Seat is to far back..not…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 9/13/2020
Seat is to far back..not good in wind..paint is coming off the bottom and seams ..taky. Like ..chalky feeling..not good for two people..but it is very stable..I can stand right up no problems..it's very light easy to carry..I bought it used and got a good price and it was like new..I have put it to the test..and it's okay..and like I said before that back seat is way to far back.im taking the front seat off .flipping it around and moving it 8 inch's forward in the back.i think this will bring the front down some make it a lil easier on me in the wind..I saw this mod done on a sportspal..
The only worth while option…
Submitted by:
paddler779252
on 5/21/2020
The only worth while option for a 12’ Aluminum Canoe. This canoe was made for portages! At 34lbs it is less than one third the weight of my 15’ LL Bean Old Town square stern which weighed 115 lbs and I sold it after I had two people help me get it out of the lake. I’m 77 and have owned 2 dozen sailboats, dingys, yachts, powerboats, Canoe’s, kayaks and cruisers from 41’ to 6’.
Per pound it may be the most expensive boat I ever bought but I think 🤔 it is also the wisest investment. Canoe & Kayak rentals run $175.00 a day in the big city near me, some remote ones are less, some more. If I only used this 10 times a year ( more like a 10 tinned a month since I live 1 mile from a large lake) over ten years ( I’ve read reviews on 40 year old Radissons that are still perfect for daily use) that equates to about $10 a day
a big savings. If I use it 20 times a year, it is $5 per day of use. A terrific value for this level of quality. Soundly constructed from a single sheet of aluminum with ribs added for rigidity and strength. It comes with many accessories like paddles including free.
I expect to purchase the sail kit for occasional use. I love ❤️ the design and looks of this canoe. For me and my wife to fish in, photography, and just exploring the coastline. Many adventures ahead...and those memories will be priceless. At 77 I’m not an employee nor do I have any financial interests in any canoe company. I just think this model should get the recognition it deserves.
This is the canoe that…
Submitted by:
paddler505475
on 5/10/2019
This is the canoe that almost all the serious trout fishermen use in the Adirondack mountains of upstate New York. Its light weight and stability make it ideal for rowing it and trolling with it for brook trout. It set up for carrying over head by drilling through the center bar and Flat end of the paddles and secured by putting a bolt and wing nut through it. The hand end of the paddles are pushed into and top of the foam seats in the end. It is carried with the persons head between the paddles and back of neck against the bar. Some ponds are 3 miles in and that's where the big ones are. Love my Raddison!!!
When I was 8 years old, my…
Submitted by:
paddler236549
on 10/1/2015
When I was 8 years old, my Dad used to take me, my older brother, my sister and all our gear out fishing all day in a 14 foot Radisson square stern. With all of us and our gear, and a 3-Horse outboard on the back, gas tank, anchor and everything else, that old canoe was fantastic! It did everything we needed it to do - stable and sturdy enough for three kids and a dad out on Lakes and bays with waves coming across from all the powerboats. I'm 45 now, and just bought a used Radisson just like my Dad's old canoe, and plan to take my boy out fishing in it this Spring. And, I like that I can easily get it on top of the car by myself. One of the best no-nonsense, straightforward fishing or general use canoes available.
I've owned my Radisson for 20…
Submitted by:
paddler236537
on 9/25/2015
I've owned my Radisson for 20 years. My wife and I did take it down the Lehigh & Delaware Rivers in Pa. - with no problem other than a few dents and a lot of scrapped paint... did get some laughs from a few kayakers though. I now live on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake bay. I use my canoe for fishing and crabbing. I use a 55# trolling motor to power my wife and I to remote parts of the swamps and marshes. Due to the salt environment I've replaced most of the main rivets and steel fasteners (thwart, seat, accessory fasteners) with brass nuts and bolts. The wide body allows me to carry a full sized cooler, 12 crab traps, cast net, a bushel basket, dry bags,and two batteries with no problem. The shallow draft is the best feature in that I can carry all the above gear, power it with a trolling motor & two batteries, and still go where only a kayak could go... it's nice to have ice when you get there when it's 98 degrees.
Very uncomfortable seat,…
Submitted by:
paddler236481
on 9/1/2015
Very uncomfortable seat, keels on bottom have sharp ends causing hang ups on submerged logs and rocks. Very deep draft performed poorly on open water. Paint rubbed off caulking on seams. Bought brand new, sold it 1 month later. Big mistake, valuable lesson. Bought a Wenonah, night and day difference.
I purchased this canoe new,…
I purchased this canoe new, and it was a Birch Bark color, they gave me the trolling motor bracket for free. It also came with anchor rope. The sides of this canoe has foam for tip over it will not sink. The bottom of the canoe has 3 keels the center is on all canoes basically for tracking and steering! Then the other 2 keels are located on the sides of the bottom of the canoe this suppose to make the canoe harder to flip over. As for the comfort is nice and roomy, and the weight is great. Mine only weighs at 32# without any equipment. I made my own tote trailer for the transport to the lake or river. The only bad thing is while your on a river with low water the 2 side keels causes snagging on the rocks, not designed for low water but on the lakes and high water rivers and streams it paddles great!
Have had a dozen years now in…
Submitted by:
paddler236177
on 4/9/2015
Have had a dozen years now in sunny FLA salt and swamp waters.
Minuses:
Does not turn well with trolling motor on motor mount. Like steering a brick. Wish I had the square stern model.
After a dozen years, all the plastic parts had to be replaced and some seam resealing and rivet replacement needed to be done. Also the metal ribs that hold the foam floor down have had to be tacked down as they tend to come loose. I do not see this is defective, just wear and tear.
Wider beam means it will be hard to find seats that fit.
Light weight means it is more susceptible to wind, but I find all canoes to be marginal here, this is just below marginal.
Pluses:
I've smacked it pretty hard into barnacle and oyster piles many times since I am in very shallow water a lot, figuring it was time to duct tape the holes I just created, but only dented it. Also hit a couple alligators too.
More durable than it looks, but this is not for rapids.
Hands down @ 34 lbs, it's very easy to take off the car roof and drop in the water. Main reason I bought it was I could not handle the heavier canoes without risking hitting my car.
The oars are wonderful. I LOVE rowing, so easy, I can row all day. Very efficient as the light weight means you go fast amazingly fast even into the wind. Many times I row facing the destination so I can stay on course easily.
I put a board across mid-ships and pontoons off each side, so now it's a nice standing sight casting platform that I can still lift over my head.
Other than square stern which I believe would help the trolling motor steer the canoe, I'd buy again, no hesitation.
Well I've owned several 17'…
Well I've owned several 17' Grumman canoes also owned another brand but can't remember what the name was. Well I took this new canoe on a small lake that was surround by trees and the winds gust was in the 30 to 40 mph, normal winds was around 10 -15 mph. I was tossed around and even tried to paddle into the wind wasn't any fun either.
The good part of this canoe was it's tracking and the weight. Being disable and torn rotor in shoulder and have a bad back really like the lightness of this. I made a cart to carry the gear and rods in one trip.
Later on in September went on a river that had small boulders and plenty of round rocks. The river was lower then I'm use to being from the north and first time fishing and paddling the southern rivers.
Well this happen to me about once or two times getting flipped and the canoe filled up with water never lost sight of the canoe due to the spontons on the side kept it floating. Lost one video camera but no gear other than that!
The keel has three keels, I was told by the manufacture that this makes it easy to paddle and track, not good at all for low water rivers. I like it, but if I had to do it all over again, would not buy it but get a Mad River or another brand.
I bought this used a few…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 2/22/2012
I bought this used a few years ago and love it! This boat has become one of most favorite possessions. With a kayak style paddle it is a joy to paddle. Everything you read about these is true, good and bad.
The boat is really stable and the sponsons are really a great addition. I don't understand why other manufacturers don't use them. funny story, for me at least. I had the wife in the boat on a lake. she decides to sit on a padded boat cushion. I warned her it was too high and dangerous. long story short she slides off the cushion into the water. Even with all of her flailing and grabbing the boat never went over. the water was shallow and she was able to stand up so she was fine. I was really impressed with the sponsons effectiveness. the boat took a little water but I stayed dry.
Pros:
really light; really stable
quiet due to the foam interior lining
Cons:
does not track very well
tends to be blown around the lake like a leaf
is said to be very fragile to punctures
At 35 lbs. and 38" wide it is…
Submitted by:
paddler234184
on 8/1/2011
At 35 lbs. and 38" wide it is hard to beat for what it is designed to do. The 12' Radisson aluminum canoe may be the best one-man traditional fishing canoe / duck hunting canoe you can find. Sure it has its limitations. It is not a fast canoe, it's not very attractive, it's not as durable as some of its heavier competition – all these things are true. However if you are looking for a boat that you can carry anywhere by yourself (in the dark at 4:00am), that tracks OK (3 keels), will haul a 90lb dog and a dozen decoys and will not ever flip over – there really is no other option at under 40lbs.
For fishing small lakes and ponds it's great as well. It will go all day with a 30lb thrust trolling motor and one battery. 2 normal sized adults can fish comfortably if you get the 2 seat option.
Bought mine back in the…
Submitted by:
paddler232667
on 6/19/2008
Bought mine back in the seventies or thereabouts and it still finds it's way into remote places every year. The boat has gone thru hell without a whimper. It's a general purpose lightweight TOOL and needs to be used as such. A jack of all trades and master of none. She's been a fishing platform, shooting platform, and stringing steel in early winter and spring. Very stable; you gotta work at rolling her. Never had a leak, but the sealing does develop pinholes in time. An occasional coat of metal primer takes care of that. If you treat this boat with reason she'll be usable by your great grand kids.
I purchased this canoe used…
Submitted by:
paddler232623
on 6/5/2008
I purchased this canoe used as a fishing platform and I have to say, that with all the ranting and raving about these boats, I am more than a little disappointed. Mine leaked. It took a hit to the bow and that was that. The aluminum sheet itself is quite flimsy.
Mine has an actual seat, but these are designed from the factory to have little foam seats that simply sit on the bottom and one is expected to sit/kneel/crawl directly on the floor. I found the floor to pop and buckle whenever I tried to put any directed pressure on it, as in getting to a kneel or putting a foot in during launches. It hasn't broken. Yet.
I find it hard to paddle solo and cramped with even the smallest of co-pilots. The back seat puts too much weight too far back for solo use and it gets tossed by the wind even with my considerable ballast kneeling in the center. It looks pretty beet up and dented and dinged in many places.
Again, I bought it used so I'm not sure how hard a life she led before me but I have put a scrape or two in her myself and I think that I am probably, in fact, even more gentle of a canoeist that I think I am.
Still, it is very light weight and stable and if that is all you are after it's a good boat. If you have some expectation of durability then the Radisson might not feel particularly solid to you nor fill you with much confidence. I enjoy mine but will have to sell it with the coming of my Big Boy (17 foot Grumman) which should fill me with that sense of bullet-proof confidence that I found lacking in the Radisson.
I image that I will be shopping for another small, solo canoe before the season's end as the Grumman is too big and heavy for my solo adventures which out number my tandem/group outings by far. When I do it probably won't be for a used canoe and it probably won't be for a Radisson...
I've had my 12ft Radisson for…
Submitted by:
paddler231812
on 9/22/2006
I've had my 12ft Radisson for two days now. You're probably wondering how I can rate it a 10. I'll start off by saying that this is the only canoe I've ever owned. I've had it in the water once. I deliberately went out on a windy day to see how it would handle. The canoe did great. So how can I rate it a 10 after only one trip? Well the reason is embarassing and depressing. I mentioned earlier that this is the first canoe I've owned. It just so happens it's also the first time I tried to tie a canoe to the top of a car. I bought one of those kits with the foam blocks and ropes etc (I give the kit a rating of 1). Being a windy day you might have figured out that a 35# canoe on top of a few foam blocks with a poorly tied rope traveling 45mph might be a bad combination. It was. The foam blocks flipped, the canoe swung off the drivers side onto the road and scraped across the concrete until the car stopped. There's a dent in the bottom now plus a few areas where the aluminum looks like it almost wore completely through. Part of the foam side was rubbed off by the tire and two of the riveted seams look like they are nearly ground off (no more rubber, just ground flat rivets). I put the canoe back on the car, drove to a small lake, and launched it anyway. It didn't leak and it rowed like I was on ice. I still cannot believe it survived. I call that a 10. Too bad Radisson doesn't give away free canoes for customer testimonials.
I recommend this canoe, just don't ask me for help tying it down if you buy one.
Going on 12 years with my…
Submitted by:
paddler231788
on 9/11/2006
Going on 12 years with my twelve footer and I truely belive this is one of the best purchases of my life. Fishing, clamming, hunting (put a 180# buck in it), and pleasure, it's performed great. I prefer to row it.
I've had my Radisson 12'…
Submitted by:
paddler230507
on 4/9/2004
I've had my Radisson 12' pointed for about seven years and I am still delighted every time I take it out. It's light, easy to handle, easy to paddle and perfect for use in lakes and other still water. It's surprisingly rugged for a craft so light and even when it dents, they are often easily pushed out from the inside. I have spent may pleasant hours fishing from my Radisson and plan to spend many more. I would recommend this canoe to anyone who is looking for a steady/stable craft for use on lakes or ponds.
I love this canoe. at 35# an…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 10/15/2001
I love this canoe. at 35# an old woman like me can easily throw it in the back of the pickup, pull it out at the boat ramp and not strain or break my body. When solo, I paddle it with a kayak paddle. I use a 44# thrust elec. motor usually and it really moves out. Use one of the paddles as a rudder and you have got a very nice, maneuverable powered boat. I use it on rocky Maine lakes and haven't damaged it yet. I am not stupid enough to put it in a rocky river and try to run class 4 with it. It will handle a windy lake with rough water pretty good though. I haven't tried the sail kit so I have to rate it as 9. It is a blast with the motor, and paddles easy too. It's just what I wanted for those photo trips on the lake. Nice and stable, very roomy.
