1st Canoe

[Leitsout]

I am considering a 15' Old Town Camper Royalex for purchase. I would like any opinions about this boat, good or bad. My plan would be to use the boat mostly solo but also a little bit tandem. I will plan to use it for weekend overnight camping trips and fishing on Ozark streams and rivers.

[Terrierman]

I am considering a 15' Old Town Camper Royalex for purchase. I would like any opinions about this boat, good or bad. My plan would be to use the boat mostly solo but also a little bit tandem. I will plan to use it for weekend overnight camping trips and fishing on Ozark streams and rivers.

It will be a good multi purpose boat. I have a similar Mad River, Legend 15. Perfect for what I want. Most use is solo fishing day trips. Second most is for solo overnighters - loaded to the max. Least use - tandem day trips. It works for all three. You won't be sorry about buying a Royalex boat either, it's lighter than the poly boats that are taking it's place in the canoe manufacturing world, every bit as durable if not more, and much more easily repaired if it ever comes to that. Skid plates on the bow and stern also stick without any need for special preparation (i.e. partially melting the boat to get the glue to stick). GO for it.

[Ham]

I've got that boat in a 17'. I really enjoy mine. I'll defer to Tetrrierman as he has more experience with canoes, but he said what I was thinking. I bet that would be a kick butt solo overnight boat especially if you balance you load should you are NOT nose heavy.

You can tandem it, but you will need to watch your load and think before you cast. Guy in the front needs to watch how far he reaches back when casting and guy ion the back needs to make sure rods don't clash and be ready to duck.

[Gavin]

I agree. Should be a great solo camping boat, or a day trip tandem canoe. You would be better suited with 17' pack mule type canoe for tandem overnights with lots of gear.

[Leitsout]

Thanks for the input guys.

[joeD]

Although a nice canoe, it's too big for a solo and too small for a tandem, especially with two fishermen.

Be brutally honest with yourself: Alone most of the time? Solo. With friends at least half the time? 17 ft . You can always weight the big canoe down if you choose to go solo.

Unfortunately, you can't have both. Have an excellent solo or an excellent tandem, instead of a mediocre double duty vessel.

(All these people fishing alone. Hmm.)

[Terrierman]

Although a nice canoe, it's too big for a solo and too small for a tandem, especially with two fishermen.

Be brutally honest with yourself: Alone most of the time? Solo. With friends at least half the time? 17 ft . You can always weight the big canoe down if you choose to go solo.

Unfortunately, you can't have both. Have an excellent solo or an excellent tandem, instead of a mediocre double duty vessel.

(All these people fishing alone. Hmm.)

Just curious if you used to own a 15' boat and got rid of it because it was a mediocre double duty vessel or just offering an off the cuff opinion. Or tried one out and just didn't like it or what. As I indicated, I've got one and really like it a lot. Wouldn't want anything smaller for certain, but I'm in an area where I have a lot of skinny water and really like the super shallow draft.

[GloryDaze]

X2 with Terrieman, got the 15 MR Legend- agree with his evaluation totally. If the Camper is anything like the Legend it would be perfect for solo use and OK tandem.

I use mine 95% of the time solo and only go on a trips a minimum of 2 nights and 3 days. When tandem, you do have to be careful if you are both fishing, but it fits everything I need. Shallow draft, light, versatile and easy to load. I could probably get by with a 17 foot, but for my use it would just be too much.

[Al Agnew]

I owned nothing but a 15 ft. Grumman for many years, paddled it solo a lot by turning it around and sitting in the front seat backwards. It was a very serviceable tandem craft. So I think the Camper would be fine.

However, there is still a big difference between any tandem canoe and a dedicated solo. Solos are narrower for the most part and easier to paddle from the center seat position, and they are just far more responsive than any tandem. It won't tire you out to paddle a good solo like it will any tandem by yourself all day. If you really plan to use it mostly solo, keep that in mind. Otherwise, the Camper will work well enough...not as responsive and FUN to paddle as a good solo, not as much of a workhorse as a bigger tandem, but a pretty good compromise.

[Gavin]

It's a little wide in comparison to a dedicated solo but should paddle just fine. Have no problems soloing a 17' tandem, you just need to learn how to do it. Think my solo is 14'8" and maybe 30" wide. Paddles a lot better than the 17'x36" tandem freighter, but it is no big deal to paddle either. Will get you downriver just fine. Grab it if the price is right. Can always sell it on craigslist and get a good price for it.