Canoe Ponderings by Red Rock Wilderness Store

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Soloing a Souris River Quetico 17

Q. so how does the quetico solo?  i took a 100 mile trip down the yellowstone river, from just below yankee jim canyon to big timber, in september.  used a 17 foot coleman.  basically a skin on a tubulat aluminum frame.  i realize it is a shit canoe, but the bottom flex was nice.  there are a lot of rocks, ledges, trees to go over.  i read the description of the skeena, flatter front and less bottoming out.  i did have a problem with some "submarining" and bottoming out on the big dropoffs (3-4 ft).  that is why the description interested me.  maybe you should put some stamps on it and send it out and i will take it down the yellowstone solo and give you a review...

A. Queticos solo very nicely, but they are lake canoes and can plunge under off of drops.  The Coleman is a piece of linear polyethylene (cheap plastic) and although durable, a terrible lake canoe and not held in high regard in any other venues.  The fact that you alive after traveling 100 miles down river in it redefines the phrase "really lucky". 

We'll be open on March 16, but will not have a Skeena in stock.  The trucks generally do not start hauling until mid April due to potentially icy road conditions.  For WW paddling, the canoe you probably want is the Prospector.  Just over 16 feet and a fast, responsive hull.  4" of rocker and makes a very responsive solo.  It's not a white water layup, so intensive rock bashing may not be the best for it, but it will be more maneuverable in WW than the Queticos.  We have one in stock.  Beyond that, I do not know a lot about WW since there is no such conditions here.


Joe
Red Rock