marlin55388,

I agree, you can't fix stupid!
However you don't have too abet it either.
IMHO, an outfitter has a moral obligation even if only renting a canoe, to do a cursory check on the equipment or lack of.
  Even if they have the group leader(s) read over a recommended gear list.
 I ran into 2 young German students ( guy/gal) the first year I tried going solo. It was in Algonquin Park.
Compared too the Q/BW, it's so well used, that ALL the portages/campsites are marked with big orange markers on posts.
Visible clear across even the biggest lakes.
Still it has enough "wild" that you can get hurt or lose your life.
Bears there are acclimated too the "day" paddlers, and it's such a problem, they have a full time crew cleaning campsites and portages.
I encountered the 2 visitors on a portage in the interior of park. Here they come down the trail, he was carrying the canoe, she was carrying 2 garbage bags with their 2 sleeping bags, NO tent/tarp, and their FOOD consisted of of 2/3 loaves of bread and a big jar of peanut butter!
 No rain/bug/first-aid gear of any kind. NO compass and only a cheap Outfitter map/brochure for guidance.
HE walked right passed me ( a guy thing) SHE dropped the bags and had tears in her eyes as she approached!
She spoke a little English, I was married too a German gal for awhile, so we made do. She called her boyfriend back, and made him show me their "map". I pointed to the outfitter lake and then pointed to where we were then. Turns out he was reading map UPSIDE down, and had NO clue. For the last 2 days, they had been going deeper into park, instead of coming out. They also thought they were on a lake/portage 2 lakes over!
I got a magic marker and zip lock bag and marked their exit course. I also gave them some extra rope and got them too understand they should hang their "food" at night. I also took note of canoe outfitter logo, it was from the entry point I came in on.
When I got back, I loaded my gear and rental canoe from another outfitter, and went up to the outfitting shack.
I told them what I had run into and they found the Germans on the rental roster. The manager was very upset and said that they try hard not too let things like that happen. Busy season/time, some newbie worker didn't think too ask ANY questions or at least have the experience too know they should.
 I didn't make a federal case out of it, he seemed sincere, and I had made my point.
 I don't understand very much German, but being an EX, I do remember the cuss words ;) As I moved on, I'm pretty sure the young Fraulein was using some choice one's toward her inept boyfriend ;D