Canoe with a View : : Canadian Open Canoe forum

Extensive internet research has led me to the conclusion (and also to, a pair of very tired eye balls) that the boat for me is the Prospector 15'.

The plan is to purchase a boat that can be solo paddled, but equally well can accommodate 1 or 2 childeren (8 & 9 by spring/summer 2010) , and / or some camping gear. Although initially (and certainly with the kids on board) I'd be paddling lakes, canals or gentle rivers, in the fullness of time I'd want to be able to progress to solo white water.

On that basis what do you think of my choice thus far?

But then of course, my research has also revealed that there are more types of Prospector around than you'd find in the Californian Gold Rush of 1869.

Nova Craft looks very pretty, but the Venture is still quite a looker, keenly priced and originates here in dear ole Blighty. What Next ?

Answers on a post card please!

See if you can try 'em all, every manufacturer has their own take on the prospector design. I have a We-no-nah P15 and love it! Red has a NovaCraft prozzy and he loves it Mangy Mutt has a Venture Prospector 15 and I am sure she loves hers too, whatever make you buy I am sure that you will love yours,
Cheers
Tim

I've always liked the look of the Venture, both the Prospector and Ontario. The shape and entry and exit lines make for a more pleasing looking craft compared with some other manufacturers.

The Venture is by far the nicest Prospector in that price range, is far better than the NC SP3, I have the first Venture P15 built and it is a lovely boat to paddle, excellent performance on both still and moving water.

If the Evergreen Prospectors were available I would have one tomorrow, but that is another story.

Nova Craft quality is questionable these days, so I would not recommend one. Wenonah are nice boats but can oil can but are one of the lightest Prospectors on the market.

Well that's my six penneth worth

From your comments and other stuff I've read it looks like the Venture is coming out on top (and from what I've seen the best priced). Many thanks for the feedback and advice.

Just need to save my pennys and sweet talk Mrs Cumbria now (She's more of a shops and concrete sort of a girl)!!
Andy.

One last question 15' or 16', any thoughts??

(05-09-09 01:55 PM)cumbria Wrote: [ -> ]Extensive internet research has led me to the conclusion (and also to, a pair of very tired eye balls) that the boat for me is the Prospector 15'.

Think you may have answered your own question here

Your more than welcome to have a paddle in my Venture P15 to see what you think to it.

Ok, here's my Two 'penneth...

I've got an NC 15' RX, and I have no problems with the build quality..

Tim's We-No-Nah is looking very good to excellent after a fair bit of paddling...

Gill has three Venture Prossies at Marple, I'll see if I can get one out tomorrow and give you a brief synopsys.....

Although for solo or tandem FLATWATER paddling you can't go wrong with a Venture Ontario...I'd certainly put it up there near a Bob Special...

Oh, and to answer your question.......15'

Cheers
Red.

(05-09-09 10:30 PM)redframe Wrote: [ -> ]Although for solo or tandem FLATWATER paddling you can't go wrong with a Venture Ontario...I'd certainly put it up there near a Bob Special...

Cheers
Red.

i think that the Bob Special is a very nice canoe, easier to turn, and light too,
however its twice the price of the Ontario,...
another advantage of the Onrtario is the low freeboard (low sides)
it doesnt suffer from the wind as much as a prospector,
if you intend to paddle mostly flat water, this is a great boat,
cheap, and light for a plastic boat, tracks well,
i love mine...

heres one of me, my Ontario is kitted out for solo paddling...
pic. taken at the Retford meet, thanks Simon...

heres another of Chris and Simon paddling tandem...

was you asking about room for kids...

whatever canoe you choose, im sure you will have lots of fun...
get your name down for some of the trips...
happy paddling

Personal findings on the boats mentioned....

Novacraft. Very high sided. I'm 5'8" and 11 Stone and I felt a bit swamped in it. I'm sure it would be nice in WW, the size keeping you dry and giving a quite protected feeling, but would be a bit of a pain in the wind. Those high sides left me feeling too far from the water for my tastes.

Wenonah. Very wide. Nice to paddle, what I call "cottage canoe" feel, loves being heeled over and dances really nicely, but unlike my present boat where I can get a paddle to my off side almost instantly I had to adjust my knee and backside possition to cross deck the Wenonah. I've also heard that they are a little touchy when it comes to rocks, creasing or marking easily (price you pay for a super lightweight boat).

Venture. Very heavy. Really nice boat, paddles well, just the right size for me.....but damn that corelite (or should that be coreheavy). Venture really have shot themselves in the foot not producing any more royalex boats. If the venture was in royalex and the same price as the other two I'd have one, but they're just too heavy to carry for any distance, which is one of the key features I'm looking for in a new boat.

Hope that helps, but doubt it does (paddling all three hasn't helped me find my perfect boat!)

(06-09-09 10:08 AM)saarlak Wrote: [ -> ]Personal findings on the boats mentioned....


Venture. Very heavy. Really nice boat, paddles well, just the right size for me.....but damn that corelite (or should that be coreheavy). Venture really have shot themselves in the foot not producing any more royalex boats. If the venture was in royalex and the same price as the other two I'd have one, but they're just too heavy to carry for any distance, which is one of the key features I'm looking for in a new boat.

errr.
i must have missed something,
unless these quoted weights are wrong...
venture prospector 15' is rather heavy... and the NC too...

venture prospector 15' - 72lb
ontario - corelite 61lb
wenonah prospector 15' - royalex 59lb
bob - royalex lite 58lb
NC prospector 15' - royalex 70lb

(05-09-09 10:30 PM)redframe Wrote: [ -> ]Gill has three Venture Prossies at Marple, I'll see if I can get one out tomorrow and give you a brief synopsys.....

OK, took a Venture Prossie out at lunch today, briefly,... they track extreemly well, far better than the NC, which means they'd probably be slightly less of a handfull in a mild wind and would probably be better for a newer paddler as they'd tend to Zig-Zag less (technical term), the down side is that they're not as easy to turn/manouvre. Not noticably heavier than the NC Prossie in Standard Royalex, and the Corelite is far more up for a bit of bashing around....

Personally I'd stick with my 15' NC because of it being more manouverable, but for the price a very nice, rugged, stable boat, if I was just comming into open boating I'd probably go for one of these or an Ontario if I didn't want to carry too much gear...

Cheers
Red.

have to agree with sarrlak on this
i had a nova 15 but found it high sided and heavish
changed to a wenonah and find its brill width is not really a problem
the venture is good but heavy and the ontario has to be great for flat water

In our fleet we have SWMBO's Ontario,nice boat tracks well but it is still rigged for tandem...........yet to try one that has a kt in, I recon that would improve the feel loads more. Just gotta try one???????

Cheers
Tim

(06-09-09 08:41 PM)Tim Wrote: [ -> ]In our fleet we have SWMBO's Ontario,nice boat tracks well but it is still rigged for tandem...........yet to try one that has a kt in, I recon that would improve the feel loads more. Just gotta try one???????

Cheers
Tim

Tim,
you can try mine at meadowford...