
I find myself keeping the paddle in the water more and more, old age and lazy I suppose but its is a fantastic stroke to move a canoe. not lifting the paddle but just slicing in back in the water, working on my left side too.
It’s not lazy…….you just know how to paddle.
I solo a 17' 6" tandem lol. Its not ideal but its what ive got. The yellow prospector looks sweet!
You could also slip that pin on a belt loop. I picked up a Swift Raven solo for short $$ and bought a Trillium this spring . Loving both ☮️
Just looks like something to lose . I have a NC bob special and just paddle it backwards . Also makes a good tandem canoe.
I also just realized I could just put the pin in the yoke section while on the move. At least I think that would work.
Well there’s 100 ways to skin a cat , I’m at 84 , but who’s counting
Currently looking at a used 16’ Nova Craft prospector (fiberglass). I would be mostly solo so I wasn’t sure if the 16’ would be too big. I want to get into canoe tripping and portaging but these canoes are darn expensive.
Thank you great Info...I have a Bob's Special 15 Nova Craft that I love for solo non white water..its perfect for me and what i do solo....but I don't like it at all for tandem unless both people are kneeling...actually looking for a new tandem ...how would it compare solo to the others u mention here...for me it's been great
Yes, I have a 15 ft Bob Special as well and use it for solo, not tandem. I didn't include it because a buddy was borrowing for the week. Darn. It's too tippy with two people.
Ya..1 person and a dog is fine. Way too tippy for 2 people. But solo...good in the wind..it tacks well .I've even stood up and poled it up shallow creeks..or stood up and paddled it thru flooded out rivers. .really good for tidal rivers, marshes, winding rivers, going up river in slow current...and very nice and smooth going down river...haven't done beyond level 1 whitewater with it yet.. and don't really plan to...but tripping with it in places like the Adirondacks...or New England rivers...love it. But I wouldn't even consider it a tandem...it's really a solo. Thank you for everything you've done for canoeists everywhere!
I have a Old Town Penobscot I bought in 2001 for $700.00 I do like it but at 57 years old its getting to heavy. Great video. Thanks.
Fun and informative. Thanks Kevin. I have a question about paddling the 16 FT. Solo. Why do you paddle from the bow instead of just using the stern? On my canoe there's a thwart right behind the seat so I couldn't do this anyway. Maybe I missheard ? Thanks! 😊
Pretty standard to solo a tandem canoe from the front seat facing backwards - better for balance as you're closer to the center of the canoe. If there's a thwart behind the bow seat and you will routinely solo, a good option is to build out a kneeling thwart and add it at a good spot to paddle on your knees facing whichever direction is most convenient for placement and leaves you just behind center...
Get well soon Angel !
She is on the mend. But she sure hates her medicine.
Thanks for the video, Kevin. One thing I heard in this and maybe one of your others is that you refer to "aramid" as a different brand name. I believe "aramid" is the generic term (aromatic polyamide, per Wiki: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aramid), and Kevlar is the DuPont version. Looks like Novacraft is currently using Twaron branded aramid from the Teijin Aramid company of the Netherlands.
The Novacraft P16 in fiberglass with a foam core was my first "proper" canoe (30+ canoes ago). Not my personal favourite, but I enjoyed many years in that boat.
Thanks for this. Great information.
Thank you for such an informative video! Is there any chance you'll ever review and check out boats from the other top canoe makers such as Swift and H20? Or is this one of those exclusive sponsorship deals where you aren't allowed to?
Good question. This is not a sponsored video. I do promote Nova Craft regularly. I love their prospector design and they are good paddling friends of mine. I should have added other models in this video. For prospectors I also like the Souris River design. I like Swift canoes but not their prospector. It's too shallow. I don't know much about H20 but they look like good solo designs. I loved my old Dagger, Scott and Voyageur back in the day. Northstar looks similar to my old Dagger.
@@TheHappyCamper Very much appreciate your candid response. Cheers, and thank you good sir!
Oh wow im from london ontario too thinking about canoe camping, trying to get my girl friiend into it
Kevin, Kevin, Kevin. You need to treat those wooden gunwales on your Fox with some TLC! It ill love you for it.
Ya, I am the worst for that, which is why the two other canoes don't have wooden gunwales.
Nice, what’s your view on the swifts prospector
Swift canoes are well made. I like the Keewaydin 16 and their old Mattawa. But I find their Prospector design too shallow.
Some nice boats there for sure . I just mentioned to a friend in his 50ès he ought start solo tripping . He said too boring . I said exactly. Will build character . Too much of a yuppie ( and chicken sh*t too )
So can Angel join you in the smaller boats or only in the 16ft?
She can but the Fox is too tight for gear and her.
I have a 15 ft Bob Special that works well with her but I didn't show it - my buddy was borrowing t.
Not all paddlers have aggressive ADD, some really like fishing too.
I don't believe the Fox is asymmetrical... or did you say straight keeled?
What length double have you tried? I like my 180cm in my 15 1/2 foot prospector
Yes, mine is 180 cm as well.
Nice! 🖐😎👍🛶
I noticed the crow caw as the eagle went over.
I was wondering if anyone caught that. They don't like each other.
@@TheHappyCamper We have a crow nest next to our house and all spring the young crows have been trying to caw, they are getting better at it. At first they wouldn't stop, all day long unless I walked near the nest.
Why not mention the 15' prospector? Best of both the 14 and 16 footers. It is short and nimble and can tandem if you have to another in the boat. More room for gear and the dog than the 14' as well.
Solo trip spooks don't happen with me, I am so tired from doing it all myself I crash. My best sleeps are alone in my tent. 😁
Did Kevin just say he’s double bladded before??😮
Can not recommend Nova Crap in anyway... quality has gone way down hill. Warranty replaced boats fall apart in a month... Can't handle whitewater or bumps without cracking the gelcoat.
Do yourself and your wallet a favour and just buy an esquiff.
My experiences with Nova Craft have been negative. If anyone is curious I can post an email from Captain Chris himself being incredibly unprofessional.
Bullshat. If they would only follow suit of another company and have the seat on the floor, foot rest,back rest use a Kayak paddle and weight nothing.
What company has the seat on the floor?
Get a kayak then lol that’s no longer a canoe
Kayak 👎
Hey Kevin... 'Wendy Outdoors' mentioned your cook book on her latest video. And your vast knowledge of canoeing. Nice to see.
I just watched it. Awesome. I love her channel. It's so refreshing.