Canoe decision help.

[canoe_junkie]

Actually, the renaming of the Rubber wildfire, which has less stern rocker than the real WildFire had to do with contractual issues. Ted owed me X% on each WildFire sold, but the contract wasn't written when the rubber boat existed. Once billed for amount due, Bell changed the name, which is better for the sport. YellowStone is not a WildFire. One is a fine entry-intermediate hull, the other an intermediate- advanced paddler level hull.

Hi Charlie,
Can you give more information on the statement: "One is a fine entry-intermediate hull, the other an intermediate- advanced paddler level hull." I'd be interested in hearing whatever detail you have. Thanks in advance.

[charlie wilson]

Pb WildFire Compared to Bell Yellowstone

WildFire has 2.5" rocker at bow and stern. If the forward stroke isn't with a vertical paddle shaft, parallel to the keel line and isolated forward of the knee, either the paddler will waste lots of energy correcting or all four sides of the lake will be seen across the bow. Put another way, any sweeping component in the forward stroke will cause the stern to slip towards the stroke, inducing yaw.

YellowStone's stern was skegged to reduce yaw caused by imperfect technique.

[Rich Lockwood]

Shearwater

I just got back from a trip and a good sized man was paddling a Swift Shearwater with a LOT of gear+ a load of firewood!I was amazed how well it handled the load and moved right along too.It would be my chioce for a solo that needs to haul a lot of weight.
Turtle

[Boppa]

Mohawkriverdan, you are well on your way to making a great decision on a canoe, but a few things to consider IMHO, while you are a good size paddler and you plan on canoe camping, the three solo's you mention are great canoes, but being a large paddler myself I prefer the Prism in kevlar. It handles well with a load, tracks well and is great to paddle with a single or tandem blade paddle.
Yes, I feel the Minn. II will be to inefficient as a solo canoe.
I would reconsider demo - ing these canoes befoe purchase. Just be sure to bring your packs with gear in them to get a true effect.
You are going down a river with many good canoes to choose from, just realize earlier than I did, you may need more than 1 or 2 or.....
Good luck,
Boppa

[adirondacker]

canoe

I have a Hornbeck Boat- Carbon Kevlar 14' , weighs 24# and has a capacity of 625 lbs. I find the boat really stable and straight tracking using the double paddle. I have not loaded this boat up but I have had a 50# pack in his BlackJack model and it handled it well with my weight at 195#. I'm not really technically minded but the 14' boat handled well and of course to portage it is a dream. And yes the Chota's are a good idea for entry and exit into any of the Hornbeck boats.

-Charlie (tupper lake)

[mohawkriverdan]

Thanks for all the advice. I should mention that I will be using the canoe mainly for day trips on big flat water. (the Mohawk) While it is a river, it is deep and slow running. I will only be hunting and camping out of it a few times per year.
As i may have previously mentioned I now lug around an old Coleman 15 footer with the aluminum poles in it . I mainly want something that has better "glide" and will handle better in the wind and against the current.

I want kevalar or black gold but I think I want it just for looks and weight.

I know that I should demo the boats but I am going to use my Tax return to buy the boat, and with my addiction to fly fishing the money is sure to be spent by the spring time.

Once again , Thanks for the advice.

[mainenyyac]

Thanks for all the advice. I should mention that I will be using the canoe mainly for day trips on big flat water. (the Mohawk) While it is a river, it is deep and slow running. I will only be hunting and camping out of it a few times per year.
As i may have previously mentioned I now lug around an old Coleman 15 footer with the aluminum poles in it . I mainly want something that has better "glide" and will handle better in the wind and against the current.

I want kevalar or black gold but I think I want it just for looks and weight.

I know that I should demo the boats but I am going to use my Tax return to buy the boat, and with my addiction to fly fishing the money is sure to be spent by the spring time.

Once again , Thanks for the advice.

Dan, where do you paddle on the Mohawk? Around the Schenectady area it can get pretty choppy; I can vividly recall a huge yacht going by - way below speed limit - and leaving behind 1+ foot wake. My kayak and I were bobbing like a cork

[mohawkriverdan]

Yeah I have been almost vertical due to big boats too. I actually like to handle the wakes as long as I'm alone. I have seen (NO BS) close to 4 footers. I do Most of my paddling up by lock 12. The river is narrow and the channels are skinny. Try up here some time during the peek of the boating season.. The barges are the least of my boat traffic worry.

Down by Schenectady seems to get way more wind chop than up here. I guess that may be due to the size of the river down there.

What are you paddling?

[mainenyyac]

Yeah I have been almost vertical due to big boats too. I actually like to handle the wakes as long as I'm alone. I have seen (NO BS) close to 4 footers. I do Most of my paddling up by lock 12. The river is narrow and the channels are skinny. Try up here some time during the peek of the boating season.. The barges are the least of my boat traffic worry.

Down by Schenectady seems to get way more wind chop than up here. I guess that may be due to the size of the river down there.

What are you paddling?

Oddly enough, I haven't encountered a single barge, just lots of Bass rigs. The furthest West I have been on the Mohawk is Lock 9 which I "discovered" late in the season; the river seems to be fairly quiet here as well.

I have a barge of a canoe (Old Town Discovery 169) which has only spent one weekend on the water (Bog River trip) this year but I spend most of my time in a Current Design Kestrel 140, which seems to be a OK boat to learn on but I won't be setting any speed records. I consider myself a n00b, since I have never had any training. I hope to change that this winter at the Parkside YMCA I have no question of getting out of the boat if I dump, but I lack the skills to get back in without towing it back to shore, let alone assisting anyone else. I think the Kestrel is a little too wide to learn the Eskimo Roll in.

I will have to try Lock 12 next year, but that will be after I explore the Schoharie Creek area of the Mohawk. I am a geocacher who like to put caches on islands.

[serotonin]

I should mention that I will be using the canoe mainly for day trips on big flat water. (the Mohawk) While it is a river, it is deep and slow running.

Here's a few photos from the Mohawk:
April 14, 2007.

I mainly want something that has better "glide" and will handle better in the wind and against the current.