db wrote on May 17^th, 2010 at 7:35am:

Well, if it needs fixing - just fix it and take it. Seems like a no-brainer to me. Even putting a pack on the soft spot would improve the integrity in that area.

I'm with db.  Sooner or later the canoe needs to be fixed anyway.  For what you'd spend to rent an aluminum canoe, this canoe could be fixed.

And if the guy insists on taking it as-is?  I think it's very unlikely you would have any problem a little duct tape won't fix.  

So far as the seaworthiness of a 15-footer in general on big water, it's got a lot more to do with design (how well does it deflect/ride over waves) than with the hull condition I'm seeing.

If it were me personally riding in this canoe, I'd want to invest in the fix, just for peace of mind.