Family canoe

outdoorchick · 09-09-2011, 03:56 PM

We are looking for a canoe for our little family, but have been a little taken back by the prices we have seen. Are there some good brands that won't cost an arm and a leg?

Lorax · 09-11-2011, 08:03 AM

Look for a used Old Town Penobscot.

Shallow arch, exellent secondary stability and royalex construction for durability. A hardy yet somewhat lightweight (56lbs for the 16 footer) canoe for recreation and all out tripping.
I beat mine up pretty good on rocks and take it on 10 day trips. Probably the most reasonable deal on a used canoe and easy to determine the "used factor" just by looking at the condition.

Newanderthal · 09-11-2011, 02:43 PM

Old Town.

Great prices for excellent canoes. Won't fall apart like the Pelicans. I have a Guide (14'7") that I've taken on light rapids, overnight trips, and plenty of lake excursions. Very nimble, especially in the swamps where bigger boats can't go. The Guide 160 (16 foot canoe) would be great for a couple with a kid or two.

As mentioned above, the Penobscot is also good.

Really, just check out the Old Town website and find something in your budget. 2 people could use a 14 footer, but if you have kids, opt for something around 16 feet like the penobscot, guide 160, or sarnac (comes with 3 seats instead of 2).

You cannot find a better brand for the price. Period.

ChadTower · 09-13-2011, 03:38 PM

If you can find them, Rogue River canoes are just like the Old Towns, but cost less. Same construction, same materials, same quality, lesser known name. In fact from a distance you would swear it is an Old Town and having put hundreds of hours in both I'll vouch to their similarity.

A good used plastic canoe can be affordable and have tons of life left. Like was said above the "new" plastic canoes can take a severe beating and be just fine. They are heavy but nearly indestructible.

Mary Beth · 09-14-2011, 11:17 AM

Have you checked Craigslist or your local paper? I usually buy directly from Old Town, but I have seen cheap Old Town canoes on Craigslist. If you get one cheap enough, and you need to make any repairs, Old Town dealers can fix it up for you.

wvbreamfisherman · 09-17-2011, 11:32 AM

Old Town! I have an Acadia 17 footer that is close to 35 years old and it's as good as the day it was built. I've patched a few deep scratches with JB weld, but she's good for another 35 and I'll probably pass her on to my daughter.

Get a Royalex (Oltonar) hull. I much prefer that to the polyethylene, and the royalex is field repairable where the polyethylene isn't really.

One tip- don't skimp and get a 14 footer. The 16 footers are faster and you'll be happy for the extra room IMHO. The weight difference isn't all that great.

dinosaur · 09-18-2011, 06:46 AM

Grumman also makes an excellent canoe.

ppine · 11-17-2011, 03:00 PM

Buy a quality used boat rather than a cheap new one. Check out Canoe and Kayak magazines annual issue of manufacturers. Craigslist works well for most people. For a family, I would go long, deep, and fairly beamy (wide). An Old Town Tripper would be ideal. Wenonah makes some canoes up to 20 feet to fit mom,dad, and the kids as they get bigger. Big boats are hard to portage, but fast and stable.