Flatwater Solo Boats?

[Donald]

Probably not most folks cup of tea, but to go fast with the least amount of effort... The Wenonah J203 or the Savage River Diller III or the Grasse River Boat model (not sure of the name of that one). Everett Crozier also makes one of the fastest J203 models on the market but he takes a little longer than the others. They all go in a straight line like nobodys business and weigh only 20 pds. Of course the initial stability leaves a lot to be desired but one efficient stroke really makes these canoes move.

[fishhomer]

arfish, I have a bell rockstar and absolutely love it. If by flatwater the OP means lakes etc., may not be the boat for him. If he means slow twisty creeks, creeks with trees in them, moving water up to class I+, then it would be perfect in my opinion. I mainly use mine to chase smallies in some of our smaller less floated creeks, great platform to fish out of. And it will do the open water thing if you want it to, but something like an argossy or a wilderness would probably be better.

[plaidpants]

It is fun to see how many people post about certain boats and how they enjoy them better than any other. So here goes my pick. I have paddle many and I do mean many boats. Mohawks, Bell, Buffalo, Mad River, Wenonah, Dagger, ETC.... All of them as solo. You have to as stated earlier DEMO, DEMO, DEMO. Some of the post of solo boats on here that people enjoy I think are the worst boats ever to be made. The one I finally settled with and would not give up is a Dagger Reflection 15 that was tandom and I converted to solo. I paddled all the rest of them and found none that handle as well as this one does. You have to find the boat you feel best in then when you paddle another one you will wish you had bought it instead. Good luck.

[JB2012]

Well, hot damn! I recall that a year or so ago (maybe longer---when you are over 50 time compresses), I paddled with a couple guys on Boxley, and they told me of being in the beginning stages of starting a canoe manufacturing co.--called Two Brothers. Cheers!!!!!

[bruce_conley]

Another boat that is a good flat water solo is the Wenonah Wilderness, 15'4 with only 1.25 inches of rocker. It tracks well and can be used on the local rivers and streams as well. I have the Royalex version and plan to use it in the Boundary Waters. It carries a nice load as well.

Just my .02

Bruce

[arfish]

Bruce,
In regards to your Wilderness, do you find that it would be a good fishing platform? Do you have any experience with other solos, in order to give a comparison? Does it track well, have good speed?
I'm not looking to buy one now, but it will probably be my next canoe purchase in a few years, unless something else better comes out before then.
thanks.

[bruce_conley]

Arfish,
I am a big guy and at first the wilderness was somewhat tippy for me to get used to. It was also very easy to overpower it while paddling because I had primarily used tandems solo before I bought the Wilderness. But now it is like a part of me and no problem while I am fishing. Easy to paddle and steer.
I have fly fished out of it, lake fished and creek fished and once you get used to it, it is easy to be comfortable in it. I paddle it with either a Bending Branches 260 cm solo canoe paddle, or a 56" Bending Branches Cruiser with a 7 degree bent shaft.
If you are ever in Russellville on a weekend and want to go to lake Dardanelle and give it a try email me at bruce_conley56@yahoo.com and I will give you a number to call to set up a test paddle.

Bruce