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PostPosted: June 19th, 2019, 2:09 pm 
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Location: Montreal / Gatineau
I've have a bead on an Esquif Breeze with two barrels, one harness and paddles. One small repair/patch. I'm inexperienced, but I'm 200+ lbs. Price is right. Should I be looking at a canoe with a wider beam?

Advice appreciated.

Thanks!!


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PostPosted: June 19th, 2019, 2:21 pm 
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Should be fine. Its already beamy for a solo so its a good first boat, If the tenderness bothers you either kneel or lower the seat. Over time canoes for newbies are felt to be tender but that feeling goes away.


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PostPosted: June 19th, 2019, 2:25 pm 
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littleredcanoe wrote:
Should be fine. Its already beamy for a solo so its a good first boat, If the tenderness bothers you either kneel or lower the seat. Over time canoes for newbies are felt to be tender but that feeling goes away.


Thanks @littleredcanoe! Thanks for the comment regarding the beam. I'll go have a look at it then.

Gary.


Last edited by solotwaterrunner on June 19th, 2019, 5:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: June 19th, 2019, 3:29 pm 
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Depending on the price I like it as a first solo, but what are your intentions?

https://translate.google.com/translate? ... rev=search

As a small waters day boat it would fit me to a tee. As a canoe camping or tripping boat, eh, I am a big guy, and pack heavy, 15 feet x 28” would just barely carry my load, probably with some performance loss.

A half inch of symmetrical rocker (giron?) is less than I’d like for a day use river canoe, but perfect for protected waters, swamp and marsh and small quite water explores.

I agree about what LRC said about seat height, even dropped just a half inch can make a noticeable difference.

I am a little puzzled looking at the seat placement shown in Esquif’s sketch on that link. That seat looks awfully close to center hull. If that is really the placement kneeling would be out of the question.

It is not that hard to move a hung seat back to where the trim feels right; for me center of seat 10 – 12” back of center hull feels perfect. YMMV depending on weight, physiology and front porch overhang.

I think of canoes the way Jeep-heads think of their customized 4-wheelers; “You don’t buy a Jeep, you build a Jeep”. A canoe is largely a blank canvas, with the manufacturer’s best-guess at the average buyer’s size, shape, paddling places and style. Good luck with that everyman design guess, apparently I am far away from the 50th percentile.

Boat, barrels with harness and paddles, if the price is right hell yes. The operative word in the subject line is FIRST; likely not your last canoe, but a boat that fills a needed niche.


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PostPosted: June 19th, 2019, 5:02 pm 
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My intent is as a novice, flat water and small portages. two days at a time till I build confidence.

I've been looking at NovoCraft 15ft as well. The $$ output a limiting factor, at the moment, for this option. Ergo, the Esquif Breeze.

Thanks @MikeMcRea


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PostPosted: June 19th, 2019, 6:04 pm 
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If you get it for a reasonable price you would be able to resell at zero loss if in a couple of years if you find it's not exactly what you need.

I looked at the specs, it's too wide for my style and because almost all my trips include a fair amount of rapid running it's probably too wet (similar to my MR Guide and Swift Raven).

If your plan is for shorter trips of primarily flat water or simple small rapids it's probably a reasonable choice.

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PostPosted: June 20th, 2019, 12:14 am 
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recped wrote:
If you get it for a reasonable price you would be able to resell at zero loss if in a couple of years if you find it's not exactly what you need.

I looked at the specs, it's too wide for my style and because almost all my trips include a fair amount of rapid running it's probably too wet (similar to my MR Guide and Swift Raven).

If your plan is for shorter trips of primarily flat water or simple small rapids it's probably a reasonable choice.


*idea* thanks for the insight, @recped!


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PostPosted: July 17th, 2019, 10:38 pm 
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Thanks all, I missed it. Someone else got to it.
I was trying to find a 15 or 16 footer in the Ottawa area as that's where it's going to be kept. This Breeze was south of Montreal, though it was quite tempting.


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PostPosted: July 18th, 2019, 5:28 am 
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I have bought a sold a few canoes over the past 30 years of on and off paddling. First was a 16' fglass tank that saw many a portage over multiday trips. Sold it when moved out west. Bought another new from a local maker which proved too lively for tandem with my wife but I loved it as a solo. sold it. Then bought a Nova craft 15' Prospector which I love and makes for a comfortable paddle for my wife, although paddles very differently when I'm just out solo with no gear vs loaded. This is my first under 16' boat - sometimes I think I miss the extra foot although I'm not sure why. Guess what I'm trying to say is Mike McCrae make a valid point about 'first' canoe, and recped makes the case that if well cared for your re-sale should come fairly easy should you decide in the future. Good luck shopping


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PostPosted: July 18th, 2019, 6:43 am 
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littleredcanoe wrote:
Over time canoes for newbies are felt to be tender but that feeling goes away.


Am a newby have no idea what this sentence means....


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PostPosted: July 18th, 2019, 8:15 am 
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Tender means tippy, unstable, twitchy, compared to a wider canoe or boat in which you can move around in more and it will resist tipping over. With time, you're gonna get used to it and eventually dealing with the tenderness becomes second nature. Although, there will be some that just don't like it, and never will, and they will prefer something more stable... preferring bigger boats during their recreation time, maybe on up the scale to something like ocean liners if there's great aversion to craft that are tender/tippy/twitchy.

Experienced individuals often have no objection to tender canoes since those designs offer improved performance qualities besides initial stability. Fishing and photography, load-carrying capacity, and possibly drinking might not be included in those improved performance qualities. Your call on what you decide to wear... have fun.

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PostPosted: July 19th, 2019, 8:15 pm 
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I'm looking at a 16' Scott that had a longish crack repair w/FGlass mesh just under the gunn'ls. Aluminum gunn'ls.
It needs a yoke.


Thanks for all the responses!


Last edited by solotwaterrunner on July 20th, 2019, 8:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: July 20th, 2019, 6:37 am 
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don't let the width stop you there are lots of ways to get around roof rails with cross bars etc - commercial or homemade.


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PostPosted: July 20th, 2019, 8:55 pm 
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Niagara 1 wrote:
don't let the width stop you there are lots of ways to get around roof rails with cross bars etc - commercial or homemade.


Thanks @Niagara.

I spoke to the seller and he said it was quite doable without crossbars. I have the MEC canoe lashing kit.


Last edited by solotwaterrunner on July 23rd, 2019, 7:11 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: July 21st, 2019, 11:14 am 
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solotwaterrunner wrote:
I'm looking at a 16' Scott that had a longish crack repair w/FGlass mesh just under the gunn'ls. Aluminum gunn'ls.
It needs a yoke.


So are you still looking for a solo boat, or a tandem that you can solo?

Also, do you have a lay-up/weight limit and budget in mind?


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