| MySportBoats.com Canoe Buying Guide ©2005-2009 Lakeshore Managers LLC. All Rights Reserved. |
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How to buy a canoe.
There are a myriad of different canoe styles available that are made from vastly different materials. Serious paddlers that do multiple types of
canoeing generally buy more than one canoe. The good news for recreational paddlers is that there are canoes available that do a decent all
around job. To help you determine what type of canoe is right for you we have identified 4 key factors to consider.
1) Determine how and where the canoe will be used. This is the essential first step!
Some questions to ask yourself:
How many paddlers will typically be using the canoe (i.e. solo or multiple paddlers)? This will give you an indication of the length of
canoe you need.
Where will you mainly be canoeing? Will you mainly be paddling in calm water (i.e. lakes or slow rivers) or in currents (faster moving rivers &
estuaries). This will give you an indication of the length of the canoe, type of hull, and durability of the canoe you should look for. For instance if
you will be mainly paddling on rivers with a strong current and potentially some whitewater, you should look for a durable short canoe which will
provide maneuverability. If you are paddling on calmer waters you can focus on a longer canoe. In this case the hull characteristics and durability
are less of a concern.
Will you be loading your canoe on your car and/or will you be paddling routes that have a lot of portages (carrying the canoe on
your back over land until you reach water again)? This will give you an indication of the weight of canoe you might like to aim for. In some
cases spending the money for a lighter canoe is a real back saver!
Will you be carrying a large amount of gear (i.e. for overnight trips)? If so you should look for a longer canoe in the 16” – 18” range.
2) Cost: We sell canoes to fit almost any budget with prices ranging from just under $500 to over $800.
3) Stability: There are basically two types of stability measures for canoes, initial stability and secondary stability. Initial stability measures how
stable the canoe is when it is not moving. Secondary stability is a measure of how stable the canoe is when in motion. Generally a good initially
stable canoe will not be as secondarily stable and vice versa.
The flatter the hull of a canoe, the better the initial stability and the worse the secondary stability. Flatter hulls are good for calm water canoeing.
These canoes tend to glide easily through the water and are generally faster.
The rounder the hull of a canoe the better the secondary stability and the worse the initial stability. Rounded hulls are best when there is a need
to maneuver (i.e. canoeing in stronger current or wind).
4) Length: In general the shorter the canoe the more maneuverable it is. However, maneuverability comes with a trade off which is less weight
capacity, slower speed through the water, and more tracking error (ability of the canoe to stay on a straight course).
Shorter canoes (i.e. 9” to 13”) are best for single paddlers that are paddling in current or wind.
The longer the canoe the better the tracking, speed and weight capacity but the trade off here is that there is less maneuverability. Longer canoes
are best for multiple paddlers and calm water.
There are a myriad of different canoe styles available that are made from vastly different materials. Serious paddlers that do multiple types of
canoeing generally buy more than one canoe. The good news for recreational paddlers is that there are canoes available that do a decent all
around job. To help you determine what type of canoe is right for you we have identified 4 key factors to consider.
1) Determine how and where the canoe will be used. This is the essential first step!
Some questions to ask yourself:
How many paddlers will typically be using the canoe (i.e. solo or multiple paddlers)? This will give you an indication of the length of
canoe you need.
Where will you mainly be canoeing? Will you mainly be paddling in calm water (i.e. lakes or slow rivers) or in currents (faster moving rivers &
estuaries). This will give you an indication of the length of the canoe, type of hull, and durability of the canoe you should look for. For instance if
you will be mainly paddling on rivers with a strong current and potentially some whitewater, you should look for a durable short canoe which will
provide maneuverability. If you are paddling on calmer waters you can focus on a longer canoe. In this case the hull characteristics and durability
are less of a concern.
Will you be loading your canoe on your car and/or will you be paddling routes that have a lot of portages (carrying the canoe on
your back over land until you reach water again)? This will give you an indication of the weight of canoe you might like to aim for. In some
cases spending the money for a lighter canoe is a real back saver!
Will you be carrying a large amount of gear (i.e. for overnight trips)? If so you should look for a longer canoe in the 16” – 18” range.
2) Cost: We sell canoes to fit almost any budget with prices ranging from just under $500 to over $800.
3) Stability: There are basically two types of stability measures for canoes, initial stability and secondary stability. Initial stability measures how
stable the canoe is when it is not moving. Secondary stability is a measure of how stable the canoe is when in motion. Generally a good initially
stable canoe will not be as secondarily stable and vice versa.
The flatter the hull of a canoe, the better the initial stability and the worse the secondary stability. Flatter hulls are good for calm water canoeing.
These canoes tend to glide easily through the water and are generally faster.
The rounder the hull of a canoe the better the secondary stability and the worse the initial stability. Rounded hulls are best when there is a need
to maneuver (i.e. canoeing in stronger current or wind).
4) Length: In general the shorter the canoe the more maneuverable it is. However, maneuverability comes with a trade off which is less weight
capacity, slower speed through the water, and more tracking error (ability of the canoe to stay on a straight course).
Shorter canoes (i.e. 9” to 13”) are best for single paddlers that are paddling in current or wind.
The longer the canoe the better the tracking, speed and weight capacity but the trade off here is that there is less maneuverability. Longer canoes
are best for multiple paddlers and calm water.
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