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Excursion 146
This Product Has Been Discontinued
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Excursion 146 Description
The Excursion 146 is a canoe brought to you by Pelican International. Read Excursion 146 reviews or submit your own review to share with the paddling community. Check out a few other canoe recommendations below or explore all canoes to find the perfect one for you!
Pelican International
Excursion 146 Reviews
Read reviews for the Excursion 146 by Pelican International as submitted by your fellow paddlers. All of the reviews are created and written by paddlers like you, so be sure to submit your own review and be part of the community!
There are A LOT of higher…
There are A LOT of higher end boats out there that get A LOT of attention and reviews. Rightfully so if you are thinking of spending a ton of money on your recreational investment. If you can't afford or justify dropping $2,000+ on a really high speed boat....I feel your pain. A few years ago I was looking for something I could afford AND fit my needs for recreational paddling, fishing and tripping. During this time we had rented a lakefront place in the Adirondacks for a family vacation. The place had a Pelican Excursion 146 for use by the renters which I used quite a bit. I was impressed enough (especially with price!) to buy one later in the year which I have used extensively since then.
Be forewarned, it is not a fancy lightweight boat. It's heavy walled RamXcel and weighs about 80 pounds making it somewhat of a bear to carry. However, what you lose in portability you gain in durability. These things are tanks and will hold up to river bottoms, log jams, and sharp pointy things well very.
The boat tracks well in the water and the width is comfortable and stable. The molded seats are comfortable enough and newer models have rod holders/cup holders. For you physics majors, once you get that 80 pounds moving in the water, the boat glides along nicely. I have done quite a bit of fishing from the boat and it is stable for casting and general moving around in the boat. As for tripping, as long as you don't plan on any long or difficult carries, you will appreciate the ruggedness and probably be surprised on the handling. I don't think I will ever wear this boat out but if I did I would buy another.
Too heavy for a solo canoe.
My current boat, has been…
The replacement boat has proven strong, tracks well, the wooden and strap seats are much more durable and comfortable. My biggest issues with the Excursion are these...
#1. Like the Ford Excursion, they no longer make them. and
#2. Like the Ford Excursion these are HEAVY! Weighing in at a portly 84 lbs, this is NOT a pleasant boat to portage solo...
Trips to the Bayou country are solid and secure though, no worries about being gator bait because with that weight, comes the RamXcel construction. The Durable RamX plastic sandwiching foam in the middle. I have completely swamped the boat with 2, well let's be honest about it, fat paddlers, and camping gear, and been able to get the boat to shore under paddle power with still some gunwale above the water level. (Ever tried paddling a brick?).
This boat has taken on fishing, camping and duck hunting trips throughout most of east and central Texas, including frequent fishing trips (outriggers attached thank you very much!) into Galveston bay to fish the shallows.
I would honestly prefer to have bought a 17' kevlar Mad River, but financial realities being what they are, I can't complain about the Pelican...
For a 14.5 foot canoe, this…
Sitting midships on a small cooler makes for great paddling solo in this boat as well. It turns easily, draws nicely, and tracks fairly straight for a boat without a keel of any sort, I use mine for fishing in very shallow water, and while all my friends with the big power boats are stuck far away from the active holes where the shallows go deep and the game fish hang out to eat, I pull in lots of fish. Even with my substantial bulk in the boat, it doesn't draw much, and usually glides over underwater obstructions with ease. I have heard that Mad River is making their IQ system as an add on for this type gunwale now, and am seriously considering adding it to my boat so I can use their cammo setup for next duck season. This is a great boat for my purposes, just heavy is all...