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2/02/2016 2:30 pm  #1


Solo Boat Suggestions

Can anyone make a suggestion for a good boat for solo tripping?  The only canoe I've ever owned I've owned for over 20 years (Old Town Discover 158) and it is a beast to lug around.  Over the next few years I would like to get into some solo tripping in the Park and was wondering if anyone can recommend a good boat for such trips.  Preferably I would like something light weight but durable (I don't want to worry about taking the boat over beaver dams etc), and something that paddles well solo.

Thanks in advance!

 

2/02/2016 4:54 pm  #2


Re: Solo Boat Suggestions

Hey Steve

Oh boy..I think you are going to get a wide variety of answers but I think any accurate answer has to start with knowing how you will use it and a little  more about you. I don't think there is 1 model that is perfect for everyone but there is a specific model that is likely perfect for you.

Are you looking for a tandem you can solo or a solo boat?
How big of a guy are you?
Do you travel with a dog?
How much total weight will be in the boat?
Preferred paddling method.and position. single or double blade etc.

What are the most important attributes for you.. speed, durability, weight ?

I don't have a lot of experience in many different solo boats either  but for my specific needs and after renting a Swift Pack 13.6 last year I immediately started to look to buy one.

It meets my specific needs almost perfectly though. For others it certainly may not.

For me because speed is so important.. with a lot of my trips being 2 -3 nights.( I have younger kids and my trips just can't be as long right now ) I need to be able to get as far into the park as quickly as possible and back out as quickly as possible. So light and fast are my 2 biggest needs.Two areas were a Pack excels. I think you would be hard pressed to travel faster and lighter. That and I don't mind paddling a double blade..

Not as durable as other boats but I'm not really hard on mine.

If I were a bigger guy. (I'm 175) or travelled with a 70lb dog it just wouldn't work.
I would need to look at something that can carry more weight. Maybe a Shearwater.

I also travel light. Most weight that would be in my boat would be 210-220. Maybe 245-250 if I brought my 28 lb dog. 

I know MarinG loves his Hemlock canoe and whenever someone loves something that much I make it a point to research as much as I can about it.  The Kestrel  sounds like an awesome boat. I don't think I have read one negative comment about it. But I'm sure Martin will chime on the thread at some point with a wealth of info.  If I were looking for a traditional solo canoe I would definately put that on my list to try out before buying even with no Canadian dealers and the exchange rate the way it is.

Shawn

Last edited by ShawnD (2/02/2016 4:57 pm)


We do not go to the green woods and crystal waters to rough it, we go to smooth it.
 - George Washington Sears
 

2/02/2016 6:05 pm  #3


Re: Solo Boat Suggestions

Hey Shawn thanks for the detailed reply!  I kind of figured it's a very wide open question but I'm hoping to get people's personal experiences and suggestions, like yours. 

I'm looking ahead to retirement years and am envisioning myself on many solo trips.  Not sure if I'll have a dog at that point but that's a good thing to consider as it's a definite possibility.  I'm an average guy (about 200 pounds) but I usually don't travel light.  Having said that I think I would alter my tripping style if I were solo so that I packed much lighter.  Right now I steer clear of any large portages just because my gear is so heavy and plentiful (usually 3+ trips on a portage...don't laugh!).  I would love to get to the point where I can do a portage without busting my back and as fast as possible.   I'm not opposed to a double blade although my experience is mainly single blade.  As for solo or tandem boat, that's also a question i don't really know the answer to at this point.  If I could find a light yet durable tandem then that would be more versatile for the times Im with my dad or son, however I would be open to solo boat too.

Thanks again for the reply Shawn!

     Thread Starter
 

2/02/2016 6:24 pm  #4


Re: Solo Boat Suggestions

Retirement?  You look too young in your pic.

You must be a firefighter, cop or a day trader?? 😀

My best friend and main paddling partners brother just retired last month in his early 50s.  He was OPP. Must be nice 😀. He's now looking for things to do and is tagging along on our spring trip.

Congrats. !! I think your retirement gift to yourself should be a beautiful brand new solo canoe.  Which ever one you decide on.


We do not go to the green woods and crystal waters to rough it, we go to smooth it.
 - George Washington Sears
 

2/02/2016 7:55 pm  #5


Re: Solo Boat Suggestions

Well I'm a few years off yet (7 actually) but ya I'll be done at 50 and able to retire from Policing hopefully So I'm a bit too early to be buying myself a retirement gift (it may be hard to get my wife to buy into that one lol).  I just want to start giving some thought to how I want to spend my retirement and I do plan on spending a ton of time in the park!  

     Thread Starter
 

2/02/2016 8:25 pm  #6


Re: Solo Boat Suggestions

I was thinking about this but came in to a cheap alternative.  May require a road trip but the price seems right.  Message Kayamedic for more details or scroll down to my previous thread. Solo canoe?

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/littleredcanoe/Junior%20Lake%20ME%20Oct%203-7%202012/DSCF0651.jpg

Last edited by Shayne74 (2/02/2016 8:27 pm)

 

2/02/2016 8:45 pm  #7


Re: Solo Boat Suggestions

I think Kayamedics Heron may be a bit much for you Steve. Not meant to be any offence, it is a canoe you need to pay attention to. Not so much a photography platform. I would check out a shearwater or Keewaydin 15. I think Novacraft is coming out with something new. Along the lines of a Chestnut Peach or Fox. That could be converted into an awesome solo. Clipper also came out with a new solo called the Caribou which looks to be a good all rounder at a very good price. Something else to take a look at. 

 

2/03/2016 8:20 am  #8


Re: Solo Boat Suggestions

On the idea of versatile tandem:

I bought a 15' Bob's Special last year, and it's been great.  For a 15' boat its wide and very stable (many will say slow, and compared to a true solo, I'm sure they are right) however, the versatility is exactly what I was looking for.  It saw use in AP as a solo boat, (I double carry), as the 2nd boat on a guys trip (I own a Winisk which can haul more than its share of the gear for a 4-man trip) and, perhaps most importantly, as a perfect option for my 6 year old son and I to start tripping with.  It also saw a lot of local action on the Jock, Mississippi, and Rideau rivers paddling with one or both kids, and/or trailing my daughter in her kayak.

I'd be willing to bet it paddles better than the Old Town 15'8, and although mine was a used "Trailhead" kevlar from here in Ottawa, Novacraft make a very nice one by all accounts, and they offer a lot of material options to let you balance weight and durability as you see fit . . .

Might be worth looking into, the Bobs does not excel at anything, but it does a good job for me of everything, and as a result I got more days on the water in more scenarios . . .

Whatever route you go, good luck and have fun choosing!!!




 

 

2/03/2016 10:30 am  #9


Re: Solo Boat Suggestions

Thanks for the insight guys, much appreciated!

     Thread Starter
 

2/03/2016 11:20 am  #10


Re: Solo Boat Suggestions

Craiger05 wrote:

On the idea of versatile tandem:

I bought a 15' Bob's Special last year, and it's been great.  For a 15' boat its wide and very stable (many will say slow, and compared to a true solo, I'm sure they are right) however, the versatility is exactly what I was looking for.  It saw use in AP as a solo boat, (I double carry), as the 2nd boat on a guys trip (I own a Winisk which can haul more than its share of the gear for a 4-man trip) and, perhaps most importantly, as a perfect option for my 6 year old son and I to start tripping with.  It also saw a lot of local action on the Jock, Mississippi, and Rideau rivers paddling with one or both kids, and/or trailing my daughter in her kayak.

I'd be willing to bet it paddles better than the Old Town 15'8, and although mine was a used "Trailhead" kevlar from here in Ottawa, Novacraft make a very nice one by all accounts, and they offer a lot of material options to let you balance weight and durability as you see fit . . .

Might be worth looking into, the Bobs does not excel at anything, but it does a good job for me of everything, and as a result I got more days on the water in more scenarios . . .

Whatever route you go, good luck and have fun choosing!!!
 

Can't recommend this boat enough. Fished with GB in his last year and was amazed by its lightness and stability. Handles great for one guy or two.

 I have tried the Old Town Pack and the Shearwater but didn't like the stability of either. I'm a big guy @275. The other solo I would look at is a Packboat 150T. It comes as a tandem but has a solo seat option and can be used both ways like the Bob"s
 


A mans gotta do, what a man's gotta do.
 

2/03/2016 11:37 am  #11


Re: Solo Boat Suggestions

Craiger what material do you have on yours?  I'm looking at the TuffStuff and it's coming in at only 45 pounds.  That's about half the weight of my Old Beast....thanks for the suggestion here guys we might be onto something!

     Thread Starter
 

2/03/2016 3:25 pm  #12


Re: Solo Boat Suggestions

hi steve 
 i retired at 54, last july. first thang i bought was a carbon bike,, lots of great trails and backroads around peterborough! and  i bought a carbon fusion swift keewaydin 15.  weights in at 28.5 lbs. good  and stable. the on line reviews that i read compared the keewaydin with the swift osprey. the keewaydin 15 was the canoe of choice among posters (paddlers) that have tried both canoes. great tumble home feature. google becky mason heeling the keewaydin,,, ballet on water, so cool!!!
my only issue is trying to portage the canoe. the wooden yokes on hand at swift are not a good fit because of the rounded gunwales( inside and out) and the edges of the yoke are strait. i was told to try and shim the point of contacts with   rubber tape to secure a better grip. the carbon is slippy. swift offers a carbon yoke that is very expensive.   not sure how it would latch on?
       i have a fixed seat, not a slider. the seat and single thwart placement will not accommodate lashing the paddle length wise to use as a yoke. i tried, however, the seat was too low and i banged me head on the bottom of the canoe.  a two piece kayak paddle might be long enough to reach. i am now using a heavy cherry yoke from swift. the yoke seems like over kill for the lite weight solo canoe.
        the outdoor show is coming up and swift usually has deals at that time. randy mittson is back at swift. randy is the guy to talk to about making a purchase, i.m.h.o. randy is great!!! also google david yost he is the designer. there are many great threads about keewaydin
       good luck in your quest, please keep me posted. 
 











 

 

2/03/2016 7:47 pm  #13


Re: Solo Boat Suggestions

My experience with a keewaydin 15 has been nothing other then fantastic. I had the kayak seat in mine, double blade and it steered great in hard blowing head winds. I found portaging it with a removable yoke( with added padding) , easy to attach, and it carried like a dream. The removable standard wooden yoke did not come loose.  I had the large  food barrel in front of me in the boat, packs in back, worked great, not a light load either ( ten day trip and only have a 4 season tent, so nothing's really very light weight). The only drawbacks I found were unexpected beaver dams, and heaving to line the canoe length wise along the damn as getting out over the front was too difficult with the large  barrel(and it did not fit behind me) . It also really does not work for two people, believe me we tried ( not loaded , and in warm weather) . I'm no spring chicken, but with a very in shape police officer daughter I always loose in the " get out without tipping" in any kind of canoe.

 

2/03/2016 9:19 pm  #14


Re: Solo Boat Suggestions

I'm not a super experienced canoeist, but i'll add my voice to those who love the Keewaydin 15. I rented the kevlar with aluminum gunwales from AO at Oxtongue. Great with a double blade in a headwind. the removable yoke worked with the aluminum gunwales...you might have a problem with carbon as mentioned above by Swedish Pimple. Also I would get foot braces installed if I were buying.
I've tried the Osprey, and found it similar, but there seemed to be a bit more responsiveness or life to the Keewaydin 15.
The Shearwater was nice. Good tracking and fast, (I guess the longer waterline causes this), but too big for me (5'8" 158lbs); I think you should go to AO and try them all one day on Oxtongue Lake.

 

2/04/2016 6:16 am  #15


Re: Solo Boat Suggestions

swedish pimple
 
Have you seen my video on my portage setup for the Keewaydin 14?  It should work for the 15 as well.  I can't make the removable yoke work either.

My Kee14 is a great boat and I'd highly recommend it, except you'll want the 15 for your size and gear weight.  Even the expedition Kevlar would be super light compared to your old boat, assuming you want more durability than the regular Kevlar fusion layup.

 

2/04/2016 8:29 am  #16


Re: Solo Boat Suggestions

Hey Steve,

My Trailhead version was 50lbs in 'standard' kevlar, with aluminum trim package.  They claim 48, but +/- a couple pounds is pretty normal.  I had skid plates put on for +2 lbs.

I was in the used boat market, so jumped at an opportunity.  The Trailhead hulls are made in QC by one of the big shops, then trimmed and fitted in Ottawa.  I believe Langford and others buy hulls from the same place(s).

I looked around a lot for a Nova, and if I was in the position to buy new, I'd certainly consider that 45lb Tuff-stuff boat, seems to be a great fit for your scenario.

I mentioned that compared to a true solo like the Swift models discussed, the Bob will be slow, its 36" width makes that a foregone conclusion, but I should state that anyone who has paddled it solo (spun around with some counter weight to get the trim right) feels it's surprisingly quick and easy to paddle for such a wide stable boat . . . 

Again, its not an ideal solo boat, and will never be confused for one, but there isn't anything on flatwater it can't do respectably in my opinion . . .

In this picture the boat is "reversed" as my son's little legs still fit fine between the stern seat and the end of the boat




 

 

2/04/2016 8:41 am  #17


Re: Solo Boat Suggestions

Regarding the issues with the detachable yoke on carbon gunnels. Thinking of trying some non slip tape next year. Anyone had success with that?

Something like this but there are lots of choices.

http://www.amazon.ca/Marine-Non-skid-Adhesive-Five-Oceans/dp/B00JJW94F2/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1454597744&sr=8-5&keywords=outdoor+anti+skid+tape

or this

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/shoreline-marine-non-skid-tape-2-in-x-10-ft-0790408p.html#.VrN53LIrKUk

or maybe something 3M makes..

Last edited by ShawnD (2/04/2016 11:19 am)


We do not go to the green woods and crystal waters to rough it, we go to smooth it.
 - George Washington Sears
 

Board footera

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