Thinking about a canoe.

[drgnhrt1979]

Thanks, lot to consider and look at. We had a couple of canoes growing up, but it was always me and dad and the only time I remember using them was for the annual canoe trip in Jan at Brady's Bend on the Allegheny River in the Pittsburgh, PA area. I dont remember nor did I ever know the specifics of those canoes. Wish I would have had the space to store them when my parents sold the house to move to FL. Would make the whole process easier as I would have a canoe I was already familiar with and had great memories in.

But this is not the case, and now I am looking for one to continue the tradition with my own children.

 

[arlon]

I have an AIRE Super Lynx inflatable. Pretty amazing boat for an inflatable. HERE
I like being able to store it inside the vehicle, takes 5 minutes to be underway. Not as nimble or fast as a good hard shell kayak but it will hold a heck of a load and you have to really work at being able to tip it over. If you ever do swamp it, it's self bailing. They are pretty light which is a blessing and a curse, they blow around a bit on windy days. After having several hard shels I doubt I'd trade this one for anything but I might get another one. Mine is one of the biggest they make and was intended for tandem operation but now my wife seldom joins in the fun and I'm looking at getting another smaller single version that should have a bit more performance for single outings. Wish I'd have gotten two singles to start with..

 

[Co-opski]

I've been a fan of kayaks and canoes for many years. I find that the canoe gets used a lot more than the other boats. I have a 21 foot tandem cedar strip kayak for sale this summer (think June) for $5,000.

 

[snorkel54]

paddle solo ... for short day trips with 4 people and a small amount of gear. ]

With 3-4 kids, stability is a major concern. A longer canoe would also be easier for one to paddle. And you want a boat they can grow into, right? My suggestion - Wenonah Spirit II in Royalex. http://www.wenonah.com/products/template/product_detail.php?IID=16