It looks like I’m working on a fleet. The 5-boat collection? I have 4 currently- an 18’ Wenonah Sundowner, a Prism, an Encounter, and my new Polaris. I do intend to sell the Encounter. If I need that much weight capacity I will likely take the Polaris and a young un. So I suppose I’m not ready for a fifth boat…
The Prism is great on open water. If I want to make time, it’s sit and switch. I can also quite comfortably control the boat from one side at a more leisurely pace. It works adequately in a downstream paddle. But it’s long and tracks too hard for a lot of the places I want to play. A great tool for the right set of circumstances.
The Encounter hauls 2 kids with me effortlessly. I think it is more stable that the Prism.
The Sundowner lives down the street at my in-laws’ on the lake. It’s a heavy beast, OK if I have another adult with me, but it’s too much with just me and the kids. It is stable and can carry quite a load.
The Polaris is a joy! But long, wide, and sits high in the water for the twisty rivers as a solo boat. It is affected by the wind more that the Wenonahs, but I expect that is partly due to the rocker.
So this has me looking at some smaller solos. I want something for daytrips, or single overnighters. I don’t have much fast water here in North Florida, or at least when it is it’s flat. I love the few videos I’ve seen of the Northstar Phoenix, but that boat has a high shear and is meant to ride over waves. The NW Solo is a choice, but I also think the smaller Trillium might be really nice. I’m not opposed to a Bell Merlin II. I am all in with the idea of composite boats. My Polaris is Blacklight (carbon over Kevlar) and the two solos are UL Kevlar. I am curious and interested in IXP for a boat that I think will wind up being my beater pickup.
The market for canoes here is poor. Kayaks rule, and not without merit. Nearest Northstar dealers are in Knoxville and SE Georgia. Try before you buy, yes if I can.
I’m 6’3” and around 220-lbs. I’m not yet fully comfortable with kneeling, though I intend to give it the ol college try. The Polaris is set up with a high canted center seat for this reason.
All of Bear’s videos about the Northstar solos point me toward the Phoenix/NW Solo size, rather than the smaller Firebird/Trillium. But what do y’all think, for primarily daytripping and short overnights? I value the maneuverability over the cargo capacity. But I need to be comfortable in the boat.
The Prism is great on open water. If I want to make time, it’s sit and switch. I can also quite comfortably control the boat from one side at a more leisurely pace. It works adequately in a downstream paddle. But it’s long and tracks too hard for a lot of the places I want to play. A great tool for the right set of circumstances.
The Encounter hauls 2 kids with me effortlessly. I think it is more stable that the Prism.
The Sundowner lives down the street at my in-laws’ on the lake. It’s a heavy beast, OK if I have another adult with me, but it’s too much with just me and the kids. It is stable and can carry quite a load.
The Polaris is a joy! But long, wide, and sits high in the water for the twisty rivers as a solo boat. It is affected by the wind more that the Wenonahs, but I expect that is partly due to the rocker.
So this has me looking at some smaller solos. I want something for daytrips, or single overnighters. I don’t have much fast water here in North Florida, or at least when it is it’s flat. I love the few videos I’ve seen of the Northstar Phoenix, but that boat has a high shear and is meant to ride over waves. The NW Solo is a choice, but I also think the smaller Trillium might be really nice. I’m not opposed to a Bell Merlin II. I am all in with the idea of composite boats. My Polaris is Blacklight (carbon over Kevlar) and the two solos are UL Kevlar. I am curious and interested in IXP for a boat that I think will wind up being my beater pickup.
The market for canoes here is poor. Kayaks rule, and not without merit. Nearest Northstar dealers are in Knoxville and SE Georgia. Try before you buy, yes if I can.
I’m 6’3” and around 220-lbs. I’m not yet fully comfortable with kneeling, though I intend to give it the ol college try. The Polaris is set up with a high canted center seat for this reason.
All of Bear’s videos about the Northstar solos point me toward the Phoenix/NW Solo size, rather than the smaller Firebird/Trillium. But what do y’all think, for primarily daytripping and short overnights? I value the maneuverability over the cargo capacity. But I need to be comfortable in the boat.
