padec21
Ct
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Joined: 01/18/2005
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I have a family of 5. All 3 kids are 5 and under. I would like to buy a canoe for camping but dont know much about them. We rented a house on a lake that had a really nice one, but I dont recall the brand. Took all 5 of us around the lake (only a couple of feet off shore).
What are some things to look for in a canoe? I want a flat bottom with 3 seats. The one at the lake had cup holders, a live well and a small storage compartment.
Other than that I dont know much about them.
Where to buy them. what they cost? etc. can anyone help me out.
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johny_maple
Upwind of Toronto
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Joined: 05/16/2003
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Quote:I want a flat bottom with 3 seats. The one at the lake had cup holders, a live well and a small storage compartment.
What, no transom with an outboard? :-) No chauffeur or maid service? :-) *You* can call it a canoe if you want to, but probably in shape only. Otherwise, that was *not* a *real* canoe. Having got myself past that little item, I don't know of any canoe that has these features. Gotta be one just for moping around the lake shore or more for fishing than real canoeing. :-) Good luck.
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mikefrommaryland
MD
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Two brands that have good reputations that you might want to look into are Mohawk and Old Town. They both have web sites that have most of there models shown. I personally have never seen a canoe like the one you described, the cupholders, live well and storage are new ones on me.
Good luck in your search.
Mike
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padec21
Ct
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Settle down there Johnny Maple. The cup holders where molded into the middle seat on the side. The storage/bait well was also part of the middle seat. You actually sat on the storage lid. The reason I liked this canoe was it was extremely stable. having my 3 kids in the canoe (with life jackets on) we were able to cruise all around and didnt have to worry about the kids movement or leaning over to tip the canoe. I know it was a flat bottom, but dont kow how long it was. Are there common lengths? Also the cup holder came handy cause it is hard to row with a beer in your hand.
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texatDurango
North Texas
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We had an 18' Grumman aluminum whitewater for years and loved it. I don't know a lot about canoes but do know this much...
A whitewater canoe has no keel and is smooth across the bottom which makes them great for quick maneuvering but are a pain to keep straight in smooth water. Canoes with keels track straighter and are easier to keep going straight with minimal paddling.
The longer the canoe, the more they sit down in the water with the same number of people, making them less tipsy.
You can buy a "square back" model which will allow you to clamp a trolling motor or small outboard to the rear transom.
If you get an aluminum canoe, cool the seats down before sitting down on a sunny day 
2006 Duramax Diesel 1 ton dually tugging around a 2006 Mobile Suites 36TK3 #2609. Retired and just travelling around now and then seeing the sights.
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roughingit???
Lancaster P.A.
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Try looking at the "Coleman" brand , scanoe it is 17 feet long and has a square rear end and can carry an electric motor or gas engine up to 5 hp, it has 3 seats, very stable and easy to paddle , not fast though a very good all-around canoe, "kid safe" and dent proof and scratch resistant plastic mix.
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Gene Siesky
Fairborn, Ohio
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Here is a site for inflatable boats. Prices are listed too. These types can save space when traveling.
http://www.seaeagle.com/
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The Toys
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Big Katuna
Deland, FL
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Grumman Aluminum 17 square stern. Nice short keel, steers well. Built-in floats, can't sink. You can put a trolling motor on it or a small gas up to 5HP. Way lighter than fiberglas. Costs a few dollars more, but indestructable. Mine is 45 years old, blew off the truck once in the 60's didn't hurt it one bit. Fiberglas cracks. My Grumman is worth more than I paid for it. Grumman also makes a "sport canoe", which is wider tha a regular canoe, more stable. Also with your crew, you might wan't to look at a Geenoe, wider still carrys more weight.
Once you can accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something, wearing plaids with stripes comes easy.
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class v
Falling Waters, WV
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Joined: 11/20/2004
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To answer your questions, several companies make canoes like you were in. Oldtown, Madriver and Coleman come to mind. You don't need three seats for the children, they are best left sitting on the bottom with PFD's on lower center of gravity. Some have a third seat that comes out or moves, you will need 16-17' of canoe, flat bottom, no rocker. New they range from $600-1200 depending on brand and composition. Think about how long before you outgrow it, maybe look used. Your children are young you might want to think row boat, but I really believe the canoe is the most versital boat. Check out one of your local canoe clubs for more advise than this board might give you. Just 2cents from someone who has boated all over from class l to v. Thinking about selling my last canoe cause I can't figure how to get it on the roof of the MH.
"Benjamin Franklin once said, "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy".
Bill & Bev
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SharonB
NY
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Joined: 09/23/2003
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There are lots of companies making 17-foot canoes (which is the neighborhood of what you're looking for).
Two most important qualities are:
handling in the water
weight of the boat
The weight of the boat depends on the material it's made from. Kevlar is lightest. Very strong, very light, very expensive.
Aluminum canoes are beastly heavy.
We love our kevlar Wenonah Spirit II.
As someone else said, keep the kids on the floor of the canoe for stability. It's scary to have little kids lean over while in the boat. We put down some foam pads and some towels. They have to stay on their bottoms in the middle of the boat with their life jackets ON.
Our kids are 5 & 7 and we just started to let them experiment with paddling on flat water last season. Both kids actually piloted our sea kayak, too.
Have fun! We love it.
Sharon
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