Solo Canoes

[smallmouthjoe]

Well, I finally have enough money saved and I think I'm going to trade in my little kayak for a solo canoe. The main reason why I want a solo is because of the storage space issue that I'm constantly battling and also i think it might be a little easier on my back. I've looked at all sorts of models on-line and come to the conclusion that an old town pack or disco would be what i really want due to it's size and weight. But now the problem is how do I go about getting one. There is no retailer in the Springfield area, that I know of, that sells them. Does anyone know of a retailer that is relatively close? Within a three hour drive of Springfield.

[ness]

Don't know what your budget is, or what the Old Town costs. Here's a retailer in the KC area that sells canoes, but not OT. KC Paddlers They carry Wenonah, and the Vagabond is an excellent canoe for Ozark waters. You might want to compare the weight of the OT to the Wenonahs.

[eric1978]

Certain Dick's locations still have the Guide 119 at the $400 price, but the only color they have is the camo. The newer model of the Guide 119 is what they're calling the Discovery 119 25th Anniversary model, which comes in red and green for $600. The red is really cool looking, but I don't think it's worth the extra $200. The Kaynoe is also identical to the other two models, is a tan color and says "Field & Stream" on the side, and I believe is $500. All things being equal other than color, I went with the Guide, and at the $400 price, I still can't say enough good things, especially after moving the seat, which you would have to do on any of the 3.

All three of the above models are 43 pounds (same as the Wenonah Vagabond, my first choice if I had the money), 10 pounds heavier than the Pack, but much cheaper, and unless you're a girl, you shouldn't have any problem moving it around. The Pack is about 3 inches longer and and slightly less deep than the Guide. If I were to spend the money on a Pack, I'd probably just go one better and go Vagabond. I don't really see the great advantage of going Pack over Guide other than the 10 pounds factor, especially for the difference in price. The superlinear material that the Guide, Disco and Kaynoe are made of is supposed to be slightly tougher than the Royalex the Pack is made of.

I'm pretty sure there's a Dick's in Columbia. I'd look at their website to find a closer store if they have one. If they don't have the model you're looking for at a particular store, they told me they can order it from another location and have it shipped there. You may want to see what Bass Pro has available. The one in St. Louis didn't have much, but ours is smaller.

If you go with the Guide, Disco or Kaynoe and want to move the seat, I've already done half the work for you and posted the dimensions of the custom seat thwarts if you decide to go that route. Go to this thread (New Old Town Guide 119) and check it out: http://ozarkanglers.com/forums/index.php?a...;hl=&st=25#

There are pictures of the canoe and lots of modifications to get you thinking and even more itchy to get your new toy. Good luck with your search!

[smallmouthjoe]

Yeah I think I might try to go to dick's in Columbia this weekend and check out the guide. If it's similar to the pack I'll be very interested for that price.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Another thought is too check out Buffalo in Arkansas. They had a web site so you might check and see if you would be interested in their solo. I would then contact them and see if they have a second at a good price. They aren't that far a way and you could pick one up on an extended fishing trip.

[eric1978]

Yeah I think I might try to go to dick's in Columbia this weekend and check out the guide. If it's similar to the pack I'll be very interested for that price.

Here you go, Joe, a little "presearch" for you:

Discovery 119

To commemorate 25 years of the Discovery Series, we're bringing back the Discovery 119. Just like the others in the series, this solo canoe is agile, stable and easy to handle. It's even well-suited for a double-bladed paddle. And thanks to our construction process, it's tough without being too heavy. Let the Discovery 119 help you explore new territory.

Contoured seat with adjustable backrest

Well-suited for double-bladed paddle

Durable, yet lightweight

Solo use

Colors Green, Red Material Three Layer Superlinear

LINK to Disco:

http://www.oldtowncanoe.com/canoes/general...covery_119.html

Length 11' 9"

Width 32.5"

Width at 4" Waterline 31"

Bow Height 19"

Depth 13.5"

Weight 43 lbs

Max Load Range 450-500lbs

Suggested Retail $589.00 ($400 for camo Guide 119)

Pack

There's enough versatility packed into the 12-foot, 33-pound Pack to keep it going from dawn to dusk, with every member of the family taking a turn. The Old Town Pack is made of tough, lightweight Royalex®. It's so light that anyone who can paddle solo can carry it; on a portage, to and from the water, on and off the car top. It's 33 lbs. of freedom — the Pack goes where other canoes can't.

Polyethylene decks with grab handles

Well-suited for double-bladed paddle

Durable, yet lightweight

Black vinyl gunwales

Wood web seat

Solo use

Colors Green Material Royalex®

Length 12' 0"

Width 32"

Width at 4" Waterline 31.75"

Bow Height 16.75"

Depth 11.5"

Weight 33 lbs.

Capacity 578 lbs.

Suggested Retail $799.00 US

LINK to Pack:

http://www.oldtowncanoe.com/canoes/huntingFishing/pack.html

The Pack definitely looks like the better canoe going strictly by the numbers, but is it worth the extra money? The age old question continues to plague us.......

[Wayne SW/MO]

Well might as well throw in this one.

SOLO 13

Length: 13', Beam at gunwale: 29", Beam at 4" waterline: 30.25"

Depth: at bow 18", at center, 12.5" at stern 18"

Approx. weight: 41 lbs. (Royalex), 36lbs (Royalite R-84). Estimated capacity: 300 lbs.

Solo 13, Mohawk's compact, light and strikingly-beautiful canoes with a tucked in center section, and detailed lines molded into the bow and stern. Nimble on the water, the Mohawk Solo brand of canoes are a delight to paddle. A joy on small twisty creeks- yet with flared bow and sides, the Mohawk Solo 13 can easily handle light whitewater and choppy lakes. Great for small paddlers, but won't let the 200 pounder's down either!

Discover the ultimate pleasure in canoeing: Solo paddling in a Solo 13 by Mohawk Canoes.

Solo 13 - Royalex

FACTORY DIRECT: $680.00

[smallmouthjoe]

I called the dick's in Columbia and the three KC none of them had any in stock. I'm going to call the one in Columbia and see if they can get one shipped from another store. Hopefully they can, if not I'll check out Buffalo and keep my eye on Craig s list. Thanks guys

[eric1978]

I called the dick's in Columbia and the three KC none of them had any in stock. I'm going to call the one in Columbia and see if they can get one shipped from another store. Hopefully they can, if not I'll check out Buffalo and keep my eye on Craig s list. Thanks guys

You may want to call the one at Mid Rivers Mall in St. Peters. They had one there as of a few weeks ago, and it's not really the season for canoes to be selling like hotcakes. When I was looking for a different color, one of the salespeople told me they could have it shipped from store to store as long it was in the same region or something like that. I haven't seen the Pack at Dick's. I saw one at Cabela's not too long ago.

Wayne, the Mohawk Solo looks good and very similar, but I thought they went out of business. No?

[smallmouthjoe]

What do you guys know about Buffalo canoes? Looks pretty good but it is 650. Might be a good alternative if I can't track down a guide.

http://www.buffalocanoes.com/10_foot.htm