What is everyone paddling when in the Boundary Waters?

I usually take in my 2001 Bell Northstar - kevlar black gold lay-up when paddling in tandem. I have soloed a Wenonah Prism recently.

Souris River Quetico 18.5 for me... duralite... 58 lbs, sliding bow seat, mesh seats...

Bruce

An Old Town Discovery 169 80lbs.

I started out in 1965 with a Grumman 17'(80 lbs) as a High School graduation gift. It was purchaced at the end of the season from the fleet of the newly founded Minnesota Outward Bound School. My wife and I used it until 1987 when we bought a Mad River Lamoille. We tried an Old Town Canadianne, but it had factory defects and was returned. The Lamoille was, and is, a fast, easy paddling, and seaworthy canoe. Hard to maneuver in tight spots, and a bit heavy by current standards (60 lbs). In 2001, in our fifties, we decided we needed a lighter, smaller canoe and bought a Souris River Quetico 16 (45 lbs). It has been perfect for us and handles well as a solo canoe as well, something the Lamoille does not do well. The Quetico 16 is surprisingly seaworthy. We crossed Bayley Bay on Basswood in 2001 in some of the biggest rollers I have every attempted. It was foolish, but the canoe kept us completely dry. We tried a Bell Northstar briefly, but again, it had severe factory defects (Gelcoat popping off in large flakes) and was returned. The Lamoille is for sale (see previous posting).

I will be traveling in a Souris River Wilderness, 18', kevlar.

For the BW, We've got a Souris River Quetico 17 in Kevlar we store at a friend's outside of Ely.

My 18'4" Mad River Lamoille. Green kevlar, sliding bow seat, integral skid plates and 50#. Equipped with CVCA portage pads, too! Wonderful tripping canoe.

Mad River messed up when they stopped making this one.

Souris River Quetico 17 in duralite.

Fifteen year old Wenonah Encounter. Seventeen feet of solo splendor, 37 pounds in kevelar. Every mile, scratch, and ding cherished.

I have am Ultralight Alumicraft that is great for the rivers here in SD. I took it to the BWCA a few years ago and it wasn't to bad to portage compared to my friends who had their heavy aluminum boats. Last year we rented Kevlar boats from an outfitter and they were great to carry. I did not however like the way it steered. Maybe I need lessons but it seemed like I did a lot more adjusting or steering of that Kevlar boat than what it takes to steer my Alumicraft boat. Probably take my ultralight next time unless somebody has advice on a good model to rent. I don't think the one we rented had a keel.

Aug

Grumman 19 foot Square stern with a 15 hp johnson outboard

Tandem trips-I have a Souris River Quetico 17' kevlar skin coat, aluminum gunwales, CVCA clamp on Pads-44 lbs
Solo Trips- I have a Wenonah Prism 16'6" kevlar skin coat with sliding seat and wood gunwales, CVCA solo pedestal mount carrying yoke-38 lbs

my friend's 15.5' woodstrip canoe that he built with his father nearly 10 years ago. redwood with black ash gunwales/decks. runs very shallow (6" draft with two people and two packs) and turns like a dream (very useful last week maneuvering through rocks on the Stuart River). and she's pretty. 55 lb.

Any chance that was you on Moose River between Nina Moose and Agnes last week on Monday the 19th? You were lining your cedar stipper up through a rapids and had another tandem with you. You were kind enough to allow us to sweep through with the current before you continued on south. We were 7 people total in 3 SR canoes-2 duralight and 1 kevlar. If it was you thanks for the passage and hope the rest of your trip went well. BTW-I was the old guy stern in the kevlar-last canoe through.

sorry Bogwalker, that wasn't us. on monday, we were on Beartrap Lake, either relaxing, portage clearing or getting drenched by the one hour thunderstorm...in any case, we were having a blast!

eglath

I know what you mean. We will meet someday. Whoever we passed had a real nice cedar strip canoe made by a friend of his.

We were just up in BWCA July 17-23 with our 2 Sawyer Cruisers. They are both about twenty years old, but look and handle great. Great tripping canoe. Very stable even in white caps.

Canoe 42-What was your route. There were quite a few of us up in the area at the same time.

We went in through Lake One, down the Kawishiwi and into Gabbro.(My 13 year old daughter caught a 5 # smallie in Gabbro.) We took the same trip on the way back. My wife and I used to do killer trips in Quetico, but with a 13,11+8 year old we have to take it easy for now. Hopefully soon we will venture up to Knife Lake.

canoe42

I love that area. I will enter Lake One on 8/21 for a couple nights with my two sons who are 18 and 11. This will be the 11 year olds first overnight after numerous day trips.

My route will be Lake one into the Weasel Lake PMA and Rock Island Lake. Rock Island is just south of Lake 2. This gives a little more of a rustic trip and solitude in a busy area. We may venture down to Clearwater depending on water levels or just take trips back out to numbered lakes during the day to fish. It will be a great time. If you want more information on PMA camping in the BWCAW e-mail me. It is a great way to see some very neat, rarely travelled areas of the BWCAW and have lots of solitude to boot.

if its my father and I, we use a wenonah champlain usually. because most of my family are bigger ppl.
when I got solo I'll use a prism that my uncle lowered the seat on and put a much more comfortable seat, I also use a kayak/Canoe paddle (9') in the middle for better control in the wind.
Heres a pic of me carrying a Wenonah MN 2 graphite 32lbs

will be taking in the old penobscot 16 if it's me 'n' the mutt, but decided after a trip with my b[big] little brother this spring to move to something bigger for this lake country tripping . Am shopping for something lighter with good initial stability. Tried a MN2 a few weeks back, but not impressed with the layout for either stern or bow. Am intrigued by the Souris River Quetico line, especially 18.5, altho it sounds big right now - any other recommendations for someone hoping to take a dog, gear and a passnger of at least 200 pounds (more likely up towards 250...)?

Would you recommend this boat to someone who is large, has an 80# dog and is prone to taking other large novices along with him for multi-day BWCA trips?

Started BW with rented Old Towns. I usually wound up solo so I bought an Old Town Penobscot 15'. Few years later I kept it and added a Kevlar Wenonah Prism. Few years later a sold both of those, then bought a Wenonah Advantage. From 60+ lbs on the rentals to 50 lbs on the Penob 15, about 40 on the Prism and now down to 32lbs, on the Advantage.

As I get older, the loads have to keep getting lighter.
-- Goat

I have and use a Quetico 18.5 in duralite and I love it... mainly because I am a big man, 6'5 and 275. You can load it down with a lot of stuff and people and it still paddles well. Last year it was me another 200 pound plus guy and all our gear and it was great. This year it was me and my fiance... about 125 in the bow and our gear and it was great. The other guy and his wife were in a quetico 17 and we had no problems staying up with them even in strong winds which we faced a lot of this year... Only thing is when the wind blows hard and you are fishing without all the gear you have a lot of freeboard which has a tendency to catch the wind if you are not headed into it just right... but you can recover easily enough if you know what you are doing. It handled the rough water... waves 24" and more well. we did not go out in bigger waves... tried to use a little sense!! Sliding bow seat in mine makes a difference with smaller paddler in the bow. Want to know more... e-mail me.

Bruce

I have a Souris River Quetico 17 and I go 230 and usually bring others close to that or almost 200. We bring reasonable gear and have no trouble. I also bring it with church youth some of whom have paddled a canoe once before we enter as I take them for theie first time in the city. With the dog you may want to move up to the Wilderness 18.5 just so you have alittle more room for gear and dog. The only thing I don't like about the 18.5 is getting around in narrow winding rivers-you don't get in the situation often, but when you do it is amazing how that extra 18" and added width in the middle matter.

Go to Red Rocks in Ely if you are close and test drive them both or rent one for a trip.

Tandem:
Souris River Q17

Solo:
Bell Merlin II
Bell Magic

Has anyone ever paddled a Beaver Canoe designed by Bill May? His
son's were Olympic paddlers for the U.S. team . He had Lowe Industries in Arkansas put them together for him. I rented one of these in Quetico about 20 years ago. It was the best aluminum canoe(if that is possible) I ever paddled. I would love to get hold of one again.
canoe42

Bruce,
Hi, i just found this site this morning. I was noticing your post where you and a friend did a trip with two SRs, one 17 and one 18.5.
I have narrowed my search down from hundreds of choices to 2. I am looking at purchasing either the Quetico 17 or 18.5. The 17 in kevlar at 43 lbs or the 18.5 at 49 lbs. I would prefer the lighter of the two but i'm concerned about giving up stability. My last two 10-day trips have been in a Wenonah Champlain. Stable as a Barge!
I would purchase the Champlain but it is my understanding the SR is a more durable boat than wenonah's ultra lite champlain. The champlain in flex core is 57 lbs.
So with all of that said, 2 guys tripping for 10 days, mainly fishing
which would you choose?
If anyone else has input, let me here it.

I have a Souris River Quetico 17 kevlar skin coat and love it. I took my SR 17 into Quetico for 8 days and had no problems with stability or cargo. I go 230 lbs and my trip mate right around 200. We did not have tons of gear, but we weren't ultralight either. I like the shorter length for tight river, stream navigation and tough turns on portages. The other 2 guys in our group had the 18.5 and loved it too. It has a little advantage in speed, but I doubt it is that much more stable. I liked the lighter weight and lower cost, plus it is a much better canoe to just go out and paddle around town with. If it were me I would by the SR Quetico 17. You can't go wrong either way.

As Bog said... with either one you really can't go wrong! Mine is duralite at 58 lbs which isn't much for me. but both are stable in any situation. The only thing I have found is that the freeboard fishing in the 18.5 can be a slight problem fishing in wind... you set up high out on the water and if you get crosswise in a wind you can get blown around in a hurry... but I love my 18.5 and will keep it although I would consider the 17 if I bought again... What I like best about fishing in the 18.5 is the fact there is casting room in the bow... the person in the stern doesn't have to worry about getting hit with a lure if the person in the bow throws straight out of the front of the canoe, also I am a big guy and I like the added room the 18.5 gives me. I am 6'5 and 275...
You will love either one I promise!!!

Bruce

Hello there,

Just a quick question about a canoe I found in the classified adds. The add reads:

Canoe, Fiberlite 17 foot. Nice. $260

I have never heard of this canoe but upon further inspection I found out that it's an American Fiber-Lite canoe. I can't find anything about it but I called the guy and he told me it's fiberglass.

I know they are heavy but would it be ok to take a fiberglass canoe like a coleman up to the BWCA?

Thanks,
Brent

Souris River Wilderness 18' in Duralite for tandem travel.

This year I'll be bringing up my new homemade cedar strip!

Solo,
My Advantage

Tandem,
MN II

Also welcome is the Itasca.

Hex

17' Cedar strip canoe. I don't know how much it weighs, but it is a dream to paddle and is light enough to not have to think about Kevlar.
I always hesitated to use a wood canoe in the past, but after picking this boat up at a yard sale (never used -- they won it at a county fair and it sat in the barn for three years before they decided they should sell it) I have become convinced that this boat is the one I will never sell.

bell northwind kevlar, lite weight roomy easy to paddle. i have paddled this boat solo and tandem, no complaints

Well, I have paddled Souris Rivers, Penobscots, and Wenonahs and my favorite for trips is still the Minnesota 2 canoe.

I like sitting lower in the canoe (MN 2 seats are low), I like lower sides on the canoe (not hit by wind as much), and I like the 18.5 length (longer is faster) and its design also makes it fast.

I rent both and have taken the Quetico 16, 17 (not the 18) out and still feel the need for the speed of the MN 2.

Wenonah Sundowner 18' Kevlar tandem. Good canoe - bought it barely used from a guy who had bought it a year earlier out of an estate sale.


The newest addition is my 16'6" Cedar solo stripper.