Bless Her Ever Loving Heart

[ColdWaterFshr]

Agreed

says the guy in the jetboat

[Justin Spencer]

Many of your better designs will feel "tippy" because of the rocker that allows them to handle better. You will have better secondary stabilization however so you are less likely to tip over once you learn to not panic. The flat bottomed boats we are accustomed to (old town discovery, etc.) have great initial stabilization, but once it starts to go you are done. I would argue a royalex boat will be a little more tippy because it is lighter, when we used to run some buffalos people always felt they were more tippy than the poly canoes which are heavier and therefore ride lower in the water. A simple thing to decrease "tippiness" is to not sit on a cushion which brings up your center of gravity. I am amazed by the number of large people that immediately sit down on the cushion, and only after I suggest not sitting on it until they get comfortable with the boat do they do it.

[tjulianc]

I got a good deal on my Vagabond and love it, but if I had to do it over again I'd of spent the extra money and got a Wenonah Wilderness. I've ended up doing a lot more camping trips than I thought I would, and would have loved the extra leg room, and would also feel more comfortable going down bigger water in the bigger boat. I've gone on week long trips in my Vagabond - so it can be done- but it would have been a lot easier in the Wilderness.

If you decide to buy a new canoe, look at some of the out of state vendors. Usually they ship for less than sales tax would cost, and sometimes have seconds and demos that will reduce cost even further.

[Mitch f]

says the guy in the jetboat

Trolling motors and casting decks are sure nice!

[Al Agnew]

Chief, the one in Montana is an old fiberglass Oscoda Coda. I love that boat...I've got three of them, and don't plan to get rid of the other two, one in Montana and one in Missouri. But it is 14 feet long and fairly narrow, so it may not suit you if you're a big guy. It's a fast, straight-tracking boat but still maneuvers about as well as my Vagabond. It's a sweet little canoe, but feels tippy until you get used to it.

The Wenonah Wilderness that Tjulianc recommended is probably the best solo you can get if you're a big guy. But in my opinion it's at the upper limit of size and weight for a true solo canoe...if you want to go any bigger and heavier in a fishing type canoe, you might as well have a small tandem. On the other hand, it's nice to have a solo that's at least 14 feet, because it makes rod storage a lot easier as well as holding enough gear for camping. The Royalex version of the Vagabond is actually 14' 3" rather than the 14' 6" in the specs (or at least mine is), and I've done quite a bit of camping up to three days in it, with two fairly large coolers, a big dry bag for tent, tarp, and sleeping bag and pads, and another slightly smaller dry bag for clothes and some of the dry food. Along with a few other odds and ends, it fits very well in the Vagabond. If I was also carrying a lot of cooking gear, I'd have to be a little more careful about how I packed it. I don't know how much that stuff all weighs, but I weigh about 170, and the Vagabond actually handles very well under that kind of a load.

[Smalliebigs]

Chief,

I have an Old Town Guide 113 that I used this morning as well as one other time. I would say very gently used to say the least. It is in Old Town's camo color and I have already modified the seating area from their garbage molded seat to a nice cane bench and moved it forward 4 inches.

If you want it you can have it for $250.00 it would be a cheap option to cut your teeth on.....

here are the best pics I have right now.....I'll try to take some of the bottom tonight which has virtually no scrapes

let me know.......I will call you and try to get some bottom pics on here for ya

[Gavin]

That's a steal...I'm sure it won't last long at that price...I'm on my third solo canoe...First was an Old Town Pack. It always felt wobbly but I never dumped it...too small for camp gear & beer. Didnt like the molded keel either. My Vagabond was pretty nice...just about perfect...but the sides were too low to run anything resembling whitewater. Sick of bailing it on the NFoW so I sold it.

Was leaning towards one of the bigger Mohawk solo's, or the Wenonah Wilderness as a replacement. Then a friend gave me a Mad River Slipper from the mid-1980's...Its 14'8" and about the same width as the Vagabond..Its fiberglass (and its getting beat to heck)..but it paddles better than my Vagabond..no oil canning, adjustable seat. Paddle a few before you buy.

[lee G.]

Smallie, if Chief isn't interested I would be. I can't deal with a lot of weight anymore, so my jon boat does't get used much, but I think that canoe would do me fine on the Gasconade.

[Chief Grey Bear]

I'd recommend trying out a few before buying. I seems to recall some video footage that you're a tall feller

Video footage???

Sorry fellas, Smallies craft has been sold. I want to thank each and everyone of you for the great information. That was just too good of a deal to pass up.

[ColdWaterFshr]

yeah, thats right, a youtube clip of some Officer Fife's lookin fer ya.