I did some searching on here and elsewhere online and I think I've got a good canoe and a couple paddles picked out. I'll be using the canoe to paddle around a lake while fishing, and maybe down a small stream fishing as well.

I'm looking for opinions on my choices.

Old Town Saranac 146

​

https://preview.redd.it/4fs12qnpitzc1.png?width=440&format=png&auto=webp&s=bda2b50161bd02d95f97cfacf4ec40f088e30f8c

Quest 54" Aluminum Clad Canoe Paddle

Hello fellow paddlers! 👋

I’m an intermediate to beginner canoeist. I'm looking to upgrade from my packraft to a proper canoe as I much prefer the paddling style and ability to paddle camp and would love to take a friend on board though the majority of the I would be solo paddling.

After scouring second hand websites I've found these two tempting competing offers.

I do most of my paddling on large lake or slow rivers for overnight camping trips, but I would like to work up to expedition canoeing following the large local rivers down for days at a time.

I live in northernmost Sweden so the paddle season is fairly short and the river water can be dangerously cold even in the summer so safety is a critical priority for me. As a result if I do venture out for river trips i would be portaging frequently for anything above gentle rapids.

The light construction of the ally and it's greater manoeuvrability bring safety advantages and it would be easier to portage and manoeuvrability is good for safety. I think the ally's seat could be moved to the centre for easier solo paddling but I am not sure.

But the solid explorer is of course more resilient and I would suspect much warmer to sit in (though I have heard good things about the ally with it's foam mat) it also looks like it has greater carrying capacity for paddle camping.

I have a VW golf estate, so both would be transportable though of course the ally would be easier and less hassle to store. Minus the ally's set up time.

I'd love to get some feedback from more experienced people.

Hello, I'm buying a JD Pro2 Savage river, I'm debating wether to have a -Sliding Footbrace (Parallel or Telescoping) installed in the stern seat, seating in the back in my daughter she is 5'5 130 LBS any advice and or pictures of your boat and this two configuration. Thank you, p.s the goal is the Ausable

Recently I purchased a dagger encore off of Facebook marketplace and the yolks and Thwarts are all rotted out. The hull and gun whales are solid but I'd like to try to find options for seating. I'm aware that the canoe is more for white water rafting but I'm looking at using it just to leasurely paddle in a lake and to go camping with. Google has let me down trying to find seats to match the 29.5 inch width of the canoe so I'm trying to see what other options exist.

Does anyone have any suggestions for comfortable seating for two to three people?

Hi! Any good app recommendations to use for canoeing? I’m currently checking Apple’s weather app for wind/sunset time

I’ve got a 16’ Adirondack, I’m leaning towards a 17’ Penobscot

I'm a pretty seasoned and strong paddler, with a 16 foot canoe (Old Town, not sure which model but possibly one they don't make anymore) that my partner and I use, among other things, for camping with our giant dog (110 lbs). So far we have used single paddles (one each) to power this thing, but my one of us often spends a lot of time handling responsibilities around the dog, leaving only one person to basically solo paddle and steer a heavily loaded boat. I've started looking into double-bladed paddles for trips where we are packed down heavy with the dog to make that go a little smoother. Does anyone have recommendations of double-bladed paddles they've used in the canoe? Have you been able to get away with regular kayak paddles, or have those been too short to clear the gunnels? Thanks so much, and happy paddling!

Hi All, I have been doing canoe camping trips for the past 10 years by renting boats or borrowing them. My group and I are now at a level where we do r2 and some r3 rapids overs 4-6 day trip. We have been using esquif prospector 16 and esquif canyon 16 boats and developed confidence in those type of boats. We live in Quebec, Canada.

While looking to buy my first boat I came across what appears to be a serious deal. A brand new silverbirch broadland 16 for 800 CAD$, compared to 2000 CAD$ from what I have seen on the company website.

I have never heard of silverbirch broadland 16 before and wondered if some of you have used those? Do you think it would suit my needs? Does it compare to esquif canoes in term of durability?

Hello,

I read through the sticky and if you have a moment, could you give me some pointers?

Do you plan on using the canoe Solo or Tandem?

Ans: Solo.

Where are located and where are you paddling? Whitewater or Flatwater or both?

Ans: Ontario. Mostly open flat water, will likely try to head up small creeks and rivers with very slow moving water. I will head out on the great lakes on calm days.

Experience of paddler(s)?

Ans: In the canoe realm, I've only paddled a swift 14.8 packboat 14km or so. I loved it. I've also paddled a 12' plastic kayak here and there. Most of my paddles were with my 14'x25" paddleboard. I've done many 10 to 22km day paddles, some with portaging. The 14km trip with the swift cruiser was nice and laid back. Still good excersize.

I'm kind of worried about the swift cruiser though. I love the seat and speed, but worried I won't be able to singleblade or be able to learn single blading techniques.. I think I want to double-blade most of the time but switching it up might be nice? I'm not sure if I will be making a mistake that way..

The novacraft fox14' looks interesting too. Not sure where I can demo..

Size of paddler(s) & passenger(s)? Is there also a Hound Dog? Kids?

Ans: I'm 5'11", 160-170lbs.. depending if were in pie season or not.

Capacity needs (multi-week expeditions? Day trips? How long would be the longest overnight trip you anticipate?) Are you minimalist, do you bring all the luxuries including the kitchen sink, or somewhere in the middle? If you have an idea of actual gear weight, all the better.

Ans: Will be doing mostly day trips. I'm more on the minimalist side.. maybe overnighting later on..

Stability (& Capacity) vs Speed - where on the spectrum are you happiest? Fast canoes are fun, but they are less stable and haul less. Related: Are you fishing, and how important is this aspect to you?

Ans: I think I prefer speed but dont want anything too tippy.. I have ok balance from my windsports and paddling my raceboard.. I could breifly stand in the swift cruiser and paddle around a swamp. I definitely want to fish! Thats part of the reason for moving away from paddleboarding. Want something I can paddle and move but also want to park it in a little inlet, cast a line while having a snack/lunch.

Is light weight important for portaging or loading on a vehicle? Do you need a yoke for portaging/carrying?

Ans: I was hoping under 45 to 40lbs but open to all advice and ideas.

How will it be stored - will it be inside, outside & protected, outside & exposed to sun?

Ans: It will be stored elevated, upside-down on the gunnels in a garage. Depending on the material, might cover during transport too. If that's required?

Do you have any specific needs/desires when it comes to hull material?

Ans: I have no idea.. I dont want it to be a slug in the water, but don't want something fragile either. I bought my 14'x25" inflatable paddleboard because I wanted something 'fast' and durable. Inflatables are much more durable than the carbon boards available. With all that said, I still baby it and looks new after 2 years.

I'm not hard on my gear but don't want to worry about it either.

Budget?

Ans: Hopefully under 5K CAD.

Anything else we need to know about your situation?

I need to find a way to fix it to my Mazda 3 hatchback! Seems like their are no roof racks available.. im debating DIYing a wood rack until I get a newer car/truck.

Thanks for taking time to read!

Few cracks in the hull, and all rotten wood, but it’s cleaned up well enough for a free canoe. Took it out for its first spin, and it’s considerably faster than my Old Town Guide or Disco. Not bad for a free boat! I generally paddle solo and pretty loaded, so there was no point in lowering the seat. Even if I’m with someone we only tend to sit on flat water where stability doesn’t really matter, and this height feels nice when kneeling.

So, I have an Old Town Tripper 17' for general family use, set up with 3 seats.

I'm looking for a slightly smaller canoe for setting up more solo with the option to tandem it with my kids or wife and is also stable enough to fly fish from...

I was looking at both the Old Town Camper 15, and 16, and the Old Town Penobscot 16 in Royalex. I actually have leads on all 3 right now as well... What would be the recommendation between those 3?

Any others I should consider?

Do you plan on using the canoe Solo or Tandem?

Solo and tandem. Is this possible?

Where are located and where are you paddling? Whitewater or Flatwater or both?

The Midwest. I don't plan on being in anything more than lazy rivers (class I & II and on accident class III) and a lot of lakes.

Experience of paddler(s)?

I'm experienced in a kayak. My daughter is only 4.

Size of paddler(s) & passenger(s)? Is there also a Hound Dog? Kids?

I'm 6" 215lbs. My daughter is about 35lbs.

Capacity needs (multi-week expeditions? Day trips? How long would be the longest overnight trip you anticipate?) Are you minimalist, do you bring all the luxuries including the kitchen sink, or somewhere in the middle? If you have an idea of actual gear weight, all the better.

Mostly day trips, but it would be cool if I could do an occasional weekend solo trip. Is there something my daughter and I could grow in to for canoe camping, but would work for us until then? I carry roughly 70lbs worth of gear when kayak camping.

Stability (& Capacity) vs Speed - where on the spectrum are you happiest? Fast canoes are fun, but they are less stable and haul less. Related: Are you fishing, and how important is this aspect to you?

Slow and stable for the win. Decent storage would be cool.

Fishing will definitely happen.

Is light weight important for portaging or loading on a vehicle? Do you need a yoke for portaging/carrying?

Definitely the lighter the better. Id have to solo it onto the roof of my car and portage if necessary. At the moment, I have a 60lb kayak that doesn't give me trouble. I do know I can load a canoe tip first, then push up. I've never used a yoke, so I have no idea if I need one.

How will it be stored - will it be inside, outside & protected, outside & exposed to sun?

Inside a garage which will eventually be climate controlled.

Do you have any specific needs/desires when it comes to hull material?

I would prefer not aluminum as they're pretty heavy from my limited experience. But, you all are the experts. I could be wrong!

Budget?

Anything new or used $1500 USD or less. Obviously, the less expensive the better.

Lastly, are there any that I could paddle with a long double? As a kayaker, that's where I'm most comfortable. I also don't see my daughter being much help until she's older. Plus, I've noticed the double paddle tends to keep the inside of the boat more dry.

So canoe aficionados, is there something out there for me? Am I looking at getting one now, then selling it and buying something else when my daughter is older? Or, am I just going to end up owning a ton of boats (I'm not at all opposed to this)?

edit...I forgot to answer if id be fishing.

Is this normal to have in a canoe? Was given this canoe and am wondering if the owner cut these or if they were factory done. If so, why?

Just picked up a 12’ pointed sportspal and a 40lbs minn kota. I’m planning on picking up a lithium battery but stuck between a 50ah or a 100ah. I’m trying to keep the weight low but also use the trolling motor as main propulsion.

What run time are we getting out of our batteries?

What kind of water are we running in?

How big is your vessel?

How much weight do you have?

Not trying to sound dumb or anything but could a big rock tied to a rope be used as an anchor to hold a 16ft canoe in place? First time canoe owner and going to use it for fishing , and was wondering if i could go this route. Thanks for any comments

Hi all, I’m looking for advice on a canoe purchase. I’ve been using a friend’s 16 ft royalex Mad River for a while, we attach a trolling motor to it, bring deep cycle batteries and a solar panel and take it out in the ocean for week-long trips camping around in the Salish Sea. The river canoe handles beautifully — it’s hardy enough for the rough, oyster-covered Pacific beaches, and stable enough to handle some serious chop while weighted down with supplies.

I’m looking to make my own setup and trying to choose an appropriate canoe being that Mad River is not currently manufacturing. I’ll also use this canoe for general purpose family stuff paddling around in lakes — i.e. 1-2 adults and a dog, 1 adult plus two kids, etc. But it’s very important that I can use it solo, and I’m not sure I want to be hoisting more than 70lbs on top of my car.

My first choice was the Wenonah Prospector 16 in T-formex (they tout its seaworthiness specifically), but I honestly cannot find one to purchase in all of Washington state.

Are prospector models made by other companies (e.g. Esquif) roughly the same? Are there other canoes that would fit my search criteria?

Thanks!

Well, I see Johnny is at it again. Buying up any half decent used canoe in Ontario using a bot system to re-sell for twice the price, under fake names on FB Marketplace. I can't knock the hustle, and I've even (reluctantly) purchased a canoe from him, but how can we convince folks to stop selling boats to a re-seller and sell it to someone who will actually paddle it?

It's a shame really, considering the heavy price of new canoes being most peoples biggest barrier to owning their own boat.

Mild rant over.