3-4 Person Canoes
3 Person & 4 Person Canoe Buyers Guide
Browse and compare all 3 Person Canoes and 4 Person Canoes available on the market today from top canoe brands like Wenonah, Osagian, Old Town, and more! 3-4 person canoes are great for family canoe tripping as they seat everyone and can haul all that gear.
Tips for Buying a 3-4 Person Canoe
When it comes to buying a 3 person canoe or a 4 person canoe, there's a few features and trade offs that you need to be mindful of. Clearly, you are prioritizing seating configuration and need the option of including a 3rd or 4th paddler. The good news there is that many of these canoes have removable seats. In fact, some can be paddled tandem or even solo, so you have the baseline of a traditional two-seater with that option of going 3-4. So be sure to check and see what the seating configuration is and if it can be adjusted.
The other features and resulting trade offs that you need to be mindful of are really not much different than when buying any paddle craft. But with a 3-4 person canoe, they might be more exaggerated and noticeable given the size of the boat. The basic rules of boat length and width apply: as your canoe gets longer and skinnier, you'll find that it tracks straighter, goes faster, but maybe less stable than its shorter counterpart. So if you're looking at a couple of 17ft or 18ft Prospectors, pay attention to their width to get a sense for how the two might compare. Each canoe model has been carefully designed to offer a combination of stability, speed, weight, length, and durability. No two are the same, but each unique!
3-4 Person Canoe Reviews
In browsing the multitude of 3 or 4 person canoes, you'd be well-advised to take the time to read through the many canoe reviews left by your fellow paddlers. You'll notice that many of the reviews have been written after using the canoe for multiple years (or even decades) and that many were bought with the intent of family tripping. So you'll get a glimpse on how well it seats everyone, hauls gear, and see some tips on loading or transporting the boat as well.
Read the many reviews and then be sure to show your appreciation by submitting your own review once you've made a choice and taken it out a few times.