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)

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.

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)

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!!!




 

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
 

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. 
 











 

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.

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