I’m thinking about getting a lighter weight canoe for solo fishing and hunting. I’ve been doing some research and I’m liking the idea of a Old Town Guide 119 or discovery 119, mainly for weight savings for loading and unloading. Mostly would be used as a day trip, possibly a one or two night stay. My hunting buddy has a 16-17’ canoe we use when we go together, but I’d like one for when it’s just me.

Any opinions on this model canoe? Any other suggestions? We don’t have much rocks or Swift currents. Just the dirty ole Neches and Angelina river here in deep east Texas.

Would love seeing some pics of your canoes rigged out or just being used. Mostly looking for opinions on a smaller, light Weight solo hunting hunting. Most in the boat would be me, bow, climber, and if get a deer or two, they would be quarter out, so no whole deer would be transported.

Thanks, Mike

I love my 119 for solo trips. Even big enough for me and my 4 year old boy. I haven't done an overnight trip in it, but you should have room. I usually float like the picture. A small dry bag in the back and a cooler up front.

If you have any questions on set up or anything let me know. I use a single blade paddle, but you could definitely use a double blade like monkeyball.

Old Town made canoes from Royalex until about 2008. Royalex is made from outer layers of abs over a foam core. It is a lot lighter than materials used today. The Camper models have yokes that allow one man portages. The 15 Camper weighs 57 pounds and can be paddled facing in either direction. True tracker if you can find one used.

The advantage of shorter canoes is easier hauling in todays short bed trucks.

Really short canoes tend to be wider, stable but less 'glide'.

I'm researching this myself. Looking...

One thing I've noticed is that there are some small companies making awesome light solo canoes - at drop-dead prices.

Will probably end up with something 'reasonable'.

I have a 119, it weighs 48-49lbs. Mine has the the plastic molded seat, comfortable to me. I lowered the seat 2" and made it more stable. I dont know how to take pics but mine is the camo model. I have used a long double blade and a single blade paddle, and they both worked great. I think it do very good for what you want it for. You can get very good deals used. I would like to find a reasonable Old Town Pack canoe out of Royalex because they weigh 32-33 lbs., just for the weight.

Search your local Craigslist under Boats

A look at several to watch for -

http://canoeing.com/solo-canoes/page/3/

I still mourn the passing of the manufacture of Royalex....but managed to score a sweet deal on a Wenonah Aurora made with it a few years back.

I have a Old Town Osprey that is 14' long, 38 1/2" wide and weighs 54 lbs. It is VERY stable and light enough to portage. it is made with Royalex. It's great !!

I'm looking at a Golden Hawk solo. Maybe too short for your needs its very wide and stable. 10' long 45 lbs and a 450 lb payload.

Ive got an Old Town Guide, 119, and it is incredibly stable, heavy tho. Not something you want to carry alone for long distances. Transom is wide, 44" I believe, lending to its stability. Loaded with gear and being a solo paddler, sometimes with my Cattle Dog aboard, she handles well in all types of water. Check out Hornbeckboats.com, for a true solo canoe/boat, made here in Upstate New York. Expensive, but 9-16# lbs.!

there is or was a few kevlar ones out there. i saw one in rei in anchorage that was 17’ and in the 30-40lb range. it was about $2k though. but i was drooling, what a rig!

I will send you a PM,,,, before you buy, check out what I will send you,,,, Company in Wisconsin, builds some of the lightest and toughest canoes in the world, and if you want a 8 footer you can get one........

Also extremely light, I did have a Discovery Solo, but these were even better,,,,, you want square stern also, they will make it,,,,

You can check it out..... I also know a couple in the UP, that live off the grid, but make beautiful birch bark canoes, yep the real deal, but they are not cheap, because of the work that goes into them

My friend has a 10 footer, that weighs 30lbs, and for a single small stream vessel, tough to beat,,,,,

My modified Guide 119.

Very nice! Thanks!

Ductape , thanks for the offer. I may PM you some and pick your brain.

Ground hunter, yes PM me with details. I’m not 100% commit to a certain brand. So I’m open to all suggestions. Price is of some concern, but I don’t mind paying more if it is that much better.

What I’m looking at is something easier to handle alone, so under 50#, durable and stable. I’m definitely not an expert, so any opinions and suggestions are welcome.

Thanks

For weekend trips and camping (there are 4 of us so we take more "stuff") I have an OldTown Otter Tandem 14'. My wife and kids (11 & 6) usually take it. All flat water, but the Tandem Otter is a GREAT kayak. VERY stable as my kids move around a good bit and handles well.Not near as pricey as others, and I load a lot of "stuff" in it without worry. No frills, nothing fancy- Just Functional Pic is from OldTown

-Bones

Forgot to say that Tandem Otter is about 70# so it's not the lightest, but not unmanageable.

-Bones

lost run: “I would like to find a reasonable Old Town Pack canoe out of Royalex because they weigh 32-33 lbs., just for the weight.”

Yessir, I’ve been looking at those too. Not many can be found around here. There is a nice one on the auction site, but too far for me. Pick up only and 12 hr drive.

I’m not sure what these go for usually, but 33# would be nice. Anyone live near Suwanee, Georgia and going to the Howard Hill shoot in Alabama? Lol

In a solo canoe, I'd recommend at least a 14-foot length. Shorter boats need to be made wider for stability, and that ruins their paddling characteristics. With the seat near the center, the paddler needs to reach out much more to paddle, which also makes it more difficult to draw the paddle straight back or do a J-stroke or other maneuvers, which makes it more difficult to keep the boat on line. Because of the width, it will also be a slow boat and more affected by wind.

A longer, sleeker boat will be a lot easier to paddle and control, and it doesn't have to be heavier if you buy it in a lightweight material. A lot of solo canoes nowadays are built 15' to 16 1/2' foot.

Orion, simple genius. Not you, the concept. I didnt even consider that. I was wrapped up in potential stability a wider canoe would provide while ignoring the basic functionability of gliding through the water.

Its situational. My 119 was a fishing platform, not a cruising boat. I also fished higher elevation mountain rivers and streams with current (and some whitewater thrown in occasionally!) I don't need a super-glider for slow moving rivers or lakes. The current pushed me good enough without even paddling. I used drag chains on an anchor system straight out the back of my canoe, adjusted for depth and speed, to slow me down so I could fish. I removed the seat and thwarts out of my 119, spread the gunnels as far as they could safely spread and cut new thwarts, added a lower seat (for even better stability in rough current)and a better seat. Spreading the gunnels a bit more flattened out the bottom and thus gave a more stable platform for fishing (initial stability anyhow). I could stand and fish in my 119 and never get tippy with my feet spread to the roll on each side. I also used a Mohawk long double blade paddle to really get some force into the paddle if needed if I was fishing and suddenly realized I needed to really quickly go river right/left to avoid a drop or obstacle. The current did my "paddling" downriver for me and a wider, stable canoe was better for "my situation". Your mileage (river) may vary.

Exactly, Ralph. My 119 canoe that I modified for our mountain, faster current rivers would stink on a lake or low elevation, slow moving river. It would probably "paddle you to death", LoL.

You can see in this picture how I had my anchor system straight out the back for a straight drag to keep me pointed straight with the current. Heckuva good solo smallie canoe.

Thanks, Ralph. I rigged mine with a cleat at my seat and the rope run through NRS tie-down points mounted along the way so the system was neat and tidy. Nothing worse than anchor line getting tangled up in fly line stripped into the floor! A buddy of mine rigged his the same and used a retractable dog leash mounted beside his seat to spool up the line. I tried the same but couldn't get enough of the thicker anchor rope into one.

I have a Radisson 14" aluminum that is 41lbs which is the main reason I got it. It is very stable with a 38"beam and is foam lined inside so is quieter than the usual aluminum canoe and has foam sponson pods to further enhance stability. Capacity for the 14' is 800lbs. It is claimed it will still float when full of water but I never tried to check it out.

Radisson and Sportspal used to be the same canoe with one sold in Canada and the other in the US. Then some time ago the Sportspal name was sold off and morphed into a slightly different craft with thicker aluminum which adds about 10lbs and is a two piece hull riveted at the keel while the Radisson remained a one piece hull. The Radisson is made in Canada and the Sportspal in the US. The Radisson comes with wood and web seats (options on the Sportspal), a clamp on motor mount, and oars which is different for a canoe. I have never used the oars but want to try them this weekend.

These pictures taken with my grandson from 2007 are the only ones I have but don't show much useful detail.

Almost lost it earlier this spring with this tree missing it by just three feet.

Krag, Nice canoe. I've owned two Sportspal canoes years ago. A 12 footer and a 14 footer. Both were great canoes, light weight and stable.

Native Ultimate 14.5 Solo

Here is a pick of my hybrid Kayak. Has 450 load rating and tracks very well. When Hunting I'm able to load a single pole ladder stand, recurve bow, day pack, soft cooler, and a dry bag. If I have to transport a large deer it might not all fit.

With the tunnel-hull design, you can stand up and fly fish. Very stable with a Low profile that is good in the wind. Have spray skirts for the both front & back that don't get much use on the calm water I mostly use it in.

Not a canoe, But I thought it might suggest it anyway.LaGriz

Nice, LaGriz. I often thought about buying an Ultimate. I have a friend who has one. He was a canoe'r for years and now swears by the Ultimate. If I ever buy another one an Ultimate will be at the top of the list.

Thanks for pics, opinions, and suggestions. I appreciate it. I ended up getting a good deal on an Old Town Osprey 140. Royalex material seems to be a great option when you find it, so I jumped on it. Setup to be paddled solo or tandem, so I can take another if need be. We have a 550 acre piece of WMA here, that’s only accessible by boat. Can’t wait to check it out.

Thanks, Mike

Lincoln Maine Guide canoe

just sold yesterday

she was a good lo gal

forgot the picture

I know it ain't sexy but I have a cheap heavy Coleman tupperware canoe. I've never been in a nice canoe so I don't know what I'm missing but I do know mine seems to be darn near bomb proof.

Ignorance is bliss.

Got an Oldtown Appalachian. Not ideal for anything but works for everything. Whitewater is its forte'. White water craft work far better on flat water than flat water boats work for white water. They're worse than useless in even mild rapid. Appalachian has tremendous cargo capacity, so well suited for tripping with lots of gear and need to get out with big critters. For what it's worth, my advice is to get a canoe that will handle as wide an assortment of tasks as possible. What you have in mind for this year will probably change next year.

I have an Old Town Pack, was out in Saturday AM. I've been a pretty dedicated single blade paddle guy for a long time, but last summer I tried a double bladed kayak paddle. 260cm long. I'll keep using both now. The Pack is stable little barge that will get you there and back. Not a sleek fast boat or a white water boat but I have been on some pretty big water lakes and been totally comfortable. The 119 would be suitable for your needs, a bit heavy but at an affordable price. I could move up to a sleeker faster boat and I do live in canoe country but the Pack has met my needs thus far.

Old Town Katahdin 12' 44" wide 55# circa 1990's - fiberglass but has withstood many head on impacts with rocks, logs, etc... - very stable.

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