OK, I want your thoughts.

I've paddled a Wenonah Champlain for several years and am comfortable with it. I'm about 200 lbs, and my canoe-less paddling partner is equally big.

This year, I'm paddling with a smaller guy (say 160) and he owns a MNII, which I've never paddled.

Should we take his canoe?

(We are going for 8-9 days in mid-September ... the other tandem in the party is a Bell Mystic ... probably up through Louisa and Glacier way.)

-- kypaddler

The II is a great ride.

Thank you for your input.

As far as: Quote:
, you've got that right. One year my bow-man weighed just a buck 55, and we took a long day trip (sans packs). On the return, the wind kicked up and was blowing us all over the place ... including blowing us backward at one point. I had to put a couple of (very flat) rocks in the front on the next portage to hold it down.

At that point I wanted to trade it in ...

And sure, it's a little slower (though I've never noticed much of a problem keeping up with other tandems).

But I do like the way it handles in waves. Looking forward to comparing that aspect to the MNII.

The only other canoes I've paddled from the stern have been an old aluminum with a keel and a little Jensen.

Anybody else own or have paddled a Champlain? Opinions, positive or negative?

-- kypaddler

.

Quote:


  Good advice for tandems or solo canoes.
    I can tell at a portage when I encounter other paddlers if their newbies or experienced paddlers by the way they load the canoe in relation to the size of the bow/stern paddlers.
Experienced paddlers will adjust the load/trim, side to side and bow to stern as mentioned.
They also take in account the weight of the paddlers. Many but not all will keep their packs below the gunnel's for maximum stability.
Rookies tend to just throw everything in and take off, with no regard for anything but getting on the water.
I remember watching some good old boys form Kentucky head out from the portage from Beaverhouse to Quetico one spring.
The bow paddler was at least a 300lb guy and had a couple of packs standing on end/side by side that he was using for a makeshift backrest.
The stern guy probably weighed 135 dripping wet. When they pushed off from shore the stern keel line  was out of the water
At the time there was whitecaps on Quetico lake and a stiff wind out of the NNE.
Neither was wearing a PFD. I still had mine on and mentioned the wind/water temps but the big guy just ignored me and off they went.
There partners in another tandem were more receptive to my advice. I asked them to put their hands in the frigid water and ask how far/long did they think they'd last if the went over?
A few seconds with their hands in the water and they looked at each other and donned their PFD's. Then I helped them trim out their substantial load and lash it in.
When I pushed them off I could see the first canoe wallowing in the whitecaps trying to get to the West side of Eden Isle for protection.
I'm sure they made it but I'm betting one or both of them needed fresh drawers when they got to camp that night

kypaddler - I have paddled my MN II since 1992. I am 206 lbs and most of my buds that go with me and sit in the bow are 190 -200. A MN II will handle that weight easily and like SoloTripper says ... just spread out your pack loads from bow to stern according to the weight of bow/stern paddlers and it is fine. Paddlers in my group have rented a Champlain from time to time and I have paddled it. Like Yellowbird said, I found it to certainly be more stable than my MN II, especially with heavy loads. However, it doesn't track nearly as well especially on very windy days. It also is quite a bit slower too.

Bottomline, I would go with the MN II.