Canoe Help

Let's start with your budget.

I would be on the lookout for a used Royalex canoe (that's the material it is made of, not a manufacturer). They stopped making royalex back in 2013/2014 but it is tough and lightweight.

And if you're really only dealing with 1s and 2s, pretty much any canoe will tackle that. I wouldn't get a WW canoe for that, just something with a moderate rocker.

What is the max weight you want?

If you're open to spending the money on 2 boats, the new Old Town Discovery 119 Solo Sportsman is a canoe hull with a kayak seat designed for fishing. It's lightweight (56lbs) and maneuverable and Old Town's canoe pedigree is as good as it gets.



Their Penscabot line of canoes would be right up your alley. And OT distributes everywhere. Should be easy to get your hands on one.

ETA: 2 of those solo sportsman would run under $2k.

There's a good deal on a Mad River Explorer 16 FGX on SierraTradingPost.com ($1200 for a $2500 canoe) that you should check out too. I think total weight on that boat is 61lbs. It's fiberglass with a moderate rocker. It would work for your needs.

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I could do a kayak apiece, but I'd have to paddle over and unhook the wife's fish all the time. Does anyone canoe anymore?

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That's the first thing I showed my wife how to do, way back before I put a ring on it. Worms too. Now she has no excuses.

I canoe all the time. A canoe is a far superior craft for an outdoorsman than a kayak.

Many canoes will fit your needs. Check craigslist. Seriously, they're everywhere on there. (If you find an old town Appalachian I will find you, and I will take it from you by force if need be.)

Basically what you just described (day trips & fishing/floating down a lively creek in a craft with good secondary stability and some maneuverability) is what nearly every general purpose canoe was made to do just fine. I'd look for one more suited for maneuvering (more rocker), and even though the more tumblehome that a craft has reduces its stability, more tumblehome is better for landing fish and also easier on your paddle by making it easier to execute clean, vertical, non-side sweeping strokes and without beating up the paddle shaft, but that's a personal preference.

Stay away from freighter type canoes that are built for flatwater and/or tripping expeditions. You need something more nimble. That's literally the only DON'T DO that you have to watch out for, less it ruin your chances of having a good trip.

However, IMO/IME, I don't like a canoe with a rib on the bottom for creek, river and swamp canoes, and, overall, for general purpose canoeing. I have no need to enhance my ability to track straight for long distances in the above situations: proper paddling technique will never be supplanted. Consequently, the keel can cause or exacerbate all sorts of problems that wouldn't be otherwise (e.g., hanging on rocks, making it harder to slide effortlessly over logs and debris, causing tipping from the keel "teetering" on an underwater object, etc.); plus in a river environment the keel actually IMPEDES maneuverability when that is the last thing you want.

That said, if I were paddling big, open still waters with multiple day's worth of gear, then a totally different type of canoe- like one with a pronounced keel (and other design features)- would be desirable. Likewise, if I were floating fast, debris filled waters with heavy currents and multiple day's of gear- whitewater or not- then a specialized canoe is more desirable. The latter is more of the type canoe that you should lean towards, but a general purpose canoe is fine.

Just remember that canoes are no different than the rule that applies to every other watercraft: Buy a vessel for what you are going to use it for 90% of the time and make do with the other 10%.

Gonna be hard to float a swamp donkey out like I did this one in a 'yak!

The lower section of this river is not recommended for open top canoes.

I’m pretty sure I was placed in a washing machine for 45 seconds.

We were carrying two nights worth of gear.

Cahaba is my old stomping ground. The Cahaba can take a pretty relaxed canoes. IMHO you are asking for a bit much... tandem day trip + dog, white water, lightweight, and under $2k. However, the MR Adventure 16 you have now is more kayak than canoe. I think you can find what you are looking for but you may have to expand your territory to eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina. There are some clubs in central and north Alabama that can steer you in right direction.

I was going to suggest the Prospector but for some reason I thought your MR now was 70lbs. You can also spend a little more and get poly or kevlar to really shave the weight. Im pretty sure Wenonah is known for their use and success of kevlar. For $700 more you can get the Prospector to 54 lbs.

As you probably know, Deep South Outfitters is a dealer in Birmingham.

BTW a few years ago a younger guy launched a Wenonah Prospector in the Cahaba in Birmingham and took it to GOM. He filmed it Les Stroud/Survivorman style charging batteries with solar panels. It won a few awards.

LINK

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The Mad River Explorer

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Work firewall was blocking that link. Just looked it up on my phone. Thanks. They seem like similar canoes.

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I thought your MR now was 70lbs.

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84 lbs according to their website, but it seems more than that to me especially after a day of paddling.

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Deep South Outfitters is a dealer in Birmingham.

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Been in there twice this week. Wife knows the owner.

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BTW a few years ago a younger guy launched a Wenonah Prospector in the Cahaba in Birmingham and took it to GOM.

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Totally badass. Need to see if I can get that film on Itunes or something. I don't have a blueray or dvd player anymore.