Canoe
Ponderings by Red Rock Wilderness StoreCanoe
Ponderings by Red Rock Wilderness Store
Souris River vs. Wenonah
Q. Some questions: I've carried wood and
canvas and a Grumman aluminum, both of which have a keel strip. I have a
hard time believing that a canoe without a keel will not slip and slide.
(1) what's the difference between the Tiger and the Kevlar? 17 ft.
(2) New or used canoe - which is better deal?
(3) Good guy and/or good looking guy discount?
(4) Why Souris River and not a Winona?
A. Properly designed canoes with rocker both track well and turn well in a cross wind. As you know, all canoes will slip with and without keels but generally less so with a keel. Although very straight tracking in calm water, canoes with no rocker (Wenonah's with the exception of their Champlain) exert the same amount of pressure on the water from bowstern, making them impossible to turn from the stern of the canoe in a cross wind. This lack of ability to rotate at the bottom center of the canoe prevents them from making subtle corrections for crosswinds. As a result, they literally blow way off course. Wenonah relies on their lack of freeboard to allow wind to sweep over the canoe to prevent it from blowing off course. Great in theory, doesn't do much in rough water except allow 2.5 foot whitecaps over the side when you are fully loaded. SR's on the other hand can correct for wind (via J, Draw or Sweep stroke at stern) and provide realistic freeboard for wilderness/gen. purpose canoeing. Wenonahs are designed for performance paddling which is 1-2-3 HUT! (coordinated switch sides) 1-2-3 HUT!, etc. Then they bull the canoe around to turn it. No finesse, just coordinated speed paddling. A Souris River Quetico 17 feels a lot like a Seliga wood and canvas in overall handling, speed and exceptional stability. Tiger kevlar is a look - the little black stripe mutes down the butter scotch color of kevlar. Tigers are our best sellers overall because of their lighter weight (due to a higher tech, lighter fiberglass layer) and their ability to be restored after heavy scratching. We have no used Tigers in stock. They sold out immediately. We Still have a few, used, reg. kevlars in stock. All scratched up but still a good value. If we ship you a canoe, you pay no sales tax if you live out of state and that's where the canoe is being shipped. You will pay shipping on a used SR of between $200-250 (guessing) to a terminal near you. Good Guy Discount would be a set free of yoke pads. Sorry, we've been considering an ugly guy discount, but you wouldn't qualify. Wenonah - vinylester resin, foam core, difficult to repair, no freeboard, no rocker Souris River - epoxy resin, flex. rib system, easy to repair, ample freeboard, 1.5" rocker Wenonah - guy in front seat has to stack his feet on top of each other for the entire trip because they won't fit side by side. Optional - place sheet of teflon between knees to prevent friction burns. Bow guy needs to be proficient with these maneuvers to assist stern paddler - Cross Bow Rudder, Sweep Stroke, Draw Stroke, High brace and low brace optional. Souris River - guy in front seat sits comfortably, feet side by side, doesn't need to really know anything except how to paddle straight forward, how to hold a fishing rod, how to take pictures, etc. Wenonah - upon landing, paddlers must jump out in waist deep water to prevent scratching or possibly coming in contact with obstacle. Paddlers need to be able to carry Wenonah overhead like an M-16 in battle while wading closer to shore. If canoe runs over unseen rock or log, the weight of paddlers and gear causes the 3/4" thick foam to collapse as rock cuts a groove that may require a repair. Souris River - Bow paddler reaches out with paddle blade to absorb canoe impact on shore, steps out, keeps the canoe floating but sits on the bow endcap and holds canoe steady so partner can come out keeping feet dry. If it gets a scratch, it gets a scratch. If canoe runs over unseen rock or log, bottom flexes upward until it crawls over obstacle. Wenonah- main sales pitch has always been superlight weight and performance in that order. How many people ever drown on the portage while carrying a canoe and how many people are performance/racer paddlers? Souris River - main pitch was Light enough to get you in, tough enough to get you out. Our pitch is that they keep you high and dry because they have freeboard, rocker and durability. Hope this info helps. Joe
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