Canoe
Ponderings by Red Rock Wilderness StoreCanoe
Ponderings by Red Rock Wilderness Store
Souris River Durablility, Payload, and Transportation
This will be my first wilderness canoe trip. I am going with my 15y
old son, who did a one week trip last year with his church group, and also with my brother-in-law
and his son who have been wilderness canoeing many times.
I have heard about the advantages of Kevlar on these trips but have also heard about their fragile
nature. I have researched canoes and read your website. Apparently you have confidence that your
application of Kevlar addresses this "fragile" problem.
A.We
quit renting all aluminum canoes about 4 years ago for BWCA use because our Souris Rivers hold up
better. Aluminums bend and puncture. Souris Rivers tend to bounce. Repairing aluminum costs
about $200 if you can find a highly skilled heli-arc welder. Souris Rivers require a piece of
duct tape (we never even provide duct tape for any of our rental canoes - many go out on 7 day
trips in rock country), and then a patch at home by the owner. Cost is $30-40 for materials and
I can talk you thru it or you can see how to do it right on our website - easy)
The only thing you need to do with ANY canoe and not just a Souris River is to remember NOT
to slam it into shore repeatedly in an attempt to make the portage shorter. This is hard on any
canoe and causes undo wear in the bow. Souris Rivers all come with built-in skid plate which make
this much less of an issue but, if you touch shore gently, you'll never have to fix the eventual
wear that all canoes can experience. The other thing one never does with any canoe is step in it
when it's on dry land. Won't hurt a Souris River but it would destroy a Wenonah or other brand
kevlar. Good canoe etiquette demands that the canoe be floating or al least supported by water
when everybody gets in. You can see how to do this on our website as well. Other brand kevlar
canoes require that "wetfoot" stuff which to me, is a true sign of fragility. Heck, it's the
Boundary Waters and there's nothing but rock everywhere. A canoe has to hold up to some everyday
wear and tear. One just doesn't want unnecessarily abuse it.
Q. I am considering
buying a Quetico 17. I am about 225lbs my son is about 130lbs. Do you feel the Quetico 17 is a
good choice?
A.
Excellent choice. It's an outstanding, all-around cano and will fell equal or greater than a
Grumman in stability, turns and tracks well, moves 30% faster on the water for the same paddling
as a Grumman, has a greater payload by 400 lbs. and weighs only 43 lbs in the most popular layup
which is Le Tigre Kevlar. I would personally paddle one to the ends of the earth without
hesitation. You may want to consider the getting one with the optional bow seat slider in the
front. Your son can slide forward to trim the canoe out when you are traveling empty. Not real
necessary but convenient. Otherwise, without bow slider you can adjust your load to trim the
canoe out (so you are riding less of "wheely" which will make the canoe more stable, easier to
control and faster.
Q. It may be
convenient to pick it up on the way up, I would be driving a pick-up truck. What's the best way to
transport a canoe on a full size, 8 foot bed, pick-up?
A.
The best way to haul on a pick up is with a bonifide truck box rack assuming you have no topper
(about $400 to start for a decent pair - will vary depending on truck). If you have a topper,
you could haul it with foam blocks and straps (about $40 for everything - works well, but takes
longer to tie on and you will need to check everything a bit more closely). Another option is a
Receiver-hitch T-bar which goes on the back of the truck. You'd use a rack up front or 2 foam
blocks and a strap. Lots of different ways to skin this cat. If you do buy a canoe from us, you
get a Red Rock Gear Card which gets you a 15% discount on all paddling gear, accessories, roof
racks systems, fishing tackle, camping gear, clothing and books forever - no expiration. Don't
make the mistake of going to a Big Box Store and buying all the wrong stuff for the 5% cash back
they give. 15% off the top is still a much better deal. We would need to work out the more
specific details and associated costs for your hauling the canoe when you call.
Hope this info helps you out.
Joe
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