Plus size canoeing?

[Tryin']

6'3" 320# guy here.

At typical female heights, 5'2"-5'8", 265 is going to sit high and wide compared to the boats center of gravity. Girthy bodies also move and react to movement much differently than lean bodies. You will likely find any dedicated flatwater solo to be rather unstable. Look for a canoe no less than 30" wide at the gunnel.

If you are highly mobile, a low seat will offer a more stable ride. If you are not highly mobile, you will feel like flipping every time you move around or get in and out.

Paddling while obese is not impossible, but there are many challenges that persons who have not been obese simply cannot understand. It's not just about weight. All the usual beginner stuff is compounded many times over, and maybe no where as severely as boat selection.

 

[Tryin']

I'm interested in a canoe a guy is selling here. It's a 17' Alumacraft ultra light. What say you about that canoe?

You will find it heavy and stable. There are many other facets of aluminum canoes that warrant consideration, but you will find it stable.

 

[miss katie]

6'3" 320# guy here.

At typical female heights, 5'2"-5'8", 265 is going to sit high and wide compared to the boats center of gravity. Girthy bodies also move and react to movement much differently than lean bodies. You will likely find any dedicated flatwater solo to be rather unstable. Look for a canoe no less than 30" wide at the gunnel.

If you are highly mobile, a low seat will offer a more stable ride. If you are not highly mobile, you will feel like flipping every time you move around or get in and out.

Paddling while obese is not impossible, but there are many challenges that persons who have not been obese simply cannot understand. It's not just about weight. All the usual beginner stuff is compounded many times over, and maybe no where as severely as boat selection.

I am highly mobile. I have been in canoes and have done well while sitting above but I've heard the word "saddle" thrown around and watched a few videos on that and I think that seems like a good option for me but I guess you never know until you get your feet wet. Thank you so much for your insight. Very helpful.

 

[GeoBoy]

I think you won't have much trouble finding a suitable boat based on your needs of paddling the lakes and rivers around Bemidji. I'd guess most paddlers in the 250 pound range get along just fine with regular solo canoes. Something in the 15' range should be fine. You'll be looking for something with more volume rather than speed potential.

From Northstar canoes I'd think the Northwind solo would be a good choice. Plenty of other canoes with similar specs would work fine too.

Alan

I also think the Northstar Northwind solo or pack canoe would be a great choice. Talk with Bear at the Northstar factory and get his thoughts.

 

[Boreal Birch]

miss katie……
Back when I was a young man all the canoes that were seen in Northern Minnesota were mostly either Grumman or Alumacraft, just like most of the cars back then were Ford or Chevrolet. As a Bemidji State College student we went all over the in those cars and canoes they were do all forms of transportation, not specialized as today’s plethora of choices. I led many of the collages Outdoor Programs down the Mississippi River from Lake Itaska and the Turtle River to Lake Bemidji. With aluminum canoes that were full of gear and or students.
When paddling solo, sit in the bow/front seat. Paddle stern first.
When I first met Sigurd F. Olson he had an old Grumman canoe lashed to the roof of his sedan. PhD Phillip Sauer took our’SIGNIFICANT AMERICAN NATURE WRITERS CLASS’ to Ely to sit at the feet of that great crusader of wild places.
A couple of friends of mine that still live in Minnesota are still regularly paddling their 60 some odd year old aluminum canoes. Ultra light aluminum canoes weight in at sixty pounds so they are heavier than modern canoes, but we portage them through the Superior/Quetico canoe country.
It will serve you well and take you to some wonderful places.
…….BB

 

[memaquay]

Some days I long for my missing aluminium canoes. In fact, I know where one of my old ones sits unused in the bush, I might retrieve it this summer. I carried 87 pound grummans for many miles over portages. We had one student who weighed in over 300 and the grumman suited him well. Most of those aluminiums will have a thwart directly behind the bow seat, so if one wanted to use it solo, the thwart would probably have to be removed, any easy task with a drill.

 

[MrPoling]

I'm interested in a canoe a guy is selling here. It's a 17' Alumacraft ultra light. What say you about that canoe?

I bought a supposedly lightweight aluminum racing canoe once. As others have commented even a lightweight aluminum canoe will be 20 lb heavier than a composite.

Probably the biggest advantage of aluminum canoes is The ability to store them outside in any conditions.

I ended up selling it, and the weight was no small part of why. If you have the means to purchase a lighter weight composite canoe, and a place to store it, you'll be happier with it

 

[BWCA66]

I'm interested in a canoe a guy is selling here. It's a 17' Alumacraft ultra light. What say you about that canoe?

I've had that model for 25+ years, needs to be treated like a lightweight not an aluminum tank, I think that is why they quit making it. Works great for plus size folks. Mine has handled a 250 and 300+ with gear together. The seats are also wider than most.

 

[BWCA66]

FYI for those that think the lightweight alumicraft isn't really that light. It's a 17' tandom weighing 53 lbs which is lighter than many canoes. It needs to be treated like a composite because it was built with thinner aluminum and less beafy thwarts. I think the reason they quit making it was folks treated it like an aluminum tank and in that case they didn't hold up. Mine is heading into it's 28th season, it's always my first choice to take but does work well with a partner and my 70 lbs Golden and gear.

 

[Bob B.]

Miss Katie,

Welcome to the site!

I think you will find a lot of great info here, from a lot of really great people. You have many recommendations so far, all very reasonable and worth serious consideration. I especially would encourage you ( like has been mentioned here ) to talk with Bear at NorthStar Canoes. You may interested in their canoe called the Pearl. It is like a large solo or small tandem. A truly great canoe design.

Another suggestion for you would be to contact Dave Curtis at Hemlock Canoe Works. He has a canoe called the Eaglet. It can be a large solo or small tandem. I purchased a used one and am extremely satisfied with its weight, and performance. Mine is set up as a solo. I am about 200 pounds and am 6’2”. I paddle with 70 pound dog. I find it to be very stable, reasonably fast and very maneuverable. It is 15 feet long and only 32 inches at water line. So, wider than most solos but narrower than most tandems. This makes it pretty stable, yet easy to propel by paddling. Even his ultra light version is robustly built on the bottom, where most damage is likely to occur. They are in New York, but do deliver for very reasonable expense. I have found the Eaglet to be my favorite canoe to paddle …. With exception of my Chestnut 15 Prospector.

Good luck with your search!

Bob.

 

[Bob B.]

I forgot to add, when looking for a canoe, you may want to try one with foot braces. They are really helpful in fighting fatigue and getting the most power in your paddle stroke of you are not paddling from a kneeling position.

Bob.

 

[Alan Gage]

Since you stated your preferences were for paddling solo my vote would go against the aluminum tandem canoe. It can easily be paddled solo in calm conditions but I think you'll find it extremely challenging in any sort of wind. But people have done it, still do it, and will continue to do it.

The weight will also make it that much more difficult to get on/off the car.

Since the canoe is local you could always stop by for a look and practice loading it onto your car to see if it's doable.

The biggest benefit is that you can buy it right now and you should have no problem reselling it later if you decide you want something else.

The biggest downside would be that you find the canoe frustrating and it keeps you away from the sport. But the same thing could happen with a dedicated composite solo like many that have been suggested here.

Alan

 

[ppine]

Try paddling a tandem canoe from amidships.

 

[zekabl]

I am in the big guy category and feel the pain of looking at all of these nice solo boats knowing I am not going to fit. I am on that loosing weight suggestion that comes up from time to time because I can't get my hip replaced without being smaller. But even after that I am still a big guy. I have compiled my own Charlie Wilson big guy spreadsheet with boats that I am interested in. Maybe this will help miss kate and the larger people. The information may not be all correct but should be close. There are some tandem boats that could be converted to solo on the list plus solo boats. I have owned a Clipper P14 and Wenonah Encounter to give me guidance on my boat quest. I paddled my OT Camper on a lake last weekend and it was a slug.

Canoe	L	Gunwale width	bow ctr stern	weight	material	rocker	foam ribs	freeboard
Clipper Prospector 14	14	29	21 15 21	46	kev dura	1.5 both	No	300lb 10in
				42	kev		Yes
				40	ultralight		Yes
Swift Prospector 14	14	28	20 13 20	34	exp kev	1 both	Yes
Nova Craft Prosp 14	14	32	22 14 22	45	tuffstuff	2.5	Yes
				48	TS Exp		Yes
				35	Kev		Yes
				38	Blue steel		Yes
Nova Craft Fox	14	32	19 13 19	42	tuffstuff	<1	Yes
				48	TS Exp		Yes
				34	Kev		Yes
				37	Blue steel		Yes
Hemlock SRT	15	27	20 15 19	39	Premium	2.5 1.5	No	wood trim
				36	Litetech		No
SR Harmony Solo	15	29	15 14 15	33	whitewater
Clipper Caribou S	15 3"	27	20 14 20	52	kev dura	2 both	No	300lb 10in
				44	ultralight	2 both	Yes	300lb 10in
				47	kev	2 both	Yes	300lb 10in
NS NW solo	15 6"	27	18 13 15	41	IXP	2.5 1.5	No	300lb 9in
				27	SL		Yes
				29	BL		Yes
Hemlock Eaglet	15 7"	31	18 13 18	39	Premium	1.5 both	No	wood trim
				36	Litetech		No
Swift Kee 16 combi	16	32	20 13 17	46	exp kev	2 1.25	Yes
				39	Kev fusion		Yes
				37	carb fusion		Yes
Old Town Camper	16	36	20 13 20	59	Royalex	2	Yes
Clipper Tripper S	16 6"	32	19 14 17	57	kev		Yes	300lb 10.8 in
				51	ultralight		Yes	300lb 10.8 in
SR Deep Creek Solo	16 6"	32	18 14 17	38	whitewater
NS NW 16	16 6"	32	21 14 19	63	IXP	2.5 1.5	No	300 11in
				39	SL		Yes
				41	BL		Yes
NS Polaris	16 9"	31	21 14 18	62	IXP	2.5 1.5	No	300 11in
				38	SL		Yes
				40	BL		Yes
Wenonah Encounter	17	25	19 14 16	38	kev	0	Yes

 

[Sliding Focus]

Welcome to the site, @miss katie!

I agree with the suggestions that a relatively wide solo canoe in the 15–16' range, such as the Northstar Northwind Solo mentioned by @Alan Gage or Hemlock Eaglet mentioned by @Bob B., might be ideal for you. Another model you should consider is the Wenonah Wilderness: it feels very stable and has a lot of volume, so it makes good solo tripping canoe for a beginner or for someone who prefers to paddle from a sitting (rather than kneeling) position, and I think it would be very suitable for someone on the heavier side. Wenonah offers several other models with similar specs that might work well for you, too—in particular, the Basswood Solo, Prism, Moccasin (discontinued), and Solitude (discontinued) could be worth looking at—but I haven't paddled those and so can't comment on them from personal experience.

On the used market, some of Mad River Canoe's solo models (e.g. Courier, Guide, Independence, Traveler) may also be worth considering if you happen across one (though they aren't the lightest canoes out there, and their shallow-V bottom is not to everyone's taste). I own an Independence and have paddled a Guide a few times, and both are fun, friendly canoes that I expect would easily carry you and your camping gear.

I also agree with the suggestions that renting would be a good way to try out some canoes to get a feel for what you might like...but finding an outfitter that rents solo canoes isn't always easy! Some paddling shops host demo days where you can try out a variety of canoes, and if you call ahead (say, a week or two before), they might be able to ensure that a model you're interested in will be available to paddle, so that could be another way for you to try potential options out.

I don't have an opinion one way or the other on the 17' Alumacraft, but if you plan to paddle solo, a solo canoe will probably give you a better paddling experience, and if you get it in Kevlar, it will also weigh much less (many are <40 lb).

 

[Boreal Birch]

miss Katie…..
If you ever get over to Ely, Minnesota, go East out the Fernberg Road to Red Rock Wilderness Store to see if the sixteen foot Souris canoe fits your idea for a dream canoe. Not as cheap a as an old used Alumacraft, it it is half the weight. Every time I visit my friends in Ely I think about buying one and storing in my friends back forty. I don’t because he lets my use his 17 foot Quetico for my now mini adventures.
There might be a Souris Canoe dealer closer to you than Ely. I have been impressed with that brands stability and apparent toughness, not cheep though.
……BB

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I have the money to spend on a nice lightweight canoe that would have to be strapped to the roof of my Subaru.

I'm interested in a canoe a guy is selling here. It's a 17' Alumacraft ultra light. What say you about that canoe?

There's nothing wrong with aluminum per se and many of us started our lifetime canoeing careers in aluminum canoes. Others have commented on that particular lightweight 17' Alumacraft, with which I have no familiarity.

In my opinion, any 17' long, 36" wide canoe is too big a beast to efficiently paddle solo mainly for day trips on lakes. Even if it is only 55 lbs. or so, which would be very light for aluminum construction, it will still be clumsy and unwieldy for one person to load on and off a Subaru.

For best trim, a canoe should be paddled solo from slightly behind center. That's where all dedicated solo canoes, pack canoes and kayaks position seats. A tandem canoe is paddled by many folks backwards from the bow seat, but that will result in an out-of-trim canoe with the bow sticking up in the air unless the paddler is a child. That means you have to put 40-60 lbs. of artificial ballast in the bow to even out the trim, if you don't have tripping gear with you. That's annoying, to me. There also may be a quarter thwart in the way of sitting backwards in the bow seat, as Memaquay has pointed out.

I think a solo in the 15'-16' length range with a centralized seat would be best for your stated purposes. I've never paddled any Northstar canoes, but the Northwind Solo that some have recommended might be too narrow for a novice. Not sure, since that depends a lot on physical abilities and dedication. A canoe with a max beam in the 32"-34" range may feel more comfortable and inspire more confidence. I know the Hemlock Eaglet that Bob B. recommends, and agree that that sounds like a good size canoe if built in a lightweight composite.

Which comes to the issue of money. Other things being equal, the lighter the canoe, the more money it will cost. New canoes made of lightweight composites now cost in the $3K-$4K range. Used ones are less expensive, but you can't always find what you want on the used market. But if you have the money, you will not regret buying a lightweight canoe if you keep it in good condition, especially as you age and the prices keep rocketing up.

That all pontificated, a completely different philosophy for a first canoe is to forget about finding the "perfect" canoe on the first try. That won't necessarily work, just as it often doesn't with clothing, electronics, pizzas, girlfriends, boyfriends or spouses. Simply get anything that is cheap and of reasonable size, try it out, experiment with it, formulate your own opinions on what you like and don't like about it, and then go for a more customized canoe for your second purchase. You don't have to marry your first canoe or even stay in the relationship very long. They are easily disposed of . . . sometimes at a profit. Meanwhile, you will at least have something to play and learn with this season.

 

[Tsuga8]

Welcome, miss katie!

My wife is also shapely, and one thing I've learned is that a lot of outdoor gear is often shaped for men. Canoes and kayaks which can easily carry my wife's weight don't necessarily fit her hips comfortably, because they're designed by men for man hips. So, I'd echo the 'try before you buy'! At least try to sit in the thing on land. Many solo canoes may be too narrow to be comfortable.

Being able to try a pack seat, kneeling seat, pedestal saddle, and sitting-height seat might help you decide which of those options suits you best. My wife is flexible and comfortable sitting on the bottom of a kayak; I'm only comfortable with a raised seat (that's individual to each of us, not generalizations about gender). My wife's center of gravity and her way of moving in, out, and around in the boat is quite different than mine. Hopefully some of the great canoe makers in MN have demo days were you can actually try a bunch of options out.

I paddled tandem canoes solo for many years, but now that I switched to a solo, the difference when the wind comes up on a lake is massive. But, a tandem does work, especially if you're willing to bring a water jug or bag to help with trim. If you're going to sit backwards in the bow seat of a tandem, make sure it's comfortable that way as not all seats are, and a seat on an aluminum canoe isn't always easy to swap out.

I had a 17ft aluminum canoe and gave it away because it was awkward to lift (I'm on the short side of average). I could lift the weight per se, but it was heavy in the ends and really awkward for me to put on my car by myself - once it started teeter-tottering I couldn't stop it easily and was always worried about those aluminum rivets scratching my car. As important as it is to sit in it before you buy, if you'll be paddling alone and loading it alone, make sure to load it by yourself onto your normal vehicle too. A canoe that's a pain to get onto a car is a canoe that won't get used much, unless it can live at the lake.

 

[billconner]

I think aluminum is best if you own the waterfront, no portages, and you just pull it out and flip it. Right where you need it next time. (I have that land and would like an aluminium canoe to leave there.)

 

[clemency]

Another model you should consider is the Wenonah Wilderness: it feels very stable and has a lot of volume, so it makes good solo tripping canoe for a beginner or for someone who prefers to paddle from a sitting (rather than kneeling) position, and I think it would be very suitable for someone on the heavier side.

Wilderness has a 3-way adjustable seat. High for sitting like a canoe, forward edge can be lowered to effectively make it a kneeling thwart, or the whole seat can be lowered to make it more like a pack canoe.