The Royalex boat was great and combined with ash Wales she was a real looker. I've tried shifting the weight around but then the canoe loses that wonderful glide. The only beef I have is Wenonah's adjustable seat, it's noisy and clanks. I paddled this boat up the Thoroughfare River in N. Idaho (between Upper and Lower Priest Lake) last Memorial Day against a very strong current from the snowmelt. This content was made possible with the support of OntarioCreates. at a comfy paddling pace with a kayak paddle. I've always carried ballast in the stern to counter act the weight of the dog in the bow. The workmanship is not high-performance but very good for an industrial crafted boat, especially in big waves (Rhine River). $99.95 USD Removable Yoke Kit Its a dream to portage and a dream to paddle both with steering strokes and with switch side techniques. I have a Voyager in ultra light kevlar. Composite canoes can wear out faster than plastic ones. This baby moves. It paddles efficiently, portages easily, carries plenty of gear for extended trips, and grants a dry ride in rough waters. WENONAH : WILDERNESS . Wenonah Wilderness - Aramid Ultralight, Silver Trim, Center Adjustable Hung Web Seat, Integrated Skid Plates - Blem. Wenonah 's tripping models quickly became popular in the nearby Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, beginning with Circhanowski's original designthe Wenonah 17. So much so, that she stole the sucker, leaving me to paddle my beat-up ol' C1W. )sweeeeeeet boat. You should probably not take her in any real whitewater, and she is stable enough seated, so why would you ever want to kneel? The aluminum gunwales are very well done - smooth, nicely rounded, and no screw heads sticking up. But is best on the lake. They move quickly and track exceptionally well. Some models have the option to have the hull gelcoated for extra resilience. The Prism is our most popular composite solo canoe. Speed vs stability-MN II is faster, SR more stable. They are ideal for speed and distance paddling and for all people or conditions that demand the lightest gear. Aramid UltraLite, Black trim - $3774. If it wasn't for that I would rate the Prism a 10. The canoe serves its purpose and is a fast boat. I switched to a single blade ottertail paddle, and maintained a 4 mph average speed (though I was working harder)You'll have no trouble keeping up with your kayaking friends! Use this chart to help decide which canoe is right for you. Even ask the seller if you can take a lap around the neighborhood with it. I am an old man in my 7th decade and comfort is an issue as my body does not bend easily or sit for long periods in discomfort very well. It's a great canoe, but it isn't for somebody who thinks it's an unneccessary hassel to switch sides every five or ten strokes. While this may not always be possible with a used canoe, prioritize listings where its an option, like outfitters or waterfront locations. I do like the tough Royalex material in our rocky Missouri rivers, and the weight is manageable, though I'm starting to see the benefit of a lighter canoe. Read the Wenonah Canoe Buying Advice below for an overview of their canoe materials. Carried a weeks worth of supplies no problemo. They can range from $2,000 to over $4,000. Just bought Sept. 09. We offer many models in T-Formex, ranging from cost-conscious touring and sport canoes, to robust whitewater assault canoes. We also add extra fabric layers to strengthen specific targeted areas. Beyond the ABS is a proprietary abrasion-resistant skin layer. Stable enough for comfortable fishing. If whitewater is your thing, however, look elsewhere as this boat is just not designed for it. I moved the seat almost 4 inches further from to the bow and it became wonderful craft to paddle; great initial stability and secondary stability that encouraged sharp leaning turns. A Spirit II 17-foot canoe in Tuf-Weave Flex Core weighs 58 pounds. It came with the carrying yoke, but I haven't used it yet. Coming from a Wenonah Prism, the Vagabond feels slow and doesn't stay straight nearly as easily. Seats, footbraces, and all hardware is then riveted into these plates. It works well both ways. If you continue using this website, you agree to our privacy and legal agreement. I have only paddled on flat water so far. I cured this by widening the pedestal base 9" and lowering it 5/8". After taking over an abandoned factory in Winona, Minnesota, the company exploded, associating itself with the burgeoning canoe racing scene. Electing to buy a used canoe, especially a Wenonah, is a great way to get a high-quality canoe for a lower price. My GPS topped it out at 6.2 mph, with a cruising speed of 5mph. as a camping vehicle on northern Wisconsin's flowages. If I had only one canoe to choose from, weighing all factors, it would be my Prism. visitors a day during peak season. At 16' 6" long with a straight keel line and a very good surface-to . Great boat! Tuf-weave canoes offer improved impact resistance and are a great compromise between light weight, performance, and price. You also can pay more to upgrade to a sleek black aluminum trim or a wooden trim. They are suitable canoes for families or paddlers on day trips or easy weeklong outings. I personally own a Wilderness in Rx and a Northwind solo in starlite, The two boats have similar specks but are completely different in the water. In the canoe market, Wenonah canoes are comparable to other composite canoes. Doing a 180 in steady wind just takes a little more effort, but that's by fundamental design, so absolutely no complaints from me. Aluminum plates are strategically laminated into the hull. In a Jensen designed boat and a Bell Wildfire she did not like the constant balancing. I generally get about 3.5MPH when using the traditional single-blade canoe paddle. We support this high volume of visitors Lovely boat, fairly fast, good stability, performs well loaded. Specifications. Used bare, this is a fine yoke for infrequent, short portages. $5 and under ; $500 and over ; Selected Items . As mentioned before, the best way to know if the canoe is a good match is to actually paddle it. It would not have been my first choice if other boats had still been available, but I wanted a brand new Royalex boat and the Wilderness was the best of what I was finding and I'm glad i pulled the trigger. The gunwales are stronger; its better to rest the canoes weight on them. It's not a work horse, so do not expect to pile it over the gunwales with gear, but I can take about 100 to 125 lbs of gear and not adversely affect the handling. I hope this review helps you. As well, leaving a canoe sitting upright on its hull deforms it. Wenonah craftsmanship is top notch. The IB in IB Ultralight stands for Innegra blend. Don't get me wrong, the Wilderness glides, but on a 4-5 hour day trip it feels like a bit more work than perhaps it should. Wenonah Canoes for Sale Minnesota Canoes is an authorized dealer of Wenonah Canoe, Inc. Our canoes for sale include in stock inventory, incoming canoe pre-sales, and custom canoe ordering. Named in remembrance of Dick Proenneke, a legendary wilderness man who spent 30 years of his retired life living alone in the wilds of Twin Lakes, Alaska, the Wilderness is a solo canoe that can take you far away from it all. I was real happy with the speed I was able to maintain. . Until 2014, Royalex ABS material dominated the market as an inexpensive, indestructible material for canoes. Jensen V1-Pro 18' 6", Jensen V1-A Mens 18' 6", J-193 18' 0". Proving a very good choice, it fulfilled all my expectations for a touring boat. I personally feel this can be down right dangerous in the wrong set of circumstances and it's positively annoying otherwise to say the least. However as a smaller paddler at 150lbs it does require more energy to keep it moving than other boats that Ive paddled. If youre considering buying a used Wenonah, youll want to know where to look, what to look for, and of course, to try it out if you can. Great boat. I like the tractor seat, and the only mods I've made is to improve the slide system with a rope, bungee, and a cam cleat. As I paddled into a 30 mile an hour wind on Lake Sakakawea with the waves building to over 3 feet, I realized just how well my Wenonah Prism (kevlar) was handling. I'd highly recommend it. Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association, The Great Canadian Kayak Challenge & Festival, Best Canoe Brands For Tripping, Whitewater, Fishing & More, Wenonah Canoe Review: Wee Lassie Solo Canoe, The Perfect DIY First Aid Kit For Paddlers. The funky detachable yoke is serviceable enough. It tracked well on flat-water and turned responsively, satisfying my every expectation, but also quickly gave birth to an appetite for increased speed. Purists cover your ears. A factory second-quality canoe is also called a Blem. I am a large person at 240# and an experienced canoeist. Wenonah Canoe Prism Solo Touring Canoe Watch on CANOE RATINGS Efficiency 8.0 Maneuverability 7.0 Capacity 9.0 Stability 9.0 Seaworthy 8.0 DIMENSIONS Length 16' 6" (502.92cm) Gunwale Width 26" (66.04cm) Maximum Width 30.75" (78.105cm) Waterline Width 29.75" (75.565cm) Stern Depth 17" (43.18cm) Center Depth 12.5" (31.75cm) Bow Depth 19" (48.26cm) The shoulder seasons, spring and autumn, are good times to start shopping for used canoes. Wenonah Canoe is the worlds largest maker of canoes using Aramid. Their racing heritage and decades of canoe-building have given Wenonah designers the experience and time to make adjustments and modifications that result in a better boat. I use it both in flat water in a bayou for exercise and in small to medium rivers. Read reviews for the Wilderness by Wenonah Canoe, Inc. as submitted by your fellow paddlers. Buy in monthly payments with Affirm on orders over $50. 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