Canoe advice

[BikerRN]

Howdy all,



Wife is wanting to get some form of watercraft and our financial situation being what it is we settled for a canoe. We will be camping at local lakes and I'll do some fishing by myself while she does whatever it is she does. She wants to paddle around on the water a little and just have some fun. We will also do some class 1 and 1+ stuff nearby on a local river.



Niether of us has canoe expirience, but that will change shortly. I've been looking at two different canoes and need help making up my mind. Do I get the Mad River Adventure 14 or the Old Town Guide 147? Please tell me why you selected what you choose. Thanks in advance for your help.



Biker

[JW]

I am more familar with the Old Town brand and have owned several.
A review

http://www.paddling.net/Reviews/show....html?prod=412

Mad River 14 review - google and you might find more.
http://www.paddling.net/Reviews/show...html?prod=1801

[Phil from Maine]

While I can not speak of the mad river I currently own two Old Town canoes and have no complaints at all about them. One of them is an Old Town Guide 147. While the other one is an Old Town Discovery 174 that they no longer make in that model. I would keep in mind that the shorter the canoe the less stable it is going to be. No matter what you get for a canoe I hope you have plenty of enjoyment out of it.

[BikerRN]

Thank you for the replies.

After reading the reviews I am more sold on the Adventure 14 than ever before. I estimate I'll solo it 75% of the time seeing as how my days off never seem to coincide with my wife's. This looks to be just the ticket for what we want to do.

Biker

[jrbsr]

Whatever you do, DON"T try to get into a canoe from a dock, sideways.
I did, and I went swimming. lol
It wasn't to fun, I hit my head on the dock, and it almost knocked me out.
All my fishing stuff got wet, my digital camera got wet, along with my cell phone.
It took a looooooooooooong time to dry out my soft side tackle box.
I will never do that again. lol

[Knightia]

It wasn't to fun, I hit my head on the dock, and it almost knocked me out.
All my fishing stuff got wet, my digital camera got wet, along with my cell phone.
It took a looooooooooooong time to dry out my soft side tackle box.
I will never do that again. lol

Not sure what getting in sideways is- but yep sounds like something to avoid - unless a quick bath is needed.

[Knightia]

We had a colmen canoe for awhile( bought it 20+ yrs ago) a 15 ft- not bad & it was a real good price.

Made a homemade motor mount for it to- took it camping, used it with the kids when they where young etc.( sold it to a nabor here after he asked if he could buy it)

Mates brother had the same one. He obviously didnt know how to tie them very well on top of a car/truck( luckly no one was hurt). It flew off & He lost his on the highway & 2- 18 wheelers ran over it & draged it about 1/2 a mile. Pretty well bent out of shape & a fairly large hole in the side where it was draged.

They still used it some( after rebending to a less deformed shape) on the small pond where they where living then( nigaria falls area) after that- till someone stole it.

[BikerRN]

After looking and talking with more folks I'm leaning towards a Mad River Journey 16' canoe.

The more I think about the Adventure the less I like it. I've been prowling around on the net and seem to like what Mad River has to offer over the Old Town. If I was inclined to go with a kevlar or other high dollar type canoe then Old Town seems like it would be the way to go.

I'll have to hook up with a friend who has a few and give them a try on the lake.

Biker

[Outdoorsben]

I've owned many Mad River and Old Town canoes. I owned a 14' Kevlar Winooski and a 16' Royalex Explorer as of late. No complaints AT ALL with either. I'd stay away from the Adventure and get a better quality canoe such as the Journey that you mentioned.