my mother has decided she wants to start canoing. I share this ambition enthusiastically. We just discovered a boat launch a few miles from where we live, after somehow missing it in all the years we've been here.
the only store anywhere close to us that sells canoes is Wiley's Sporting Goods. before we started shopping, i thought i'd see if anyone here has any recommendations.

we'd like a good one, but,

this is just a hobby, and we're just starting out.

probably no more than three people, at most four occupants at once.

this is not intended as a BOV, and no rapids/white water

low maintenance is a must.

on a budget, <=500 USD.(preferably <)

kayaks are a pain in the ***, we definitely want a canoe.

so based on that, what would you recommend? any particular company you've had good experience with?

Check with canoe rental business or float trip operators. They often are “thinning out” their stock this time of the year. We have bought aluminum canoes, royalex canoes, “sit-on” kayaks and conventional recreational kayaks over the years. If you look early often there are units with only “scratch and dent” damage. Look carefully, I’ve seen aluminum canoes with broken backs in the lot. I usually pay 10 -25% of new price. If your crew is like mine, dents happen. This way I just buy them pre-dented and save money.

Good luck.

Would also recomend a used canoe for your price range, in addition to rental companies craigs list,
http://orlando.craigslist.org/about/cities.html,
or your local classified would be a good place to look. Don't know what brands to recomend, i like gheenoes,
http://www.gheenoe.net/
but these are not exactly what you are asking for.

Hi Erik,

About 20 years ago I bought a used 15 ft green Coleman canoe for $200 and have abused it more than any piece of outdoor equipment I own. It paddles like a scow and "oil-cans" (the bottom flexes) with every stroke so it is slow, but other than the fading camo spraypaint it is in great shape. I store it uncovered beside my garage from -40* to +100*F.

I have a small motor mount on it for a 2hp and I know from experience it will carry 2 big men and a quartered yearling moose with no problem.

The Ram-X plastic material in not easily patched, but other than putting it in a fire, shooting it or dragging it behind the truck I do not think you can hurt it.

Not a classy canoe, not a long distance tripper or agile white-water craft but for the hunting, fishing, family camping trips I do, it works great.

Mike

Check this site out. It should help with the decisions.

If you're interested in watching wildlife, you might want to avoid the aluminum canoes. The slap of water on the hull is surprisingly loud.

And where you're going to be using it will probably determine whether you want a keel or not.

Sue

canoe..CANOE !!!!..did some one say cannnooooo--well..well
i just might be able to add one or two small notes--



2500 bucks of hand made Kevler canoe deep in Quetico..
37 pounds..16 feet long..about 32 inches across and made
to handle anything and go anywhere you please.. two men
and all their gear for two weeks and last spring
just me and all my gear for two weeks....
soooo...your looking for a boat..
first for $500 you will need to follow that advice about
checking for a deal..some towns even have a local canoe
shop where you could get a "blemish" at a good price..
it's going to be a long winter so look around..
next--aluminum is maintenance free and get beat around
to no end--but..they take on the temp of the air and
water around them--cold water--cold boat..fiberglass
and Royalex don't do that..and a "tin" boat is noisey
CLUNK__CLUNK..and it well reflect the sun enought to
make the inside hot.. a coat of duck boat tan paint
will fix that...aluminum canoes are made with a keel to
hold the two halfs together..try and get a "shoe" keel
it's flat unlike the knife like keel that gets hung up
on stuff and makes the canoe hard to turn...
plastic boats--if the inside of the canoe is braced up
with metal pipe--pass it up..it may get you around but
you can do much better..Royalex or some such stuff is
a foam filled plastic between two sheets of a plastic
that is a bit soft but will take a real beating on rocks
and the dents will come up if warmed in the sun..before
i got that canoe in the photo i had a Old Town Pathfinder.
heavy at 57 pounds but i used it for around 20 years and
the hull held up to everything wilderness tripping tossed
at it...
canoe shapes---you want a "normal" looking canoe..
look at a LL Bean catalog--the Camper Canoe is the style
you want..avoid canoe with odd shapes and lots of whats
called "tumblehome"--that is the sides are very rounded off.
also look for a "sportsmans" style canoe with a flat bottom.
they are whats called "pushers" because the flat bottom
is not made for speed but stability--i could stand in my
Pathfinder to scout fast water ahead but i have found
that the more rounded bottom of my Prospector makes
for a unstable stand..i could stand and paddle the other
canoe but not that one..
how many people???..two is normal--three is a squeeze
in a typical 16-17 foot canoe..any more that that and
you looking at a 18-20 foot cargo canoe...
ADD ON...paddles--good low price paddles can be had..
wood is best but if you get a aluminum canoe get metal
shaft and plastic blade paddles..metal boats are hard
on wood...PFD--zip up fishermans styles are good and you
can put SURVIVAL gear in the pockets..a way to carry
it---racks are spendy but foam blocks work fine....
that all i can think of off hand--PM me if you want more



the Pathfinder with a solo load ready to push off---

A great summary!

If, for some reason, you'll need to store the canoe outside, the aluminum canoe won't be affected by UV rays. The sun is hard on plastics & fiberglass resin.

Take a look at the craigslist for your area. I've seen some decent looking used canoes around here.

I am not a canoe'er (is that a word?), but I know that Boy Scout camps use aluminum canoes, probably for a good reason...inexpensive and durable. Noise, who cares...

Wiley's, eh? Would that man you're near Decatur or Hunsville? I know of only 2 Wiley's stores. Take a trip over to Gander Mountain in Huntsville and check out a MAd River 14. I got mine out the door for $464.00 It's no wilderness tripper, but it will hold two people and a decent amount of gear with no problem.