I have the chance (and will most likely take it as the solo I am looking at is a bit of a pipe dream at this point) to paddle a Canak this coming June for a week-long trip.

For those of you who own this vessel, any suggestions, on paddles in particular, would be most appreciated. For example, I plan fishing, and, while this may be a dumb question, is that feasible with a kayak paddle?

Any input greatly appreciated, and thanks in advance for your ideas.

Good question. I have fished from a sit in kayak with the double blade and it was a hassle. Since a back up paddle is always a good idea how about a smaller single blade for when fishing. No experience, but think it would be a good idea.

There was a thread about this a while back. One of the guys used the canak almost exclusively for fishing. Can't remember what type of paddle. A search might find it.

I think he was using a single blade. But it was a very long thread with lots of info on the boat and so I definitely suggest paging down and looking for it.

Thread

Thanks, folks. The canak belongs to a buddy who will be working in Alaska over the summer, and he has given me free reign to use it. Not sue if he has a kayak paddle, but if he does, it will not fit me as he is 6' 7". I plan on having a single blade with me, just not sure if I need to rent a yak paddle. I've only been in a kayak a couple of times, so this is a new experience for me.

quote Frenchy19: "Thanks, folks. The canak belongs to a buddy who will be working in Alaska over the summer, and he has given me free reign to use it. Not sue if he has a kayak paddle, but if he does, it will not fit me as he is 6' 7". I plan on having a single blade with me, just not sure if I need to rent a yak paddle. I've only been in a kayak a couple of times, so this is a new experience for me."

E-mail me... I'd let you use one of my yak paddles to try.

If you like the feel of wood you can always borrow mine, but I'm pretty sure you didn't like it lol, but then again that was in Dan's Wilderness, could feel completely different in the Canak, my guess would be the seat height to waterline relation will be different.

Not a Canak - but a rather Bell's version (Rob Roy). I've taken numerous trips with it. I fish out of it, duck hunt out of it - all with a double blade paddle. I prefer the double blade over the single. IMO it's not even close.

Heh, I might be "that guy" that uses a Canak exclusively to fish out of. No question a double blade is a pain, cumbersome, and literally painful after hours of paddling. Single blade, all the way. Double blades don't bring anything to the party except more weight, with the Canak you don't exactly have to worry about windage killing your momentum in a head wind.

Definitely use a bent shaft over an "animal tail" paddle, the longer stroke of something like a solo tripper Ottertail works great paddling a Prospector solo but in the Canak just makes it harder to stay on course. A shallow angle bent shaft is my preferred covering miles stick, with a 10 degree POS Redtail I am making 4-4.5mph all day long. At 5mph the bow wave starts curling back on itself and the boat hits a wall, so really there's not much in it to make a double blade worthwhile.

Plus when you're fishing, the Canak has two paddle bungee's on either side, and it's no trick to lash your paddle in one handed while holding a rod with the other. Been catching salmon & trout all summer long in Lake Ontario out of a Canak and never did I ever have a desire for any other boat or double blade.

The seat as I mentioned in the other threads on the Canak is higher than every other floor mounted canoe seat I have seen. Exact same bucket seat setup as in the Prism & Advantage. Your butt is 8" off the floor. Higher than a Rob Roy, Placid seats & SINK kayaks.

Yes I love my boat, no I am not sponsored by Wenonah. :D
It is just the boat I always wished somebody would build...until they did!

Another thing, if you are planning any portages be sure to find, rent, beg for one of Wenonah's snap in yokes that attaches to the seat pedestal. I can carry it 300 yards slung over my shoulder with a piece of pool noodle on the cockpit coaming, but any real portages you'll need the yoke. I tried all manner of lashing paddles but with the curved deck & seat pedestal on the balance point it was less than ideal. Chosen Valley makes & sells them I believe.

And I wear a size 50 Regular jacket, and a 52" bent shaft fits me perfect. I picked up a Bending Branches Viper double bent paddle as a Christmas present to myself over the holidays, and is working out like a dream. Perfect solo paddle for the Canak, but I only got out twice before the lake froze.

Thanks for all the input!

Dilligaf0220-I was hoping to hear from you as I recalled the pics you posted earlier and how you raved about the boat.

My buddy has the yoke, so that is covered. Now I only need to find the fish!

One last question for you. You mentioned a 52" bent shaft, and that is the size of the paddle I normally use. Just curious how tall you are.

Thanks again!

5'10" with a 32" inseam. Torso length is the big factor IMHO.
Height may be a paddle length factor if you kneel, but you can't kneel in a Canak.


Haa haa and sorry if I do ramble on about the Canak, there just is minimal info of this boat online (I think I own one of two boats sold in all of Ontario!). I think Wenonah tried leveraging the "decked Prism" angle because the Prism is their best selling solo, but it really handles very differently. I still haven't had a chance to compare the hull lines side by side with a Prism yet so I am not sure why. But I didn't really care for the Prism I paddled a few years ago, but I love everything about the Canak.

List of solo's I have either paddled on a minimum 5 day trip or owned: Souris River Tranq, Swift Osprey, Swift Shearwater, Sawyer Mist, Nova Craft Pal, Nova Craft Bob Special, Nova Craft Supernova. I pick the Canak over all of them for any paddling fishing trip this side of Class II+ whitewater.

Ramble on "Dillagaf0220", because it's great to get a detailed user review from someone who has spent some time in the Wenonah "Canak". Although I don't "need" another canoe, I'm always interested in what's out there and the opinions of other paddlers and their equipment.

Your comments carry a lot of weight, because you've had experience in a variation of other solos as well. Unlike some user reviews, where the reviewer is enthralled by a particular product, yet they do not have much else to compare it to.

You're also correct in saying there isn't a lot of "Canak" reviews out there, personal or otherwise, despite the "Canak" being around for a few years now.

I'm a real canoe-camping "Gear Geek", so I enjoyed your enthusiastic personal review.

Hans Solo

you've got me convinced! If I win the lottery I am definitely gettinga canak! :)

quote HansSolo: "
Ramble on "Dillagaf0220", because it's great to get a detailed user review from someone who has spent some time in the Wenonah "Canak". Although I don't "need" another canoe, I'm always interested in what's out there and the opinions of other paddlers and their equipment.
Hans Solo"

Totally agree! I am gad I get the chance to paddle this boat, and you've got me even more excited.

I guess another question is now in order, and that involves keeping it trim. I imagine I'll have my CCS Pioneer pack with the bulk of my gear behind me, and I plan on using the smaller rucksack in front of me to help with trim. Is it fairly easy to move these while paddling if need be? I only paddled this boat once, and that was about for 20 minutes last October as that is when my buddy picked it up on our way to Ely for a short fishing trip in Ely. Thus, I was not really paying any attention to it beyond thinking it was a pretty cool looking ride.

Speaking of canaks;
Does anyone knowif any of the Ely side outfitters rent out canaks?

quote pswith5: "Speaking of canaks;
Does anyone knowif any of the Ely side outfitters rent out canaks?"

VNO has it on their website, look under partial outfitting.

The seat is a slider with a spring loaded lock, I haven't had it move even when I tried. It is no trick to adjust the seat & foot pegs on the fly when sitting. I think this is the big reason they went with kayak style adjustable foot pegs instead of a bar, you wouldn't be able to adjust a foot bar on the water without some serious acrobatics.

If there is one downside to the Canak it's that if you paddle with lot's of small items loose on the floor you are kind of pooched if you lose one too far forward or back. Small stuff like a coffee thermos, headlamp, pliers, et al; I just keep inside the seat frame under my butt so they don't roll around. Everything else goes into the two tackle bags by my feet or in a milk crate behind me. Extra lures that end up just clipped off I stick into my bailing sponge next to the seat instead of just throwing them in the bottom of the boat like I used to do with an open canoe.

I only paddle with the front spray cover on and leave the back open for access (plus, I usually have the BRT 48" landing net back there), and only put it on if it started to rain. You can remove & replace the covers on the water, but that usually involved 5mins of hassle so most times I didn't bother unless there was a serious chop up.

The front cover I leave on all the time, if I have one complaint about the Canak hull it's that the bow could use more bouyancy, an extra 6"-8" of flare would make it perfect. As it is the bow torpedoes through chop instead of riding over it, try paddling straight into breaking chop and you'll end up with a lap full of water. Take breaking surf on a 45 and paddle on the lee side and beach launches are no probs up to 2' breakers.

Small items are no problem; I do not have any junk floating around on travel days. I am curious, where do you keep your maps? I am assuming you've been on some multiple day trips.

I switched to a Wenonah Voyager ultralight. 34 lbs. Has a foot controlled rudder. When used with a kayak paddle it blows by other kayaks or canoes.

These 2 photos represent the total of my Canak knowledge. This guy was out between Englishman Island and American Point late on a Friday evening.

quote pswith5: "Speaking of canaks;
Does anyone knowif any of the Ely side outfitters rent out canaks?"

Canoe Country Outfitters rents Canaks too: https://www.canoecountryoutfitters.com/partial_outfitting.html

Piragis rents them too.