Ladies and gentlemen, after a brutal trip I went over my nova craft prospector in blue steel. There’s some damage as a result of a fall on a steep portage. Is this repairable? Does anyone know if novacraft does professional repairs?

Hi!

I am new to the world of canoes (other than paddling with a few friends and renting in the past). I am looking for a sub-$500 canoe to use this summer for mostly paddling PNW lakes and mostly calm rivers with my wife and dog. Additionally, we would be interesting in tossing our backpacking gear in here if an overnight trip or paddle-in site were to be researched/found. Looking for the smaller end of canoes for weight/storage concerns.

Anyway, I went to take a look at this Old Town Pathfinder 15ft canoe, which I believe to be royalex and from maybe the early 80's? Asking price is $325, and I was wondering if anyone could take a look at the condition in these pics and tell me if there are any big red flags. The old foam/plastic seats are toast, so I imagine I will need to spend 100-150 for a pair of replacement traditional webbed seats.

In particular, are the exposed black areas of concern? None of the gouges or scratches go deeper than that black layer, and none are visible from the inside. Thanks!

PHOTOS

As the title suggests, I'm looking at buying a prototype/Demo Canoe from Abitibi&co/Scott. This would be my first canoe and I will be using it for Multiday Lake and river trips. No crazy rapids, mostly class 1, and light to moderate class 2 rapids at most.

Here's an image of the inside of the canoe (Reinforced ribs)

https://imgur.com/a/B9BHOmK

I went for a visit at their facility near Rouyn Quebec and was given a multitude of prices on various prospector 16' canoes there. These are Kevlar, custom-painted, and gel-coated. These typically go for around $4000 according to their website.

From what the salesman was telling me, it seems that the only major difference in the prototype canoes was a reinforcement of the canoe ribs due to insufficient resin when the canoe was initially created to get a better view of the kevlar material itself.... something along those lines This led to an addition of 3 or so pounds to the total weight of the canoe.

They are selling them for 1800$ final price.

Just wondering if this deal is too good to be true and if I should go for it! My gut feeling tells me yes, especially after a thorough inspection of the hull. If anyone would have some extra insight that would be great!

As the title suggests, I'm looking at buying a prototype/Demo Canoe from Abitibi&co/Scott. This would be my first canoe and I will be using it for Multiday Lake and river trips. No crazy rapids, mostly class 1, and light to moderate class 2 rapids at most.

Here's an image of the inside of the canoe (Reinforced ribs)

https://imgur.com/a/B9BHOmK

I went for a visit at their facility near Rouyn Quebec and was given a multitude of prices on various prospector 16' canoes there. These are Kevlar, custom-painted, and gel-coated. These typically go for around $4000 according to their website.

From what the salesman was telling me, it seems that the only major difference in the prototype canoes was a reinforcement of the canoe ribs due to insufficient resin when the canoe was initially created to get a better view of the kevlar material itself.... something along those lines This led to an addition of 3 or so pounds to the total weight of the canoe.

They are selling them for 1800$ final price.

Just wondering if this deal is too good to be true and if I should go for it! My gut feeling tells me yes, especially after a thorough inspection of the hull. If anyone would have some extra insight that would be great!

vv random question! long story short, friend wants me to try out canoeing with them, however as much as i would love to join and partake in this new activity

i dont know how to swim

like seriously, i cant swim, i dont have the basics to float so eg, if someone were to push me into a shallow pull where my feet dont touch the ground, ill likely drown

knowing i lack this basic skill, should i even consider trying canoeing, i dont mind trying something new and adventurous, but i fear the potential of drowning since i literally cant swim/stay float 💀👍

Not my idea but this would really help with the hard water season.

Has anyone heard of a VR program for canoe/kayaking ?

Imagine a line of kayaks mounted like the old kids rids at stores .. 25 cents for a ride

Hello,

I found an Old Town Discovery 119 on Facebook for $500 and am thinking of buying it. I’d like to take my dog along when my buddies and I kayak local rivers this summer. My dog is a 70lb German Shepard.

The reason I like the 119 is it’s small enough for my to load on my roof by myself.

Does anyone have advice for this? Is this size big enough? Should I go bigger?

TIA!

I have used my very old and very heavy old old town for its last season. I mostly will use the canoe for solo fishing and short family paddles around a small lake.

I would like to buy a high end canoe this spring. I was looking at the Osprey by Merrimack canoe company. 13’ long 39” beam Weight around 40lbs

Since I am in New England buying from the Midwest add challenges, high shipping costs and lead times.

Are there any reputable high end canoe makers in New England that make something comparable to a Merrimack?

Of course, paddling itself is great training - but most of us can't get out on the water 3+ times a week every week year round.

So, for those who like to go fast all day and not be wiped out at camp, what's your routine look like? Weights, cardio, whatever - let's hear it!

I want to redevelop my routine to sub some new movements in, and would love to hear what you all do!

Hey!

Was thinking of taking my canoe out on the Eastern Shore Wildlife refuge this Thursday- have any of you done this before?

I was wondering how difficult this is as I am a beginner. I’ll be with one other person in my canoe and a dog.

Thank you!

Hey!

Was wondering if anyones been to Mallows Bay, MD.

I’m thinking of going there this Thursday with my canoe. If you’ve been— how difficult is it? I’m a beginner and will be with another person and my dog.

I’m looking at the wind reports and they vary pretty drastically- I was wondering if anyone could help me figure out th le actually wind mph.

Thanks!!

I'm really happy to say I finally got the canoe back in the water with family last weekend. Built it with my dad back in the 90's. After some good times it got retired to his backyard for a couple decades. We brought it back from oblivion with maybe more work than it took on the original build, but now I get to share it with the next generation.

Hello r/canoeing! Long time listener, first time caller. My partner and I are about to be making a move across the country from N. Michigan to Bellingham WA. We are trying to decide if it makes the most sense to bring our canoe for the types of paddling in the PNW or sell in MI and find a new boat. For reference we have a ‘94 tuf weave Spirit II that we mainly use on lakes/rivers around home and rent a Kevlar for trips in BWCA and Ontario.

I’ve been reading about Ross/Diablo lake and the Bowron Canoe circuit. Do you all feel our boat is appropriate for the types of paddling around Bellingham or would we be better off selling in MI and finding something locally? Thanks for input!

Hello all! I got the unique opportunity to join a several months long canoe trip next year. What are some good training exercises I can take up? I won't have access to a canoe constantly unfortunately(I travel for work) so body weight/gym exercise would be best. I have also never canoed before (but I am an experienced kayaker) so beginners advice is also welcomed.

Came with 2 paddles, motor mount and AZ title. I'm so excited to clean it up and get it out on the lake!

My state doesn't require registration if it's paddle only, so I won't get a motor or registration right away.

Anyone here have any tips or advice on restoration of these old canoes?

Hi All,

Currently working on my own version of a canoe cart for portaging. Collapsible design that allows you to fold away the wheels when canoeing and easily pop up to help carry your canoe for portaging. Lightweight aluminum design with adjustable clamping system that is compatible with different canoes but additional extension tubes may be required to fit wider canoes. Looking for any feedback as well as product testers that would like to buy at a discount and provide feedback on functionality. Thanks in advance!

https://preview.redd.it/p24vptswb0pc1.jpg?width=3566&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7b9b7925e15c70ad8e63812937ff9b052323a769

https://preview.redd.it/r0novbujb0pc1.jpg?width=5184&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4389cc10e59d0607c777ada6de734a14179701b1

https://preview.redd.it/b0ql0o74b0pc1.jpg?width=5184&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c41f826946cb89aef063588d60d3a8eaf63c5785

My little brother is getting married in August and I’m the best man and now we’re at the point of planning the bachelor trip. We both grew up camping/backpacking and would rather spend 5 days with a group of guys outside drinking some beers than go to Vegas and forget the whole trip.

We’re going to go from May 23-27 (Memorial day weekend) and I’m looking for some pointers on things to add to the itinerary.

The plan I’ve come up with so far (please critique and give suggestions):

5-23: arrive at the river in the early afternoon, reserve campsite at Steel Creek and sweet up camp for the night

5-24: wake up around 6:00, make breakfast, break camp. Arrive to canoes (hopefully) around 8:00 am and set off from Ponca. Canoe until we wanna set up camp.

5-25: Wake up as people do, breakfast, break camp, canoe until we reach Pruitt. Unload canoes, head back to the campsite (or a new campsite; open to suggestions) and set up camp have dinner

5-26: The more relaxing day. Wake up when people want and take the morning slow. Then find some good hikes to do (currently in my head this is it Steele creek, if you have another campsite in mind for after canoeing let me know some hikes around there). Hike and hangout, relax by river, swim, whatever. Make dinner.

5-27 Wake up hangout, breakfast, maybe lunch, start heading back home at a reasonable hour. We live nearly 10 hours away

A brief summary of pointers I’m looking for:

1. Are there better 2-day float trips than Ponca to Pruitt? If so, where should we camp for ease of access? Is it regularly packed/does it let you reserve campsites?

2. should we go to Steele creek after canoe trip? What are some good hikes around Steele creek? (We’re all young healthy guys so difficulty isn’t a major concern if there are any amazing hikes)

3. if not Steele creek, where should we camp after the canoe trip and what hikes should we do around it?

Really wanna make this trip something that will last in memory, so help me out Reddit!

I’m hoping that this is a simple question with a simple answer, but I’m currently in the process of getting a 16 swift prospector and looking at my options for carrying it. I have a 2016 Mazda 3 sedan and I was thinking of getting the Mazda OEM roof rack from here because it’s significantly cheaper than a Thule roof rack (I’m in Canada).

When I read the installation instructions they seem fairly straightforward, but at the end it specifies that the cross bars are not designed to bear a load by itself and you’re supposed to purchase a separate attachment depending on what you are loading.

Does that warning not apply for a canoe? From everything I’ve seen I think that you just strap the canoe down to the crossbars and then secure the front and back as well, but I want to make sure I know what I’m doing before I try it and end up screwing something up.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

I've had a long-bed pickup truck my entire boating life. My pickup trucks have always had a 78" crossbar at the tailgate and a 78" bar on the roof, giving me 10' of spread between bars. This means that when I put two canoes on the roof the gunwale brackets are "holding" the boats in a skinny area and the boats can't move fore or aft even if they wanted to.

Now I have a Subaru Outback with only ~4' between the cross bars. This raises a question I've never dealt with before: where do I put the boat(s) relative to the closely placed crossbars? Should I center the boat(s) over the car or should I center the boat(s) between the crossbars? With the pickup truck the two were practically the same.

If I center the boats in the middle of the two crossbars I'll be overhanging the rear end quite a bit with my 17 and 18' boats. If I center the boats over the car, the swell in the middle will be forward of the cross rails (if a long boat).

This comes up because I'm going to struggle to get two boats on the Outback w/o a LOT of overhang on the rails, and so where the boats get centered plays a large role in what length rails I need.

I have a big Grumman canoe that my wife and I will use for our whole family (3 kids, so five people total. Boat is rated for 1000lbs).

Anyway, is there a set of standard canoe instructions for tandem or team rowing? I recall being on an outrigger canoe in Hawaii when I was a kid and the captain had some words he would shout when we needed to switch sides. Is there anything like that I can read about?

Thanks!