I have canoe for many years - from 6 week long trips to Class 4 whitewater. Tuf-weave Flex-core canoe shown with Standard Options, may not be . Weave Flex Core 58 lbs Kev. It's stable and efficient and can handle a wide range of boating conditions. I've tripped it through Algonquin and Quetico and the Adirondacks, probably 40 trips. Best aerobic workout ever. If it were my boat, Id probably order it with cane seats, which is an option. T-Formex canoes are incredibly tough and very affordable. There are lots of specialized canoes available that will do different tasks better than the Spirit II (straight line speed, load carrying, turnability) but none will do them all as well as this boat. Both are highly recommended. And I've done everything with this canoe. This makes them the ideal choice for sportsmen, whitewater paddlers, families and kids, or anybody who wants a very durable canoe. Need any addional help? Copyright 2023 VerticalScope Inc. All rights reserved. Thought I would check out a Bell Yellowstone Tandem. I love my Spirit II - Tufweave 17' 67 Lbs, its paddle well, handles well on flat water and the class 1 rivers near by. In summary I am very pleased with my Spirit 2 - tough weave in a bright red Ferrari color! Esquif went through bankruptcy and reinvestment, then eventually manufactured and shipped Wenonah a few T-Formex sheets. Rolyex has a lot less drag than HDPE (including PolyLink3), but cant compare with the polished finish you can adorn composites with. The Spirit II we tested had a foot brace for the stern paddler, effectively providing a way to transfer more power from the paddler to the hull a very nice option. The boat is beautiful. I've owned this boat for two years now and have equipped it with a full tilt sailing rig and pontoons. Compared to my Jensen 18 this boat has more initial stability, a bit more readable secondary stability and quite frankly glides and paddles very nearly as efficiently -- that latter point was a huge surprise to me. I am 6'6" tall and weigh 250 and so is my son, and the reason I am posting this review is to add some information for larger paddlers considering this boat. Light and maneuverable. Aramid, the fiber used for aerospace, body armor and bulletproof vests, is amazingly light and strong. It is probably a fine canoe, but I found the seats too high. Adirondack 16' 0" Escapade 16' 6" . Effortless to paddle, stable, relatively light-weight for a Royalex canoe and tracks well. Very stable and roomy with 2 adults , 1 10 year old and an active golden retriever. Anything thoughts, I had wanted something under 60lbs. The construction is meticulous. And it portages well, too. I found the portage thwart to be well balanced, but uncomfortable outside of the short haul. The Spirit II's initial stability with two large paddlers in it and no other gear is reliable, then you can feel secondary kick in and firm up a bit, but you can go past secondary very quickly and roll the boat. Prior to paddling the Spirit I had a Sawyer X17 which my wife and I paddled for many years. The pair pulled up their bar stools andsketched the ideal model on a wrinkled napkin. The Penobscot 15' is an Old Town Royalex solo canoe that can hold up to 625 pounds with a weight of only 49 pounds. I will continue to use this canoe as long as I feel comfortable portaging it up to 1 mile. I'd trade weight for a stiffer hull. The first time we put the paddles in the water, I turned around, and she had as big of grin as I did! From the almighty hidden rock but it was nothing a little good old duct tape couldn't fix till home. visitors a day during peak season. This canoe can hold up to 4 people. They are ideal for speed and distance paddling and for all people or conditions that demand the lightest gear. Though I placed a deposit on a Bell Northwind in Royalex, I While it is not light at around 75 pounds (we installed a third seat and some other customizations), it is lighter than my old aluminum battleship and I was able to portage it without difficulty. The hardest decision was between the Royalex Spirit II and the Kevlar (a mere We had at least 12 inches of freeboard and were drawing about 5 inches (not bad considering how much weight we had on board!). When my husband said he wanted a canoe, I did my research again. Spirit II 17' More Details. She would buy this boat brand new, and so would I. Because the canoe has no pigmented gelcoat, you can see every layer in the construction by holding it up to the light. Wee Lassie 12' 6" More Details. Ultra-light hulls are stiff and incredibly light. :). It is a very stable boat without giving up alot of speed or tracking. One that would go and do the few things the Venom Racer wasnt capable of. added a FoxWorks Guide model -- 18 onces of pure efficiency!). CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON. First, it doesn't feel like a Royalex boat. Discover and compare the year's best canoes from 30+ top brands like Old Town, Pelican and Wenonah. Wenonah Canoe Vice-President Bill Kueper is enthusiastic about the growing inclusion of Esquifs T-Formex. without a care for rocks. After growing up in MN. It's great!!! Spirit II is a tandem 17' Wenonah Canoe that is made in Minnesota. The lighter weight of Royalex helped it gain traction as a good material for recreational canoes. I am young so I know the weight is do able I just was curious what everyone's canoes weigh and if 69lbs was to high to do. [ Paddling Buyers Guide: See all Kevlar Canoes ]. Easy to portage, extremely high quality fit, finish, and design, and it paddles effortlessly. After 30 years of paddling I decided I was too old to continue lifting heavy boats on to a roof rack. I have a Wenonah Spirit II (17') and the Aurora is essentially a shorter version (16') of the spirit II. Flex 55 lbs Kev. The canoe they dreamed up was 17-feet-long, had a 34-inch waterline, a 36-inch maximum beam, one-and-a-half to two inches of rocker and clean entry and exit lines. Kevlar Ultralite Weight: 42 lbs; Gunwale Width . It's a great boat, probably what I'd get if I could have only one tandem. I know yokes are a personal thingbut I found this one flat and uncomfortable; changing it out would be myfirst, and maybe only, DIY project. I have paddled my tuff weave Spirit II for 2 years, I am returned to canoes after 40 years of kayaking. We bought our Spirit II (royalex) last year at Canoecopia, so this has been our first season. The Spirit II . I love the way it tracks through the water with or without gear. We own 8 canoes (1 under construction), 4 kayaks (one under construction), and have paddled, build, repaired, altered, or modified almost every conceivable make or type of canoe on the market (barring dugouts). There is also a hitch-mount designed for a standard 2" receiver so that the . Privacy Policy. . Its solid as a rock. ; wenonah . I recently epoxy coated the thwarts and yoke as the original sealant was wearing. This canoe was not very hard to paddle, and handles the wind very nice. . Most Spirit IIs are built for lake country, and no one I know ever said, My canoes too light, can you add ten pounds or so?. The boat is very responsive and both inital and final stability felt secure. Not a white-water boat, but can do streams, rivers very well. I wonder why I waited so long. you have stability and comfort. This boat is a good compromise. It slices through waves (which is a good thing normally), but without a cover, deep waves can roll right in over the gunwales. A new paddler fearful of tippy boats? Very light yet strong, holds a ton of gear and a breeze to paddle. I bought my Royalex hull Spirit II two years ago. After all this drama it turns out that our T-Formex Spirit II looks andperforms just like a Royalex one. I use the boat for a mixture of day trips on flat water and estuary paddling in Southwest Florida (mangroves and twisting tidal creeks). Buttermilk Falls presented a bit more challenge (many barely submerged rocks) but the Royalex slid off any gotchas. I love my spirit 2 royalex. I dont have a problem loading the spirit II by myself onto the truck. The Spirit II makes us regret the decades and hundreds of miles we spent oil canning rivers and lakes in our Oltonar canoes. Big difference in paddlers sizes? Paddled from the kneeling thwart is the way to go in windy conditions. straps across the roof it was solid all the way home (south of Pittsburgh). Handled powerboat wake with no problem at all. Tracks well and turns even better. It also became the center of a family of touring boats. Owned a kevlar ultra light with wooden gunnels for five years. Seats, footbraces, and all hardware is then riveted into these plates. I have owned a Spirit II for about 9 years now. The Wenonah Spirit II, a sleek all-purpose canoe, can be used on a daily basis. You mentioned not wanting to upgrade to a lighter boat after just one trip, and that's a great point. It's is tough, light (under 60lbs. Spend more to carry less. I ended up giving it to a Umatilla guy and, last I heard, he's using it to run his nets. It accelerates to speed with just a few strokes and will maintain a cruising speed with moderate effort. I found the gel-coat will scratch easy, I pulled it through some gravel. I also like to be able to paddle solo, so I removed the thwart behind the front seat and added a rear-facing solo seat. Approx. We do lots of portage and lake tripping, the canoe is great fit for all our needs. I am 75 yrs. Wenonah finds the right formula. Wenonah advertises the Spirit II as ideal for sportsmen, whitewater paddlers, families, kids and pretty much anyone else who wants a do-it-all canoe. It is pretty easy to paddle at a moderate pace for open water, but it does not seem that fast or easy to paddle if you push it. It felt like one of the fastest canoes in the bunch, and along with the Cronje, consistently pulled ahead slightly if we increased the pace of the group. CHECK PRICE ON SEA EAGLE. Our T-Formex tester has ashand webbing seats which adds even more to the Spirit IIs do-it-all sensibility. I would highly recommend this canoe for family tripping, day outings, and general fun. The Spirit II glided efficiently through the Main Branch Susquehanna's flatwater, and took the few ledges with aplomb. Flex Core 54 lbs Kev. I opted for sponges on the front and a hitch rack in back for our Ford F-150. league of ireland wages 2021. when was the last shark attack in cancun; bootstrap treeview not working. We have been able to continue our canoeing at ages 60 and 80, respectively with the right canoe. Usual trade offs. The Kevlar version weighs 42 pounds and costs $2,099, making it small by comparison. I feel almost "at one" in the stern of this canoe as in my kayak. Help keep the flying moose flying and Wenonah is worth the $ for us. It has not been used much at all in the last 6 years. For small rivers and streams this solo is hard to beat. I've paddled it tandem and with both my wife AND two young kids aboard. Has a paddle holder already mounted along with tie-down bungies Comes with an. Wenonah bakeda sheet, formed a Spirit II and shipped it here to Canoeroots. Tuf-weave canoes offer improved impact resistance and are a great compromise between light weight, performance, and price. A perfect all-arounder, says one tester. Mine came from a bwca Outfitters. My son and I each weigh about 200 lbs. This article originally appeared in Canoeroots Early Summer 2017 issue. Not as fast as some longer boats nor as maneuverable as shorter ones, but if you're looking for a wilderness tripping boat that also is a good fishing boat the Spirit II will do the job. We are planning a 220 mile trip down the West Branch of the Susquehanna from The kneeling thwart is mounted at a height of 11.5 inches from the floor of the canoe. The Tuf-weave fiberglass . Otherwise, like most canoes, it is painful to carry on long carries. The gelcoat took a beating witch I know it would and I managed a small hole in the gelcoat on the keel not the kevlar behind it. Great canoe for two people. Got a great deal on a used Tuf-weave Spirit II. Follow the "Live Social Media" Feed from My only experience being in alum. 7.0. . You must earn your speed with a discounted cadence. Happy canoeing. Real Stable, wont capsize until the the gunnel is level with the water. I paddled the canoe about 8 or 9 miles in the last week using a double paddle. Voyager 17' 6" More Details. Its an extension of our bodies and fast enough to outrun small sailboats, yet after years of practice with specialized strokes, we can maneuver just fine in the thickets. Copyright 2020 www.bwca.com | Legal Notice | DMCA, Help keep the flying moose flying by supporting BWCA.com However I'm a little concerned that it will be to heavy for BWCA trips. Whatever you do, don't be tempted by the Old Town Pack 12. However, I will probably install some Kevlar stem guards since speed isnt an issue. Keewaydin 16 Combi - Swift Canoe & Kayak - People Who Know, Paddle Swift. Some may ask what happened to the Spirit I. It is a dream come true for those who canoe lakes and moderate rivers and who need light weight, 42#. We-No- Na company very nice to deal with. The Wilderness responds well when used with a kayak paddle (such as our 260cm double blade) for improved performance on calm water or better control in inclement weather. Would like to try it solo, but the thwart behind the front seat won't let you paddle it backwards from that seat. If so, 69 lbs is almost too heavy to lift solo onto a roof rack or otherwise. I've matched it with a classic composite Old Town Canadien, and the Spirit II was faster and less twitchy, but turned just as well. Posted by . Problem solved. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. This boat does everything we need it to and does it very well. I felt that it was "paying my dues" dues for what I don't know. My limit is 60 pounds too - for whatever reason, lifting 58 vs 65 was noticeable to me. When I get older (& have more money), I will probably replace it with a lighter Kevlar canoe. First off I have to say it is an awesome hull design! I'll report on the Spirit II's It has good glide and great stability. Yoke is a standard ash yoke, that is useful for carries, but it really calls for yoke pads. The canoe holds a tremendous amount of gear and is stable. This after 40 years of Old Town Oltonars, 16 and 18 foot, and a Pack 12 which was horribly tippy and tracked bad. I feel as if I made the right decision when canoe shopping, as I wanted a boat for class I and II rivers here in Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas. I'm pretty much able to navigate the canoe in some mild winds all by myself. The capacity was more then adequate, seaworthiness was amazing (even in rough chop produced by Memorial Day speedboat traffic on the 12 mile lake before Williamsport), and the tractor seats were remarkably comfortable. Kayaking the Mouth of the Columbia River's Tidal Influences, When Cities Meet The Water: Americas Top Urban Paddling Destinations, Paddling At Night - Tips and Safety Recommendations. At 54 lbs, it's not the lightest canoe for long portages, but for a guy in his 30's it's definitely doable. Great for day trips and good for extended trips. expensive) damage. So new to us, we haven't put the vessel to any "real" test yet. The Prospector 16 is listed in Wenonah's catalog as having 4 inches of rocker. There's so much room for gear that, when going solo, I don't even need to remove the front and back seats, I just slide my most buoyant sacks underneath for added safety. It does tend to catch and be turned by crosswinds, but all keel-less canoes do that. Aluminum plates are strategically laminated into the hull. The price was $2098 I think. The cost had gone up from 10 years ago and transporting it from Northern Minnesota to Southern Kentucky seemed impossible. The rail seat allowed the canoe to be trimmed easily. Heres how I rate the Spirit II. I've just finished a 130 kilometer paddling trip three days ago, spent a week on flat water, around one of the biggest islands in Finland. For us it was between the Adirondack in Royalex or this boat. 10/17/2010 01:49PM (Thread Older Than 3 Years). It has taken a few significant hits and though we have dents to show for them, the canoe was never compromised. Soon I realized that the extra seat was not really meant for a third person (even if it serves for that purpose also if you don't carry gear very much). We especially appreciated the size of the Spirit IIits small enough for quick paddling outings but large enough to pack all thegear for a week of canoe tripping, plus the dog. It paddles well and tracks well too. Primary stability is acceptable, but secondary is amazing. Thank you Wenonah for your Ultralight Spirit II. Very comfortable to sit in all day and paddle. the canoe is a tuf-weave x rib design. The origins of the Spirit begins in 1981 when Wenonah sales and distribution representative Kurt Renner was sitting with a Wenonah dealer from Missoula, Montana. ), stable yet glides well. I guess it depends on your age and condition. It was a great boat, but at over 70lbs was a little heavier than I like. Have had the canoe down a couple of local rivers. The boat tracks well and is very stable. This one can be packed down and loaded . Even in whitewater chop, the boat was so stable. It's capable on rapids, and open water, too. If the seats are mounted low enough Like many, I opted for the Spirit II as a boat for a variety of conditions, and I love it. but the combined impact of Royalex canoes from Wenonah, Esquif, Dagger, Mad River, Nova Craft and others can't be underestimated. Complete Canoe Outfitting Packages; . Seneca 19' 4" More Details. Then in 2013 the plastics company PolyOne announced they would cease production of Royalex sheets. Wenonah's Tuf-weave material is an interwoven fabric made of 50% polyester and 50% fiberglass that out performs either material alone. Normally we like to stable our canoes when the other person climbs in or out. The Spirit II is great for the Canadian style as well. I found the wind moves it around a bit but that is a small thing. I am young so I know the weight is do able I just was curious what everyone's canoes weigh and if 69lbs was to high to do. After moving to Alaska three years ago. 450lb weight capacity. I bought the Tuffweave version. The Wenonah 17 carried the brand into their modern lineup of over twenty tandem canoes. Keep the flying moose flying and Wenonah is worth the $ for us Sawyer X17 which my wife and young! Access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events mapping. Of 50 % polyester and 50 % fiberglass that out performs either material alone Thread than. 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Of speed or tracking x27 ; more Details it through Algonquin and Quetico and Adirondacks! May ask what happened to the light navigate the canoe in some mild all! To carry on long carries like to try it solo, but secondary is.... Tandem 17 ' Wenonah canoe that is useful for carries, but it was a boat... With 2 adults, 1 10 year old and an active golden.. He 's using it to a Umatilla guy and, last I heard, he 's it... From 10 years ago and transporting it from Northern Minnesota to Southern Kentucky seemed.. Gain traction as a good material for recreational canoes for all people or conditions that demand the lightest gear from... 9 years now as the original sealant was wearing by crosswinds, but the behind... Lineup of over twenty tandem canoes wind very nice two young kids.! Tuff weave Spirit II by myself onto the truck the few things the Venom Racer wasnt wenonah spirit ii royalex weight of earn speed... 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Kevlar canoe of rocker ideal choice for sportsmen, whitewater paddlers, families and kids, or anybody wants. Kevlar canoe day trips and good for extended trips a little good old duct tape could fix! Ultra light with wooden gunnels for five years very pleased with my 2... That the performance, and all hardware is then riveted into these plates pulled it through Algonquin Quetico! Over 70lbs was a great compromise between light weight, 42 # all Kevlar ]! Water, too has not been used much at all in the last 6 years not... Significant hits and though we have n't put the vessel to any real. Order it with a lighter Kevlar canoe responsive and both inital and final stability secure... Holding it up to the light riveted into these plates capable of brands, premium video, exclusive content events. All keel-less canoes do that I had a Sawyer X17 which my wife and two kids. And tracks well and pontoons it has not been used much at all the. By comparison 4 inches of rocker - Swift canoe & amp ; kayak - people who Know, paddle.... And good for extended trips miles we spent oil canning rivers and who light! They would cease production of Royalex helped it gain traction as a good material for canoes. With a full tilt sailing rig and pontoons loading the Spirit II ( Royalex ) last at...