Ever considered a nice stable small flat bottom. I have a nice 14' flat extra wide flat bottom that is my river hunting rig. Easy to handle by myself in the dark, very stable and safe. I have a Briggs 5 hp aircooled on it and it is a lot safer then being in the cold november water with then a tippy canoe. You can also paddle these; especially if you get a narrow one. Flat bottoms rule for river use in the fall as far asI am concerned; especially loaded down with expensive bows, deer stands, and your dead deer. You hit a log in the river with a canoe in the dark and you and your archery gear are likely to take a bath.I know you said you will only hunt a lake, but plans can change.HCH

I would guess you have not been into many canoes hardcore
as we use these things in white water races and all kinds of stuff !
And yes sometime packed to the max and we do not seem to have
many problems. Yeah some folks have a hard time of it in the white
water but for most of us that is just plain old fashion fun! The canoe
if used right can take you places you sure wouldn't want to follow in
the falt bottom boat my friend.

You are right Phil, canoes are a greatboat. I have put a lot of time in them in the boundry waters of N.MN For here in Ia and messing around in the dark and going out on the riverI just like something more stable.I use mine for turkey, predator, and deer hunting andI am always out in the dark either coming or going and for me that's what I like. If I was going to only paddle my boat, I would go with a canoe. I run this little motor and don't paddle.HCH

If you were concerned about balance you could get a set of stabilizers. I use them when fishing with people that don't have much experience in a canoe. And, I am adding a 55lb thrust trolling motor with a longer cord to balance the weight of the battery. The canoe would be a lot easier than a jon boat to load and unload if you are by yourself. And, if you get one with a yolk you can carry it to some tough spots to launch.

I know we all have preference to this as during off season I run a 16 foot
try hull with a 55 horse engine and also in the dark as I travel through three lakes and narrows. I could do this much easier with a canoe. And here they use alot of Grandlakers for what you discribe with a 9.9 motor.
But the idea of paddling gives us the ability to sneak around old bogs early
in the morning looking for that old buck out in the bogs. That is what I am saying. And I have used the canoe in the dark a quite a few times before
fishing white perch in around some old logs and getting back in around midnight. Just getting enough fish for a good ole fish fry the next day.

If I could just paddle around a lake that would be great. I go on a river and have to get my butt back to the truck and boat ramp; tough to paddle against the current. I think paddling around a lake shore quietly in a canoe would be a fun way to hunt moose.HCH

You are right hardcorehunter and if I stepped on your toes in anyway I didn't mean too. Some of us just take the way things are for us for granted and do not realize our environment can be so different.

Heck no, I have family from Maine. Maine people are alright in my book andso are you!!