Adirondack

I'm a canoe fisherman who developed health issues that make slinging my 80-90 lb canoes on and off the car more than I can easily handle. My preference was for a solo canoe over a kayak but lightweight canoes are typically Kevlar and quite expensive. So when I saw the new Adirondack model I thought “this looks like the boat for me”.

And it is. Caveat: I use it solely for day fishing lakes and slow flowing rivers. I don't need a highly maneuverable boat, and I don't need a sleek, fast boat to cover a lot of water with. So I can't speak to either of those characteristics. Being a Pac style boat it can be paddled with either a canoe or kayak paddle. I choose a kayak paddle. To Those used to paddling a larger boat the esquif may feel a bit “tippy” but that should pass once you get the feel of things.

It's constructed from T-formex so about half the price of a similar Kevlar boat and weighs in at about forty pounds. I weigh over two hundred pounds and it carries me with ample space left for gear. I'm lazy and like to be able to just chuck a bunch of gear in (I typically go out with four poles, a couple of good size tackle bags, and a fish finder with a 12 volt battery). It all fits, albeit with a custom pole holding setup. I've also rigged 10 lb bow and stern “button” anchors so I can hold position in wind.

After a season of regular use I'm in love with this boat. My neck of the woods is a wonderland of smaller rivers, lakes and stream impoundments. The canoe lives on my car from April to November. It's a solid little boat, well made from quality components and I expect it will outlast me ( but then, I still have the Mad River Explorer I bought in 1986 :-)