Choosing a Solo Touring Moving Water Canoe ...

[Jaytee]

Our stable already includes three tandems and a solo WW canoe but I'd really like to get something that I can handle solo with camping gear, good in moving water Class II and under.

Looking at options I see: Bell Yellowstone Solo RX, Mad River Freedom Solo, Mohawk Odyssey 14... all look like they might fit the bill well. I am open to input regarding any or all of these boats, and other options.

I'm not inclined to fill this niche by solo paddling any of our tandems because they are somewhat hard for me to handle.

[lbaker]

All the boats you have mentioned are excellent, you might also consider the Wenonah Vagabond.
leigh

[Lupe]

I would also add to that list the Wenonah Argosy. Right now I have 3 canoes, and if I could keep only one (all 3 are not ww canoes), I would keep the Argosy. I just feel the Argosy offers a nice combination of speed and good tracking (need less "J" in your J stroke so more efficient), but still maneuverable enough in class II when needed, and paddles nicely loaded for a trip (I've taken it on a 3 night/4 day trip and it handled great).

The Argosy more so than the Wildfire or Vagabond will be a bit drier going through class II waves. A surprising amount of water can come in going through waves even just on the Buffalo in a boat with such low sides. I have a Mohawk Solo 14 which was my first canoe and I love that little canoe, but I will say the problem with the Solo 14 and the Odyssey, is they just are not fast boats (I'd probably put the Freedom Solo in there too, although that's just my opinion).

You might say, that's okay, I don't want to go fast. Neither do I! In fact, I like to poke around and stare at wildlife and take photos and do all sorts of things that slow me down when I'm canoeing. The problem is then I have to fight like crazy to catch back up to everyone else because I dropped back lollygagging. My newer canoes are much faster which actually LETS me paddler slower, and with less effort. Just a thought! Even so, for my first canoe, I still love that little Mohawk which is why I still have it! Mohawks are also an EXCELLENT value. I have paid more for both my USED Wenonahs than what I paid for my NEW Mohawk.

Happy boat shopping!

[Jaytee]

Okay, so I'm intrigued by these speed concerns.

I guess I hadn't thought about that much, thinking of "speed" as a function of flatwater boats and being more nervous about something I couldn't maneuver in moving water. .... To the extent you've found some boats to be "slower" is it most a function of more rocker than you want/need for a touring-type setup?

You are right that I don't feel like speed is a priority, but I know what you are saying. I took the WW solo (which I am still learning to paddle) on a slow river group paddle and struggled to keep up in part because I had to work to paddle it in a straight line, so I can see why that's an issue no matter what your paddling style.

If I can at least determine 2-3 models that make sense then I can keep an eye on used listings too.... I'm not averse to buying new necessarily but love the savings of buying used. In terms of buying new, I definitely get drawn to the Mohawks since I like to support local businesses and their retail prices are better than the others.

[Dave Thomas]

My newer canoes are much faster which actually LETS me paddler slower, and with less effort. Just a thought! Even so, for my first canoe, I still love that little Mohawk which is why I still have it! Mohawks are also an EXCELLENT value. I have paid more for both my USED Wenonahs than what I paid for my NEW Mohawk.
Happy boat shopping!

I knew my ears were burning for a reason. :) Right you are Lupe! The Odyssey 14 is slower than the fine boats you compared it to. However, the speed that you lose will be compensated with more stability. In addition, since I build canoes to order I can add or subtract from the center width in order to better fit the boat to your needs. By all means though, you should definitely 'try before you buy'. If you're interested in demoing a Mohawk drop me a pm or an email and we'll work something out.

Here's a pick of the Odyssey 14 I built yesterday for Curt:

Here's a pick of 'the wiz' demonstrating the Odyssey 14's stablilty while fishing out at Lake Wedington:

[Lupe]

Dave is spot on about that stability. And that is a good reminder, as I would probably have found either of my 2 Wenonah canoes rather "tender" (tippy) had they been my first canoe. I actually had a very good illustration of that on my paddle today: I took along my new puppy in my Rendezvous. Betty (the pup) is only 25 lbs. yet I had to really pay attention when she would shift her weight or occasionally put her paws up on a gunnel. In comparison, I took my Pancho dog who weighed nearly 65 lbs. with me in my Mohawk Solo 14, with and without camping gear, and although I would need to do a little butt shift here and there to compensate when she was off to one side or the other, it really wasn't hard to paddle with her, even moving around. I realized today that it might have been hard to paddle with her in the Rendezvous! Of course, she wasn't as wiggling as the puppy is!

That is cool to know that Mohawk can customize the boats a bit. I would think that the width at least on the Solo 14 is part of what makes it slower (yet more stable). It's not really rocker, although that certainly could be a contributor in some cases. I would compare the specs of my Solo 14 to something like a Vagabond and the numbers are SO similar that it just doesn't seem like there would be that big of a difference. But I know Stan (Margaret) in her Vagabond could leave me in her dust if she really started paddling!

Since you already have familiarity with canoes from paddling tandem and with the ww solo, I wouldn't be too concerned with needing that stability. Who knows, maybe a "tucked in" Mohawk could be just the ticket!

[lbaker]

Lupe, you make a very good point about the slowness of the Vagabond, at least for me.It's not normally a problem, as I'm not in a hurry, but there have been times when I've had to grab my double bladed paddle to catch up with the group after stopping and photographing stuff. It is also a little slower to turn; still gets the job done, but you've got me thinking that if we're ever on the river together sometime I'd like to try your Argosy, now that I've acquired some basic skills :)
leigh

[Jaytee]

Sooooo, if we took an Odyssey and just narrowed it a wee bit, might that accomplish the goal of ensure a little more speed/forward efficiency?

[Dave Thomas]

Sooooo, if we took an Odyssey and just narrowed it a wee bit, might that accomplish the goal of ensure a little more speed/forward efficiency?

I like the way you're thinking Jaytee. :) I've got a couple Odyssey 14's here at the Fort Smith Shop that I'd be happy to build up to your specifications. A pm with more info is headed your way.

[Dave Thomas]

Jaytee, your boat is ready! Thanks again for the local business and I'm glad that you were able to take advantage of the ACC discount. Here are some pics of your boat during its construction.

[Jaytee]

Yippppeeee! Thanks Dave. You all have been fabulous to work with. If it ever rains again, maybe I'll paddle it! :)

[Dave Thomas]

Jaytee,
Your new Odyssey 14 is safely sitting in Fayetteville and ready for you to pick up. I emailed you the details. With a little luck we’ll get more rain soon. So, then you can enjoy your new toy! Thanks again for the local-to-local business. I really appreciate it!

[Eric Esche]

Congratulations on the addition to the fleet! Hope I get to paddle with you when you christen it. Maybe somewhere like the Buffalo or Elk if we get more rain Friday. Will be really cold this weekend.

Eric Esche