Wenonah Advantage / C1W opportunity

[Magnus919]

There's a fella who posted a couple of boats on our local Craigslist who lives only a few miles from me... I think some of the math is funny, but I can reconcile against online specs. I'm leaving shortly to go have a look-see.

I notice that buying both boats together is more $$$ than buying both separately. I'm not too interested in the C1W unless I get a deal of a lifetime on both boats. Am I wrong to be disinterested?

The Advantage, though... That's something that I could use in my growing flotilla. It looks like most of the feedback people have about this boat is generally good.

No worries, I'm still on track to pick up a shiny new RapidFire in November.

https://raleigh.craigslist.org/boa/d...261761854.html

 

[bcelect]

There is no such thing as having too many boats. . Yes the pricing is just a little puzzling.

 

[Guest]

I’d be interested in comments from anyone in the know about the no-outwale design as shown on the Advantage.

I have seen that feature on ultra-light race hulls, but never cared much for the aesthetics or potential fragility.

 

[lowangle al]

That pricing strategy reminds me of the boneless chicken dinners(pickled eggs) offered at the old burnt down Bird House Bar in Ak. 25 cents each or three for a buck.

 

[Magnus919]

So I'm back... I took the Advantage and also negotiated his canoe rack, which saves me a near-term DIY project. I have to extend the arm length on the bottom shelf to accommodate my Old Town Camper 16RX (way too wide), but otherwise here's the state of the fleet... Next move is to get the motorcycle sold and commission the previously mentioned PBW RapidFire.

 

[Magnus919]

That pricing strategy reminds me of the boneless chicken dinners(pickled eggs) offered at the old burnt down Bird House Bar in Ak. 25 cents each or three for a buck.

The seller was very friendly, intelligent, not a doofus. I think he just really wanted to keep one of the two boats.

 

[pblanc]

I own both boats. I have never seen that type of gunwale arrangement on any Advantage before. I am thinking the boat was modified. The Advantage, like most Wenonahs, has that bubble-sided tumblehome. A big paddler with a substantial load may sink over half that bubble. In that event, secondary stability drops off very quickly and heeling the canoe can make for a wet experience.

The Advantage is the better boat for fast exercise paddling, day paddling without a load, or tripping with a light paddler and relatively light load.

Both boats originated as downriver racing designs but the Advantage was modified to be better suited for recreational and performance paddling. The C1W has a lot of depth, too much for flat water or calm water paddling with no load or a light load, where it just catches too much wind. It is actually not at all a bad boat for expedition paddling or a big paddler carrying a fairly heavy load. I know of a few people who have modified C1Ws by cutting them down and rerailing them to reduce the windage.

Both are relatively efficient, hard tracking designs. The Advantage is the faster boat, IMO.

 

[Magnus919]

I may be too big for it. But my fleet serves a family of five, and all of the other paddlers are slender females. If I end up not using it much, one of them will.

The one thing my wife insists on going forward is light weight boats...

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[goonstroke]

I think you made the right call. I have a C1W and I like it, but I use it as pblanc says, whitewater or tripping with a load. The Advantage is a more broadly useful performance solo. Compared to your NeXT, it's going to scream. Get a light bent shaft paddle if you don't have one already.

 

[Magnus919]

Now if the weather forecast would stop showing me thunderstorms every day... Looks like I might get an opening to try it out Thursday after work.

My wife was blown away by how light it is, but as she was helping me to get everything up on the racks she wanted to lift the Advantage up herself and she felt bad asking... "Do they come any lighter than this?"

At least now I know how to get more toys approved by the CFO.

 

[Guest]

I own both boats. I have never seen that type of gunwale arrangement on any Advantage before. I am thinking the boat was modified.

I’ve never seen that on an Advantage before either, but it is not uncommon on Wenonah’s racing J-boats or SCR/Pro boats. From the exterior photos it looks identical to how Wenonah trimmed some of their UL racing hulls; no outwale and cross pieces attached through the naked outer edge. If so it would have a relatively thin inwale glued in place.

I’m thinking the original owner special ordered the Advantage outfitted that way for the lightest construction possible, maybe as a rec class or non-pro boat racer.

It must save a little weight, enough to be important to race-dedicated hulls, but it can be fragile.

At the Wye Island race, open to canoes and kayaks but sponsored by rowing clubs, I saw the aftermath of a collision between an 8-man shell and a Wenonah Pro-boat. The overtaking shell hit the stern of the Pro-boat with dead on aim, bow of the shell against the stern of the canoe.

That is like hitting a moving bulls eye, and was no accident; it capsized the canoe and crushed 6 inches of the stern. The guys in the shell reportedly never said a word.

 

[Magnus919]

I’m thinking the original owner special ordered the Advantage outfitted that way for the lightest construction possible, maybe as a rec class or non-pro boat racer.

I think the fellow I bought it from is the original owner. Both of his boats were racing boats. The Advantage hadn't been paddled in at least 15 years, was literally an ornament on his living room wall until I arrived. He had quite an array of fancy looking paddles nearby, for only the two solo race boats.

He spoke fondly of the Advantage, but several times added something to the effect of "these used to be great race boats, but these days it's more of a quick rec boat".

Next time I'm back in the workshop I'll try to get some better pictures of the inwale setup, thwart attachments, etc. The thwarts are basically screwed to the inwale right through the kevlar skin. It's really a very spartan boat.

 

[Guest]

Not an outwale in sight.

https://www.google.com/search?biw=1...j0i8i7i30k1.wsWGzMpiS5A#imgrc=xrnuyOcS5H0qHM:

 

[Magnus919]

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[cflcanoe]

After saying that you added another dimension to your fleet with this great find looking at your rack brings up an interesting question. Were is the intended home of the Rapidfire? Ended up building a rolling three high canoe rack that tucks into the wall rack. This is a problem that all fleet owners, canoe rescuers from bad homes, collectors & small privet canoe museum owners have. Ok I will fess up we are really just hoarders.

Also I second the suggestion of a light weight bent shaft.

 

[Magnus919]

After saying that you added another dimension to your fleet with this great find looking at your rack brings up an interesting question. Were is the intended home of the Rapidfire?

There's room to hang at least two more boats from the rafters after I reconfigure the lighting.

The Next and the Kayak may go to make room for lighter pack boats like Hornbecks or something. Not loaded; just trying to get a whole family on the water.

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[Magnus919]

So that empty yellow wall on the far end... Paddles, PFD's, etc will hang there. That's one of my Winter projects. There is still a motorcycle that goes in that open space in the far end, but it's in the shop now. When it comes back, I'm selling it and that $$$ goes to the RapidFire.

I say RapidFire, but before I pull the trigger I'm going to rig the Camper (bottom, red) for kneeling and see if I have a preference for paddling that way. I just don't know yet and reckon I should figure it out before I invest that much $$$ in a boat.

 

[gumpus]

I like your strategy of selling your motorcycle to fund more boats. I've never had a car pull in front of me and then stop in a canoe!

I wonder if your girls would like something like a Minnesota 3...something that can they can paddle together and easily keep up with anyone, like you in a Rapidfire.

 

[pblanc]

The Wenonah Advantage used to be a popular canoe for Marathon racing in the C1 stock class.

 

[Magnus919]

I wonder if your girls would like something like a Minnesota 3...something that can they can paddle together and easily keep up with anyone, like you in a Rapidfire.

Tandems are actually off the menu. Nobody in the house enjoys tandem paddling. I really dislike it so I can respect when everyone else says they dislike it.

Eyes on the prize, though: wife & I are up first. The Wenonah Advantage was just a stroke of luck. I need some time in that boat to get a feel for where it fits in our fleet. Else, the plan is still to either get a pair of RapidFires or something up to the same price. We ruled out the Swift Keewaydin 15 because to get the weight down low enough made it cost quite a lot more. So RapidFire is about the upper limit on $$.