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By: Jurland F. Muller on Wed May 14, 2008

What's the first step a person should take when preparing to buy a canoe and how does one figure out what’s an appropriate design for their first canoe?

Do Your Research
How are you going to use your canoe? One canoe is perfect for white-water conditions, one’s great for long trips with others, and one would be perfect to have around the cabin, or take to the lake. Canoe designs are so specific and suited to certain conditions, that it’s often times difficult to find a canoe that performs well in all conditions. You’ll have to compromise in one area to excel in the other.

Be aware that when you buy a canoe, there will be a distance between what you want to do with your canoe, and what you can actually do. Buying a tandem canoe when you don’t have a regular canoeing partner is a waste of money, as is buying a canoe for a wild whitewater trip that you’ll never get around to taking. Think about what type of canoeing is most convenient for you, and choose accordingly, as most people only use their canoes within an hour or two of their home.

Canoe Length & Location
Canoes can very in length from the 10 feet to 23 feet. Smaller canoes are more maneuverable and appropriate for white-water conditions where fast-turning is necessary. Larger canoes have better tracking, can carry more people and supplies, and are appropriate for longer trips. The wider a canoe is, the more stable it will be on the water, but it won’t track as well, and it’ll be harder to take efficient strokes.
If you live in the Midwest and plan to use your canoe for overnight trips into lakes, or small portages, then you should choose a longer, lighter canoe (about 17-18.5 feet long) that has minimal rocker, and sharp entry.

If you live on the Atlantic seaboard, or on the south-east, you’ll be encountering a lot of rivers or navigate the Atlantic coast’s estuaries with your canoe. A 14-17 foot polyethylene or Royalex canoe with a little bit of rocker and some volume will be your best bet – it’s rugged enough and maneuverable to take on any of the conditions.

Canoes can very in length from the 10 feet to 23 feet. Smaller canoes are more maneuverable and appropriate for white-water conditions where fast-turning is necessary. Larger canoes have better tracking, can carry more people and supplies, and are appropriate for longer trips. The wider a canoe is, the more stable it will be on the water, but it won’t track as well, and it’ll be harder to take efficient strokes.

Solo or Tandem?
Many 14-16 foot canoes are well-suited as either tandem or solo canoes. If you’re planning on taking a longer trip with your canoe, and carrying a lot of gear, ensure that your canoe is at least 16 feet, if not 18 feet.

If you’re going to be on open water, such as in the middle of a big lake, make sure that you’ve got a canoe with enough depth to take on the waves and not ship water in case of choppy conditions.

Are you a small person, or do you have health concerns like back trouble that might keep you from lifting a heavy canoe? Consider spending more money for a lighter canoe: if you can't load it on the car, you aren't likely to use it.

Just remember that many experienced canoeing enthusiasts, friends and relatives can be great sources of information, but they may have biases towards certain canoes that aren’t appropriate for you. If there’s a canoeing association in your area, get in contact. Anyway you slice the water, though, canoeing is invigorating, exciting, and great exercise!