Looking for what canoe to buy can be overwhelming. Focus on what you want to use the canoe for and the type of experience you have paddling. Recreational canoes are the best place to start for a beginner. For more advanced canoers or for the future consider getting activity specific canoes such as whitewater, fishing specific, river specific canoes, or an expedition canoe.
Anne Fleck from Raquette River Outfitters recommends trying out a canoe in order to get a feel for it and know that it’s the proper fit for you. The big questions to consider are, where are you intending to use it? How many people per canoe? Will you be using it for camping or day tripping? Basically, you fit the boat to your specific needs.
“There are a lot of factors, it’s not just a one answer question, “says Fleck.
If you’re starting out with a recreational boat most have initial stability. Next you look at what you’ll be using it for. Racing boats would be long, narrow and less stable while fishing boats would be flat bottomed and very stable but wouldn’t be good in rough water. The next step would be to look at the price point.
“Sometimes you just want to get a family out on the water and they have a price limit so we can get them in a less expensive boat that is still safe and where they are going to have an enjoyable time,” says Fleck.
Ready to jump in?
Here are some resources to get you started:
- TRIP PICKS We’ve compiled some ideas for canoe outings around the Adirondack region: READ MORE
- MATERIALS: Learn more about how the canoe’s materials can factor into your decision
- OUTFITTERS: A list of area outfitters
- SAFETY FIRST: PFDs are essential
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