Canoes

Old Monkey

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I am looking to buy a canoe for day trips on lakes and rivers. Our river has some rapids but nothing more than class II. I want it to be comfortable for two adults and one kid. I have been advised to get one made of "royalex." Mainly I am looking at Craig's list because it seems like a lot of folks buy canoes and then never use them and so used ones seem to be in good shape. Does anyone have any suggestions on size and make? Someone is selling a Mad River Canoe-16 ft. Explorer on Craig's list for $600 which seems like a good deal if it is in good shape.

http://www.madrivercanoe.com/explorer-16-tt
 
OM, dang, there is a garage sale across the canal from me that has a canoe.:whine: I don't know what kind it is, but some Coastie's are getting shipped out and will sell it cheap.I wish you were closer!
 
I suppose it would be hard to find but the old Grumman aluminum canoes were pretty sturdy made . We used them in these shallow rivers around here when I was a boy and these things could take the abuse of running over rocks etc .
 
I suppose it would be hard to find but the old Grumman aluminum canoes were pretty sturdy made . We used them in these shallow rivers around here when I was a boy and these things could take the abuse of running over rocks etc .


Thats what I have, inherited form my grandfather. The thing is very sturdy but heavy as h#ll.

One thing for sure don't buy one of those cheapo coleman canoes....
 
Hey OM,

My father is selling his two Grumman canoes, 14' & 17' as I recall. He lives about 1/2 hour from Detroit MI in Ontario Canada. He wants $500 ea for them.

A bit of a drove for you I would think!

I bought a Scott 16' Freighter canoe (Macobe) for moose hunting a few years back, need the cargo room, otherwise I'd buy the Grummans.

HC
 

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I like my we-no-na prospector she is a 15'9" but that is small for three persons - she has a wide beam and hold up well up to class lll - but I have her setup with float bags - she is great for Poling also.

watch the weight - 86 on that mad-river is heavy - rolax is nice and lighter - kevlor is best for light weight - BUT costly - you may be best with a 16-17. Check out boater talk for used boats. Grummans and yes about indestructable.

hmm
 
I like my we-no-na prospector she is a 15'9" but that is small for three persons - she has a wide beam and hold up well up to class lll - but I have her setup with float bags - she is great for Poling also.

watch the weight - 86 on that mad-river is heavy - rolax is nice and lighter - kevlor is best for light weight - BUT costly - you may be best with a 16-17. Check out boater talk for used boats. Grummans and yes about indestructable.

hmm

OK? WTF did you just say:lol:
 
that i have a pretty red canoe that is 15 foot 9 inchs -

http://www.wenonah.com/products/tem...p?NID=27&SID=2c312dab8547e91e62cfaf5a21376f98

my boat

http://www.wenonah.com/products/tem...p?IID=31&SID=4bb5d07a7148c3a738ca6f0d944d2f5e

rayelox is a material that boats are made of - it is light weight
http://www.easyriderkayaks.com/royalex_canoes.htm

Poling - http://www.bushwhacker.ca/poling.html


Float bags are just air bags that fit into the canoe to displace water - should you submerge your canoe in error.

I hope that helps

hmm
 
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Old town makes a nice canoe also.

for three people, youd be best w/ a 17'.

I worked 4 summers in the boundary waters of N. Minn. There we had a stock of both grummans and alumacraft (alumacrap). After I left for the real world, the new mgnt started adding in some of the keel-less canoes in both royalex and kevlar. I used a old town once and on flat water, they can be hard to steer since there is no keel. If all your doing is moving water, a keel-less design is probably what you want. if you plan on doing any flat water (lake) canoeing, you may want a keel.

If there is anyone near me w/ a used canoe for sale, I too am interested.
 
that i have a pretty red canoe that is 15 foot 9 inchs -

http://www.wenonah.com/products/tem...p?NID=27&SID=2c312dab8547e91e62cfaf5a21376f98

my boat

http://www.wenonah.com/products/tem...p?IID=31&SID=4bb5d07a7148c3a738ca6f0d944d2f5e

rayelox is a material that boats are made of - it is light weight
http://www.easyriderkayaks.com/royalex_canoes.htm

Poling - http://www.bushwhacker.ca/poling.html


Float bags are just air bags that fit into the canoe to displace water - should you submerge your canoe in error.

I hope that helps

hmm

Yes, thank you!
 
There are reasons that Aluminium canoes have been the staples of the rental industry for decades.-they are cheaper, tougher, lower maintenance and easier to repair (i.e. beat back into something resembling a canoe shape). I have logged a lot of miles in aluminium with no regrets........ However, the folks steering you toward the plastic sandwich constructions are on target-Those boats are pricier but very , very durable and they run thin water better. Wet aluminium grabs on slimy rocks like a sticky glove on Arbormaster. Royalex and similar plastics slide right over. Whatever you buy bigger IS better for most canoeing purposes. You get a lot more stability from a 17' than you do a 12',14' or 16', easier paddling and much greater cargo capacity...and the added weight is actually quite small. Of course we buy what we find that we deem affordable and I have floated a lot of water in my 15'9" keeled Grumman.
 
David, Mine isn't actively for sale .....but it hasn't been on the water for several years so maybe it should be.-I do most of my fishing from float tubes nowadays.
 
Way back when the air was clean and talk of sex was considered dirty ,I was in the Explorer scouts.

We decided to make a canoe,ceder frame covered with doped canvas .Well nobody ever thought what the effects of airplane dope inside of a closed garage would do to a bunch of 15 year old boys.We all got pretty buzzed .

After that dang thing was finally done we carried it about a half mile to the nearest creek and launched it.It did fine ,must have been able to hold 4 people but felt like it weighed about 400 pounds . The danged thing was so heavy we never floated it again .
 
Darin if you can I would stay away from aluminum.
Wenonah would be my first pick. I have had 5 different models ranging from a 17' 38 lb. all Kevlar lay up. To a over 60 lb. tupperware {Royal X} Spirit 2.

Important things to keep in mind are the bottom width a 1/2" to 1" can make a big diff. Wider can be better for initial stability. Personally I like some tumblehome built into the sides. This gives you secondary stability. Allowing me to tillt the canoe on its side. In essence shortening it's legth & allowing me to turn the craft on it's own axis.

A high bow or front section in my opinion in the wind can be a bloody hemorrhoid, unless your doing white water.
A keel on the bottom of a canoe is another, it SUCKS!! Unless you will be doing a lot of wide open water. A keel is great for going straight but is a big hindrance for turning.
As suggested I would not consider anything under 17'.

The sense of pride & accomplishment that can come from learning to paddle a well made hull, for me any way is without pier

Darin, a canoe for me is the benchmark of freedom. No gas needed no 2 stroke screaming behind me. Just load & go.
 
Rule - Sleep tandem - paddle solo

and unless you live on a lake or river - ya need gas to haul the boat to it
 
Darin, a canoe for me is the benchmark of freedom. No gas needed no 2 stroke screaming behind me. Just load & go.
Then too with just an itty bitty little motor they will putt all day on very little fuel .An option should anybody choose to .
 
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  • #20
I bought a used Mad River canoe. An older version of this model http://www.madrivercanoe.com/explorer-16-tt

Haley and I took it out for a spin last weekend. It rides really smooth. It feels fast. I haven't taken it down the river yet but will soon, with another adult first, then maybe with the kid as I get the hang of it. I am not bad at canoeing but there is one dam that you go over that might be hard with a canoe.
 
There is no such thing as a perfect boat or canoe. With that said, Darin you made a great choice!
 
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  • #23
Its an underwater concrete damn that stretches across the river. With enough water you breeze right over it. The only problem would be turning the canoe sideways and filling up with water.
 
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