Buffalo Canoes

[hoglaw]

Sides not high enough. In any kind of choppy water, with those blunt ends and low sides, this canoe will take on water. I wouldn't want to float Clabber Creek Shoals on the lower Buffalo in this canoe at normal water levels.

This is a biggie. If you eat it at Clabber Creek, you're losing gear and you're in for a LONG float to the car. I had to change my drawers after my last trip down it at 6.5. Got a 5/0 hook stuck in my pants (tied to braid on the loomis with the brand new curado) while preparing for the run, and my dog started freaking out up front. It was a mess. When I stopped to re-group, the water line on my coleman was darn near up to the top on the right side. That could have been a disaster.

[smallmouthjoe]

I still think you should go with this one...http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Old-Town-Discovery...5QQcmdZViewItem

I wonder if Bass Pro is stocking them (or could order one), I didn't look down in the canoe/kayak area the last time I was over there...

BP had a solo on display for awhile a few months ago. I can't remember what it was, I don't think it was a disco but I may be wrong. At the time I was poor, eating ramen so I could afford to put gas in my truck to go fishing. The next time I go there, which will most likely be tomorrow, I'll inquire.

[Wayne SW/MO]

There was a dealer on the square in West Plains that sold Old Town cosmetic seconds. You might PM Brian Sloss, Eleven Point, to see if its still there and if he can supply a phone number.

BP did sell Packs.

[GloryDaze]

Just paddled the upper Buffalo in a 16' Buffalo canoe. Honestly, fell in love with the canoe as it handled nearly as well as my 12' kayak. I am looking at the 14' version since weight is not a major concern for me. My thought would be if you stick with the traditional Buffalo canoes-the 14-16' you can't miss, but the 10 and so on may be a challenge. Honestly, Al's observation about sitting too low is not exactly accurate- as a matter of fact you almost sit too high in the 10' therefore making it a little tippy-

I floated this last weekend with 2 folks who used the 10' Buffalo canoe- Look for the female with the red canoe, this is a standard seat and I think it looks real tippy (she mentioned how high she felt she was sitting) here is the link to a picture: http://www.flickr.com/photos/glorydaze/402...57622498092461/. Another guy I was with was is in a green Buffalo. He customized his seat and lowered it to give him a lower center of gravity and here is a link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/glorydaze/402...57622498092461/

They both enjoyed their ride- but if I was you, a demo may be the way to go

[eric1978]

Yeah, that seat looked WAY too high for that canoe. Surprised she didn't swim.

[Wayne SW/MO]

The fellow in the Green one appears to be sitting in a modified lawn chair.

Sometimes people feel they are sitting to high if the canoe doesn't have much initial stability. If the secondary kicks in reasonably quick then its just a matter of getting used to the slight instability at rest.

[GloryDaze]

Yeah- he actually removed the original seat, sawed off the legs of a lawn chair and uses that. Serves 2 purposes, one it is comfortable when he is in the boat and 2 he doesn't have to bring a chair for overnighters- just lift it out and there you go. Jean Ann had fully loaded canoe and at first she felt pretty unstable, but she's a great paddler so after 5 minutes she was as comfortable as if she was padling a kayak.

[Al Agnew]

Take a good look at the guy in the green one...

This illustrates a point I made somewhere about fishing in a canoe versus paddling a canoe. I'm sure that with a double bladed paddle, paddling one of those little Buffalo canoes is fun. But where the heck are you gonna put a fishing rod in that thing? And yeah, the guy is sitting low enough to have as stable a center of gravity as possible (might as well be in a kayak). But in a decent canoe you don't have to sit that low, and one of the advantages to a solo canoe over a kayak is the higher seating position that gives you better sight lines while fishing (and I maintain also makes fishing more comfortable, as opposed to simply paddling).

[ColdWaterFshr]

Yeah, those pictures tell you a lot. I wouldn't want one of those stubby little tubs for anything other than knocking around a small farm pond, even then, other boats would be much better for a whole variety of reasons. I do like some of the other Buffalo canoes though.

The Old Town 119 looks like a perfect fit for what you are after. But not for me -- I still think even those are too small.

Save your nickels and get exactly what you want. Boats last a long time and you want to be happy with your decision.

[bobber]

your barking up the wrong tree!!! look for a wenonah, vagabond, a wilderness, the fusion .. or a Bell rockstar, merlin II,a yellowstone or a magic , mohawk 13, 14, 15 all are solo's .... don't get sucked into a canoe you'll hate ,and won't be able to resell ..... there is a reason you don't see that little buffalo anywhere !! it's JUNK! and won't paddle worth a darn. there attempt at a whitewater canoe failed!!