I am looking for a canoe to fit my entire family in, which consists of 2 adults, a 12yo, a 5yo, and a 3yo. We will not be packing a lot of gear. We will be camping in one place and just using that as home base, just taking the canoe out on the lake to fish and to find a place on the shore somewhere to picnic. Our total combined body weight is less than 680lbs. 2 people will need seats and be up high to paddle, but the rest of the people will sit in the bottom on padding. What size canoe do you think we would need? I noticed that the Old Town Discovery 174 can hold like 1000lbs and is 3ft wide. Do you think this would work for us? What about a 17ft aluminum like Alumacraft or Grumman? We are OK with the 3yo sitting in the adult's or 12yo lap but would not prefer it. Also, can a canoe be strapped to the top of my Toyota sienna for transport?  Any help would be very appreciated!

Thanks in advance, Kristin

MT offers a wonderful alternative.  It's top-of-the-line in my opinion.  It might be more canoe than you were planning on, but you'll love the lightness, stability, room, and looks! 

I also agree -- 5 people in a 17 foot canoe is pretty sketchy.

prouboy

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"(MN) Wenonah MN III Kevlar 3 seat canoe that works great for families or large loads. Very fast canoe that works great for Boundary Waters tripping. Canoe is in very nice condition with normal superficial scratches. Web seats, aluminum trim. Located near Ely, MN $1500. Call 1-800-365-4531 and ask for Bob. -- Submitted by: LaTourells"

Example above of what you could find used at a reasonable price - the MNIII would be more ideal for your use than a disco 174 - which Old Town no longer makes - kind of blended that into the Penobscot line

search on "craigslist - your city" for canoes as well.

I'm reading your post to be that you would not be carrying any camping gear in the canoe, but would be camped on shore at a state park or something ?  in that case, you could probably get away with a 17' canoe - you'd have to have two of the kids in one "slot, sitting side by side, but it would be OK.

The advantage of something like a MNIII is that it will stay big enough for your use as your kids get bigger - so you could get a lot more use out of it than you could with a shorter boat, that will eventually get to be too small for your use.  While a used MNIII will be more expensive in the beginning, it will also retain a better resale value for you later on.

And a bonus - it will be a whole lot lighter than a disco - they weigh 80 to 90 pounds!

You can carry any canoe (or more than one canoe) on almost any vehicle.  I know a guy that cartops his 17' Old town tripper on an old Geo Metro.  If you have factroy installed racks, you can use them as a "base" - pad wiht foam pipe insulation or something - just be sure to have bow and stern tie downs as well as two side to side straps - the straps across the canoe hold it to the rack - the bow and stern lines hold the canoe and the rack to the car - lots of factory racks aren't all that strong.

cheapest way to cartop is buying the foam block carriers - 4 blocks of foam that fit on the gunnels, that rest on the cartop - use sticky shelf liner beneath the foam blocks to help keep them from moving - but same set up with two straps side to side, and a bow and stern tie down.

Mostly I try to keep my opinions to myself, but when I read this posting, I couldn't help but shutter.  Perhaps if I knew your intent, I would feel better. 

Five people in a canoe, any canoe, seems like a risky proposition, especially when it comes to the unpredictability of young children.  (Unless your with a fur trading company from France and its the 1700'S)  I can't keep my 2 1/2 year old daughter to stay seated at the dinner table long enough to drink her milk. I can't imagine what it would be like confining her to a canoe with four other people and fish hooks.  (Poor parenting on my part?...maybe). 

I have know idea what your skill or comfront level is and my intent is not to pass judgement.  Just be careful and remember, "Wisdom is the better part of valor."

Oh I am definitely looking at used, can't afford new. Also, we would not be fishing with the toddler on board, just my 2 older children and I. I suppose I could always float my older son on a raft tube tied to the canoe, but not sure if that would be any safer. I guess we will just have to stick close to the camp, take turns and all that, and if anyone thinks I am going out with PDF's there is NO way I would do that. Thanks all