Traveler

As a long time Traveler fan and veteran of the NFCT (Northern Forest Canoe Trail), I agree with every single statement posted here. The Traveler is an elegant boat, and fast. You can sit your partner right in front of you on the floor, and the boat is still balanced for a quick cruise with minimal gear. And there's enough volume in the boat for a big person to trip for a week or more. She tracks very well, so the implications of a tight whitewater situation demand some respect--the boat is not highly maneuverable in a tight situation. And in fiberglass, she is cruelly heavy! How I would love to have this boat in a kevlar layup. I've replaced the wood twice on my traveler, and it is my go to boat for big lake tripping and fly fishing. She is infinitely more fun than the Explorer, of course, and the paddling experience is way beyond compare--as you would expect. The Explorer with a knee brace is a dog in comparison (except in whitewater) and I am a proud defender of the Explorer... I own six of them and use them as solo boats often. My boat of choice for the NFCT was a MR Guide, which is a real dog on flatwater. I would have taken a kevlar Traveler had I owned one, but it would have taken a real beating in the bony rivers of the Northeast.

I own a kevlar traveller and would be hard pressed to find a better boat for any but bony river conditions. I use it primarily on rivers and race it in the Maine, Kenduskeag Stream Race. Runs real dry, and is maneuverable enough for the 16 mile K race. The buoyancy is so good I can head right into some pretty big waves. The best improvement I made was to install a Wenonah adjustable pedestal seat. Proper trim helps to negate the effects of the strongest canoeable wind. I find it stable enough to pole and use it for fishing. Self rescue is a an acquired skill with this deep hull and don't count on getting back in unless you have previously worked out a system.

I love my traveler. It's a fairly heavy boat, fiberglass, and over 50 pounds, and from experience I can tell you that as a shallow river boat it sucks. Now, that being said, on the Adrondack lakes, it is a dream. Being long (16'6") and narrow it requires no effort to propel. Not the fastest of handlers, it is still more than adequat for the lakes and ponds of northern New York. When loaded with gear and sitting lower in the water, you can say, "Wind? There's a Wind?" It has beautiful lines and with the removeable carry thwart in place, no problem to move around on land. I wouldn't hesitate to use it in deeper rivers (Lower Genesse, Racquette) even with a good current, but keep away from areas where quick handling is necessary. Also, being fiberglass, shallow rocky waters make for a sad looking hull. :-( Well, ya lives and ya learns.