Recommend me a canoe (2 adults + 2dogs)
- Thread starter Whitey
- Start date
I'm new here but joined this forum because of this thread. I've been in the search for a solo canoe and have been looking at the Clipper Tripper-S, but there's not that much information on it out there. The Clipper Solitude is nice but at 15'6" it may not hold the amount of gear I carry on camping trips. If I were to order a Tripper-S I'd have the tandem seats removed and use it as a dedicated solo tripper. It sits rather high in the water so I'm a little worried about weathervaning.
Also, one thing I read about the Tripper-S (from the Clipper website) is that it's a little unstable when paddled as a tandem, so I don't think it's a good choice for two people plus dogs.
A much better choice would be the Wenonah Solo Plus. It paddles very well as a tandem, and performs excellent when paddled from the center solo seat too. It's stable, roomy, and tracks perfectly straight. It's more canoe than I'm looking for (too wide) but would be a great tandem/solo craft.
Also, one thing I read about the Tripper-S (from the Clipper website) is that it's a little unstable when paddled as a tandem, so I don't think it's a good choice for two people plus dogs.
A much better choice would be the Wenonah Solo Plus. It paddles very well as a tandem, and performs excellent when paddled from the center solo seat too. It's stable, roomy, and tracks perfectly straight. It's more canoe than I'm looking for (too wide) but would be a great tandem/solo craft.
Been there. Done that with my Old Town Tripper. Also rolled our FJ55 Cruiser on top of it and it survived just fine.
daverami
Explorer
Yes, they are a retailer and on the side of mine it says made in Canada, Western Canoeing.
cruisertoy
Explorer
I work in the plastics industry and trust me , we would have been swimming instead of pounding out dents. The plastic would have cracked open a mile wide with the degree this thing bent.
re Canoe.
personally I hate aluminum. noisy, cold or hot, it punctures more easily than any of the other materials, and it sticks to rocks. Nothing likes being wrapped, just look at the bottom of large rapids on a common tripping route.. you'l find aluminum, fibreglass, kevlar, abs and you use to find wood. (I have winched an Oldtown abs off of rocks wrapped so badly the gunnels had cracked and blown off. We popped it straight between two trees and heated it over a fire (thermal plastic) to get the little twists out. It got us home, which was lucky because we were 3 days into a 12 day trip.) My friends father still uses that canoe (the accident was 21 years ago) .
Personally I love the kevlar, but for durability I'd go with abs/royalex , old town, or mad river, make good products.
AVOID COLEMAN AND SPORTPAL LIKE THE BLACK PLAGUE.
personally I hate aluminum. noisy, cold or hot, it punctures more easily than any of the other materials, and it sticks to rocks. Nothing likes being wrapped, just look at the bottom of large rapids on a common tripping route.. you'l find aluminum, fibreglass, kevlar, abs and you use to find wood. (I have winched an Oldtown abs off of rocks wrapped so badly the gunnels had cracked and blown off. We popped it straight between two trees and heated it over a fire (thermal plastic) to get the little twists out. It got us home, which was lucky because we were 3 days into a 12 day trip.) My friends father still uses that canoe (the accident was 21 years ago) .
Personally I love the kevlar, but for durability I'd go with abs/royalex , old town, or mad river, make good products.
AVOID COLEMAN AND SPORTPAL LIKE THE BLACK PLAGUE.
arlon
Adventurer
We have an AIRE "super lynx" inflatable we really like. It's more of a kayak than a canoe but they make larger boats. Definitely not a kids pool toy. These things are really tuff. I like the portability. Mine fits into an 18 gallon plastic storage bin. Only way we could have a water craft and be able to take it with us in our 5th wheel.
They don't paddle quite as well as the hard boats but you have to give up something to get the portability. For me the sacrifice was worth it. The inflatables are also extremely stable. You can sit on the edge of the lynx and it won't tip. It's thick inflatable floor also lets it self bail (blessing and curse)..
Good luck, any water craft is better than nothing. We really enjoy ours.
They are tough enough that they have a 10 year no fault warranty. Super Lynx
They don't paddle quite as well as the hard boats but you have to give up something to get the portability. For me the sacrifice was worth it. The inflatables are also extremely stable. You can sit on the edge of the lynx and it won't tip. It's thick inflatable floor also lets it self bail (blessing and curse)..
Good luck, any water craft is better than nothing. We really enjoy ours.
They are tough enough that they have a 10 year no fault warranty. Super Lynx
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Chriscanoe
Observer
check out www.mohawkcanoes.com, they have a great selection, great Quality, and you order directly from the factory. The Intrepid is their best all around tandem canoe, it can do tripping, day paddeling, as well as mild whitewater(up to class II, or III depending on your skill level. I have been paddeling there whitewater boats for the past 20 years, and they make a great product, espicially for the money.
X2 on Mohawk. My glass WWIII is well over 30 years old and going strong. I've got a Shaman, and Probe12. I used to own a Probe 14. I was not crazy about that boat. I've seen the Intrepid run class III loaded quite well but I haven't paddled one much myself.
Chriscanoe
Observer
kerry, were you paddeling the probe 14 solo? I want one for a tandem boat, but I would think it would be a bear to paddle solo. I had 2 probe 11's, a maxim, and now a viper 11. I think my next canor will probably be a probe 14 set up tandem to take one of the kids with me.
I was paddling the Probe 14 Tandem. It spun on a dime but was a real dog on acceleration. Shortly after buying it, right after the boat first came out,I was taking an advanced tandem class with Bob Foote and some other paddlers. Everyone else had Captions. We were working on some tough moves and my wife and I missed one challenging move repeatedly when the other paddlers were hitting it. Bob was chiding us on our abilities, which I did not think were inferior to the other paddlers. We talked, trying to analyze our weaknesses, and Bob couldn't figure it out. So he jumped in the Probe with another paddler and he was shocked to find out that he couldn't hit it either even though he attempted it repeatedly. The boat simply couldn't accelerate or hold its speed enough to make the move.
I was doing some tandem whitewater slalom racing at the time and concluded that it would be impossible to win any races in that boat if racing against Captions. We now paddle a Caption.
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
This just got important for me again as my parents said they would buy us a canoe this spring. So I'll have to make a decision soon.
Like many here, I'm looking for a family canoe. 2 adults, 2 kids. I would like to have a canoe big enough to pack for a multi-day trip. I really like the reviews on Clipper canoes, and they have several models that would suit. I just don't know how big to get.
I'm pretty experienced, been paddling most of my life, smaller canoes and kayaks including some white water. My wife isn't nearly as experienced, but willing.
Your standard 16 footer would fit the family for a day trip, but not camping. The Tripper at 17'6" would probably work for short and light camping trips. Then they have the two Mackenzies. 18'6", and 20'. They're all fast and efficient boats, I'm not worried about the power required to move them. But I am worried about what it's like paddling these things in bad weather. Also, I would think solo paddling, or just me and my boy, would be out of the question with the larger sizes.
Anybody have any advice?
I'm also considering the Evergreen Maple 17' from MEC. It's much more affordable, but still a decent boat I think. It would certainly be easier for solo paddling.
I guess I have to decide what I really want to do, as no boat will do it all. I have a Kayak already, so solo paddling is covered. But I'd like to be able to do trips with just me and my boy.
Would it be impossible to solo a 18'-20' foot canoe on a small lake?
Like many here, I'm looking for a family canoe. 2 adults, 2 kids. I would like to have a canoe big enough to pack for a multi-day trip. I really like the reviews on Clipper canoes, and they have several models that would suit. I just don't know how big to get.
I'm pretty experienced, been paddling most of my life, smaller canoes and kayaks including some white water. My wife isn't nearly as experienced, but willing.
Your standard 16 footer would fit the family for a day trip, but not camping. The Tripper at 17'6" would probably work for short and light camping trips. Then they have the two Mackenzies. 18'6", and 20'. They're all fast and efficient boats, I'm not worried about the power required to move them. But I am worried about what it's like paddling these things in bad weather. Also, I would think solo paddling, or just me and my boy, would be out of the question with the larger sizes.
Anybody have any advice?
I'm also considering the Evergreen Maple 17' from MEC. It's much more affordable, but still a decent boat I think. It would certainly be easier for solo paddling.
I guess I have to decide what I really want to do, as no boat will do it all. I have a Kayak already, so solo paddling is covered. But I'd like to be able to do trips with just me and my boy.
Would it be impossible to solo a 18'-20' foot canoe on a small lake?