After getting bopped around on some giant waves in Quetico Lake this weekend, I saw someone with an Itasca at the put-in, and now I'm curious. I did a search and didn't find much, so I'm hoping someone has some updated information.

Does anyone have any experience with these boats? I'm particularly interested in how they feel when crossing large windy open spaces. I spent a lot of time in a mild panic on the open crossings this weekend, and I'd like to mitigate that in the future, especially with a couple of kids approaching canoe trip age.

Have you tried it? How is it in the wind & waves? What are your thoughts? How do you feel it compares to the Bell Northwoods?

Thanks

I only paddled one once many years ago and that was about 15 minutes (piragis may canoe thing). I remember really liking it. It has a bit of rocker, so it turns pretty good for a big (huge actually) canoe.

I have an Itasca and like it quite a bit. It has good stability but still slices through the water well enough to be pretty efficient. The tumblehome at the paddling stations is really nice as it lets you get a good stroke comfortably. Prior to the Itasca, I had a MNII and a Souris River Q17. I found the MNII to be too small in the bow and a little tippy when fishing without a load. The Q17 was more stable but really slowed down when paddling into wind and waves. To me, the Itasca feels at least as stable as the Q17 but has noticeably better glide. Despite being a bit longer, the Itasca turns better than the MNII due to having some rocker. Prior to buying the Itasca, our group rented it, along with a Northwind (was supposed to be a Northwoods but the outfitter messed up) to compare. Anyway, the Itasca was more stable and was also always ahead of the Northwind regardless of which paddlers were in it. I did test paddle the Northwoods after the trip and it felt similar to the Northwind but I really didn't spend much time in it. In wind and waves, I feel more comfortable in the Itasca than in any of the other canoes I've paddled.

There are also a few downsides to the Itasca. It is a big canoe with a lot of freeboard so it can be blown around if lightly loaded. Being so large, it doesn't accelerate like some smaller canoes will- it takes a little to get it going but then cruises pretty comfortably. The long length can also make some tight portages a little more difficult.

Everyone's preferences are different when it comes to canoes but it sounds like it would certainly be worth test paddling based on your criteria.

I have not paddled one but own for many years an Odyssey.. Hans Solo has one too IIRC.

Being a huge canoe its meant for large waters with a load. If its just the two of you with itty bitty kids its going to pin on each end and twist in the middle.

We can feel the torque in the Odyssey unloaded. With gear for two weeks the twisting leaves.

IMO I can feel my husband twitch when he gets a little nervous through the hull. Its way worse when unloaded or lightly so. When we have the dog and gear he feels better and I cant feel the twitch.

I suspect that you will always be nervous with big crossings and little kids and the big boat might not solve that problem. You have a right to be concerned.. If you have lots of freight you will feel more stable. If that is not possible, the boat won't solve the issue.

I remember back when we took our first BWCA trip I was a pile of nerves and we just didn't do big lakes with our kids. This meant our first trip out of Sawbill had 44 portages in six days. Now I wonder what was I thinking.

There isn't any right or wrong answer here.

Thanks for the input!

Our trips have evolved into daily travel, and we primarily fish on the go, so we're loaded up most of the time. It seems like this is worth a try. I'll keep my eyes open and see if one pops up.

Thanks again!

Amhacker22, does this mean you're ready to sell me your Bell Northwoods? :)

My dad always said: the first rule of wingwalking...don't let go of one strut until you get a firm grip on the other!

Northwoods is not for sale yet, but if I find an Itasca and like it better, its on the block.

The Itasca is good in waves and wind, though does get blown a bit when empty. Moves well, can carry a ton. Tumblehome makes paddling easy. If buying used check the lay up closely around the tumblehome, especially in the bow. There were some issues on the early boats with lamination troubles.

if i had to pick one canoe for rough windy conditions it would be the bell northwoods.

I've been very happy with the Northwoods, but I was actually in the Northstar (now sold). I just really liked the looks of the Itasca and thought it may be a better option for the bigger water that I've been somewhat avoiding thus far. If I get one, I'll have both for a while so I can compare them. I've sold a couple of boats in the last few weeks, and my garage is looking pretty empty these days. I can't have that!

Just a thought...

If you know you'll be doing a big open crossing, or your trip has multiple big water crossings, try lowering the seats an inch or 2 (probably before the trip, but most rails come off the mounts with a screwdriver and pliers, so you could do it just for 1 crossing if the lower seat led to a 'bathtub' feel). I lowered the seat on my solo race boat and it went from a tippy monster to being so stable I surf 2' boat wakes without a thought.
In fact I did this last night as a boat went by just short of planing out, leaving a huge wake. I surfed it across almost all of medicine lake and although I almost dumped a couple times ( meaning brace required and gunwale to the water) I made it across fine which i was pretty happy with considering I was intentionally paddling in steep sided, short interval waves that my center section would frequently have no water under (thus, zero stability).

Anyways, not trying to talk you out of the Itasca, just thinking you might feel much better in your current boat with the seat 1-2" lower. It makes a ton of difference in stability.

Here's one: http://northernwi.craigslist.org/bod/4505487039.html

I've owned an Itasca for a long time and it is the most stable canoe in big water I've ever used. For a third person or a dog I'd always choose it but I always choose my Minnesota 2 for 2 people as it's 8 lbs. lighter and slightly faster.

quote Alan Gage: "Here's one: http://northernwi.craigslist.org/bod/4505487039.html"

Thanks!

I saw that one, but I'm holding out for an UL Kevlar to stay around that 50 lb mark.

If nothing else comes up, I may jump on it.

I paddled bow on a trip with a friend a few years ago. It was in Woodland Caribou. We had that thing loaded like we where going out for the summer. First thing we did was hit a rock... Bad communication! Duck tape installed we finished a great trip. I was nervous about paddling Gammon Lake with the wind hitting us directly from the side. No problem! The only thing is we did a remote trip where the only person to do any clearing had a 16' canoe and at 19' I struggled a little a couple times to get the boat through some of it. Very stable... except when half full of water. :) He had new gunnels put on which took out the weird shape of the normal Itasca which I'm glad. Gave me more leg room.

as far as stability and dangerous wave conditions. we ALWAYS kneel in tough conditions, whether it is a windy lake or whitewater. by kneeling you lower your center of gravity, also you have a much better feel for your canoe, you are able to shift your weight to respond better to the water, something that is impossible when you are sitting.