I've had a couple of royalex Wenonah solos over the last several years, and spent most of that time in a Vagabond. It's served me well for general plunking around and fishing, but I'm ready to get something new and hopefully my first composite canoe.
My only real beef with the Vagabond is that it doesn't seem to have much glide/efficiency/pizazz to it. I don't mind the weight, but the floppy bottom is a little disappointing even if it's only a cosmetic thing.
So. I'm in the southeast and composite canoes aren't really a thing here. So used is a lost hope. I DO have a dealer about 3 hours away that can get the following brands:
Northstar, Wenonah, Swift, Nova Craft
The canoes I've had in mind for what I think I would like:
Northstar Trillium
Northstar Magic
Swift Keewaydin 15
Northstar Northwind Solo
My uses are almost exclusively flat water. Some of that being big open river or lake type paddling, and other being small creeks. No whitewater of any sort.
I just need a somewhat stable and efficient boat that I can cover some ground on open water without a lot of fuss.
My heart says get a Magic because it should be a ground covering machine. And I like the idea of that.
My head says one of the smaller boats may be a more sensible and more manueverable choice, and maybe easier to tame when a stiff breeze blows up.
I'm 5' 9" and weigh about 150 pounds. My usual gear load likely won't ever exceed 50 pounds. Occasionally I may toss a 125 pound deer in the boat and have to paddle home, but this won't be often enough to be a huge consideration, but it would need to possible at least.
All of the grunt will be provided by a single blade, and I'm not much on kneeling. Seated, bent shaft is how I usually roll.
I sure appreciate y'all reading, and I hope you can point me down the right path. Thank you in advance!![PXL_20240628_163957258.jpg PXL_20240628_163957258.jpg](https://www.canoetripping.net/data/attachments/32/32579-1d4d1493cd4b201b71c55d110bfc917a.jpg?hash=HU0Uk81LIB)
My only real beef with the Vagabond is that it doesn't seem to have much glide/efficiency/pizazz to it. I don't mind the weight, but the floppy bottom is a little disappointing even if it's only a cosmetic thing.
So. I'm in the southeast and composite canoes aren't really a thing here. So used is a lost hope. I DO have a dealer about 3 hours away that can get the following brands:
Northstar, Wenonah, Swift, Nova Craft
The canoes I've had in mind for what I think I would like:
Northstar Trillium
Northstar Magic
Swift Keewaydin 15
Northstar Northwind Solo
My uses are almost exclusively flat water. Some of that being big open river or lake type paddling, and other being small creeks. No whitewater of any sort.
I just need a somewhat stable and efficient boat that I can cover some ground on open water without a lot of fuss.
My heart says get a Magic because it should be a ground covering machine. And I like the idea of that.
My head says one of the smaller boats may be a more sensible and more manueverable choice, and maybe easier to tame when a stiff breeze blows up.
I'm 5' 9" and weigh about 150 pounds. My usual gear load likely won't ever exceed 50 pounds. Occasionally I may toss a 125 pound deer in the boat and have to paddle home, but this won't be often enough to be a huge consideration, but it would need to possible at least.
All of the grunt will be provided by a single blade, and I'm not much on kneeling. Seated, bent shaft is how I usually roll.
I sure appreciate y'all reading, and I hope you can point me down the right path. Thank you in advance!
![PXL_20240628_163957258.jpg PXL_20240628_163957258.jpg](https://www.canoetripping.net/data/attachments/32/32579-1d4d1493cd4b201b71c55d110bfc917a.jpg?hash=HU0Uk81LIB)
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