Just purchased 16' Esquif Prospecteur T-Formex, should I get the 17' foot instead?

Guest · Mar 4, 2021

BirchBeer said:
Mike McCrea I'll see if I can get the weights of both those boats as it would be really interesting to know.

Thanks, that kind of real world weight information is appreciated.

I’ve never had a fresh from the factory T-formex canoe, and it doesn’t sound like the 16 and 17 are such, but the foam core on newly made Royalex canoes took at least a year to firm up.

Our RX Wenonah Wilderness came straight from the factory. In tying it on the truck roof racks the trucker’s hitch was pressed (I though lightly) against the side of the canoe.

The two belly line hitches left dimples. And then more dimples an inch away when I re-racked it after trips. It doesn’t dimple these days, the foam core is fully cured, but the initial series of dimples are still there years later.

goonstroke · Mar 4, 2021

ppine said:
I would opt for the 17 footer only if there is no 18 footer.

My high school football coach used to like to say, "You can teach a kid to be tough, you can teach a kid to be aggressive, but you can't teach a kid to be big." So it is with boats -- no clever outfitting makes room for another barrel.

I also like big tripping tandems, but I have 15 and 16.5 foot solos. It's the one boat constraint that makes it tough.

Guest · Mar 5, 2021

Having already paid for a T-formex Prospector BirchBeer’s choice is between the 16 and 17 footers, and may come down to weight on the portage trail and occasional solo-ability.

A composite canoe may be in our future once we have learned more about how we want to canoe trip.

That next canoe might be a lighter weight 18’ composite, or a dedicated composite solo, or who knows what.

I looked at my shop notes for the T-formex Esquif Cargo. It did not have an extra seat, it came factory stock with four. And it did not weigh 110lbs, speced at 95lbs it weighed 105lbs.

On that square stern, getting-a-motor, never going to be carried very far canoe the extra 10lbs wasn’t a deal breaker, or a back breaker. But still. . . . .

For folks who work on canoes, outfit canoes or routinely sell/flip boats, having a hanging scale in the shop is worthwhile. The max 70lb scale wouldn’t cut it, so I went with a 280lb version.

Canotrouge · Mar 5, 2021

Still 10 lbs is a lot of weight above the spec weight, but marketing is more important than truth, and not wanting to bash on esquif, but over the years they’ve been strong on marketing especially regarding there T-formex

Guest · Mar 6, 2021

Canotrouge said:
Still 10 lbs is a lot of weight above the spec weight

10lbs over spec would today be a deal killer for me on most canoes. With my back and knees and decreasing old-man endurance even 5 lbs over spec might dissuade me; I know I’m not getting any stronger.

I have our Vermont-vintage RX Explorer in the shop, catalog spec’ed back in the day at 70lbs. No way that Explorer was ever close to MRC’s catalog stated “average” of 70lbs.

Soloized, the Explorer has a single, light weight laminated Conk solo seat, three thwarts and a (lighter than ash) webbing strap yoke. It does have original-owner-installed kevlar felt skid plates, but those are a couple pounds at most even if excessively resin saturated.

That Explorer tips the hanging shop scale at a solid 85 lbs of thick, old school Royalex. No freaking way those +/- changes add up to 15lbs.

No wonder my back hurt this morning. No more 70+ lb canoes.

Guest · Apr 28, 2021

I’m on pins and needles here. Did you pick up one of the T-formex Prospecteurs?

If so, what did it weigh?

BirchBeer · Apr 28, 2021

Well I just weighed it for you. I hadn't weighed it until now because I apparently preferred being in denial. I weighed it by balancing it on its side on a decent digital bathroom scale. My 16' Prospecteur t-Formex comes in at a disappointing 76lbs! So I'd have to think the 17 would likely weigh more but I'm sure you're right that it depends on the factors of the individual build and thus it's possible to have a 75lb 17' and a 75lb 16'.

billconner · Apr 28, 2021

The internet says 65 and 76. Are you sure you don't have a 17?

. Those are without wood gunwales. Not sure what a "tandem or solo touring kit" option includes or weighs - by the internet or really.

BirchBeer · Apr 28, 2021

Yeah it's the standard tandem setup without wood gunwales. Hmmmm let me find that tape measure .... yep its a 16'. The scale setup wasn't the best but I doubt that it was 10 lbs off.

I'm pretty happy for the 10 extra pounds of durability ...

Guest · Apr 29, 2021

BirchBeer said:
Well I just weighed it for you. I hadn't weighed it until now because I apparently preferred being in denial.

BirchBeer said:
My 16' Prospecteur t-Formex comes in at a disappointing 76lbs! So I'd have to think the 17 would likely weigh more but I'm sure you're right that it depends on the factors of the individual build and thus it's possible to have a 75lb 17' and a 75lb 16'.

Maybe a cautionary tale about the actual weights of some T-formex canoes, especially with several other manufacturers buying T-formex sheets from Esquif for their previiously Royalex models. When you are on a portage trail with it try to convince yourself that the 17’ footer really weighed 86lbs.

Yeah it's the standard tandem setup without wood gunwales.
I'm pretty happy for the 10 extra pounds of durability ...

That’s a good way to think about it, “beefier T-formex than the “65 pounders” ;-)

Out of curiosity, what is the year (last two numbers on the HIN).

BirchBeer · Apr 29, 2021

Thanks Mike

It looks like its a 2020.

Did I understood correctly that you are working on a T-formex replacement?

Guest · May 1, 2021

BirchBeer said:
Did I understood correctly that you are working on a T-formex replacement?

Not me. I don’t have much experience with T-formex other than the overweight Esquif cargo, and don’t know much about it other than visibly the outer “skin” seeming glossier than Royalex.

Someday I’d love to see a sample square of the T-formex material. DougD brought me rectangles of Royalex from a couple manufacturers and just looking at the different ABS colors and thicknesses was an education.

Blackdog · Nov 21, 2024

BirchBeer said:
My wife and I are getting into tripping. We were lucky to find and purchase a 16' Esquif Prospecteur. However, the supplier does also have a 17' that I can trade up to if we change my mind before we go pick up the canoe.

I can't see regretting the decision to get the 16' but I've seen a lot of folks swear by 17' footers for tripping.

We'd like to be able to do up to 2 week trips in the future, but it's probably not going to happen this year, we'll probably only go out for a week max.

Having done a lot of backpacking in the past I've become quite the minimalist camper. However I'm 6'4" and I weigh around 240lbs.

So hence the quandary.

Also no passengers/children/dogs.

It would also be nice to be able to solo the canoe as well.

I'm pretty sure we can get all the things we need out of the 16 and I'd much prefer the 65lbs of the 16' to the 75lbs of the 17'.

So that's my thinking.

Should I get the 17 instead?

Hey, I know it's been a few years since you posted this but did you end up going with the 17? And how have you enjoyed paddling on the Churchill?!

Gamma1214 · Nov 21, 2024

Hi Blackdog. Welcome to the site. The OP (BirchBeer) hasn't been on the site in awhile (If you hover the cursor over his avatar it tells you when he joined & when he was last on).

You can send a personal message using the envelope in the upper right of your screen. That should send an email to whatever recovery email he used.

If you're looking for specific information, search the archives &/or start a thread. Lots of info here and tons of people who are happy to help

Blackdog · Nov 21, 2024

Gamma1214 said:
Hi Blackdog. Welcome to the site. The OP (BirchBeer) hasn't been on the site in awhile (If you hover the cursor over his avatar it tells you when he joined & when he was last on).

You can send a personal message using the envelope in the upper right of your screen. That should send an email to whatever recovery email he used.

If you're looking for specific information, search the archives &/or start a thread. Lots of info here and tons of people who are happy to help

Thank you.

Just purchased 16' Esquif Prospecteur T-Formex, should I get the 17' foot instead?

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