Used old town discovery 174 or Penobscot 17' or Wenonah Aurora

[DLD24]

I'm looking to get either one of these canoes, which one would you prefer and how much would you expect to pay for a used one of these???I'll be using it for fishing and maybe some trips to BWCA mostly calm water paddling...Thanks for any info...

[OnAFly]

I've got a penobscot 164. I bought it for $800 new. I would expect to pay -$500 used depending on condition. It's been a great two person boat. Took it to the BWCA had no problems at all. Very stable, fast enough for a 12 mile paddle with two portages in one day. If I had to do it again I would have sprung for the royalex 16 or 17 and save some lbs but I'm still happy with it.

I've been caught in some nasty weather in that boat and came out dry, so I can't complain.

[delcecchi]

I would consider weight as one significant factor, if you are really going to use it in the BWCA. Too bad the Wenonah is only a 16, which makes it marginal for canoe trips.

[Stick in Mud]

If you plan on doing any real portaging and have a few extra $$, I'd recommend a royalex boat (the Penobscot) over a polylink (Discovery). Royalex is significantly lighter and easier to repair (so I hear...I've never had to repair either material) if you ever put a dent in it. It's also more expensive, of course.

Check out that list by that guy whose name starts with a "C" to see what the boats are priced at. Just use the search function in the MPLS region and you'll find a bunch of boats, though this time of year it might be a bit slimmer pickings than in May. That'll give you a decent idea of what prices the market is supporting.

[delcecchi]

If you are going to portage, try for Kevlar (unless you are a lot younger and stronger than I am)

[Stick in Mud]

Well, yes, that's true. But it's also a lot more expensive.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

Check with clearwaters outfitting, they sell used canoes. They are in Clearwater, of course.

[nofishfisherman]

The Discovery is a good canoe from my experience. I have the 15 foot version for paddling the local Twin Cities lakes but have paddled several of the 174's including some BWCA trips. They are very stable and are darn near bullet proof. If you are looking for a stable fishing platform they are a good choice.

The main draw backs are the weight and speed. They are over 80 pounds so they are a beast to portage unless you are part Sherpa. Not sure if you've tried portaging one of these in the BWCA but its not a lot of fun. Also they aren't the fastest boats on the water, which may or may not be an factor for you.

Not sure what your budget it but if you are looking for a canoe that you'll enjoy using in the BWCA I'd highly suggest looking to the royalex which will save you 20 pounds or so. Or better yet kevlar which will save you 40 pounds compared to the polyethylene of the Old Town. If you want to go kevlar check out some of the outfitters up in the BWCA area. Most sell their used canoes after a year or two of service. They'll have some scratches but mostly just cosmetic stuff. You'll likely be in the $1500 range if you go that route. Once you hit the end of your first 300 rod portage you'll thank yourself for spending the extra money. The last time I portaged an 80+ pound Discovery I think I invented some new curse words during the process.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

Fleet Farm sold Winona last year and ran the Kevlar at a good sale price. I don't remember the price, but I remember thinking it was a good deal for a great canoe.

[Stick in Mud]

Yes, those Discovery boats are beasts...but, if you are low on funds, they're a good boat that will last you a LONG time.

Buying a boat is all about trade-offs. If you want to do the BWCA, a kevlar is best (unless you also want to use the boat to do any whitewater). It's also most expensive. The less you spend, the more miserable you'll be paddling and carrying long distances. Of course, if you're young/strong/healthy, you'll be able to get away with a cheaper canoe with fewer problems. Heck, I hauled a Discovery around in Woodland Caribou for thirty days. A few years ago.

[Steve Foss]

We had a Discovery 174 for years. Great canoe for the money. Very stable as a fishing platform. We used it mostly for river floats, but also on lakes. It did quite well in both environments. We weren't concerned about speed. I portaged it a few times with no problems. Not the canoe you want if you do a lot of portaging, but based on price and performance in all other areas, it's a great option.