Advice for buying a canoe

[Boris]

Thinking about buying a canoe. Got any advice? what brand? how much to pay? etc... I will used it primarily on still water with children and fishing poles on board. I would also like to be able to shoot a high caliber rifle in order to pick off any stray Al-Qaeda, cat burglars, or Saddam Hussein if I see him. Basically I need a stable craft with a comfy driver's seat.

[MMMMMM]

I saw a nice range of choices in canoes in the L.L.Bean catalog (probably available on their web site too). "Old Town" has been a quality brand for a long time. Aluminum canoes are durable but slow. A nice wooden or fiberglass canoe will be the most fun on still water; if your kids might "rock the boat", go for a fairly wide-bottomed canoe.

Be sure your kids learn to feather the paddle properly; there's nothing worse than seeing someone having to switch sides in order to keep the canoe on course;-)

I'll let the Zee-man elaborate further since he surely knows more about canoes than I do. If you want a challenge and a chance to save some money, try making a dugout canoe with your kids (slow building and slow paddling), or try a canoe kit (probably fiberglass).

[Ray Zee]

get a 15 to 17 foot canoe. for still water having a keel on it keeps the wind from pushing you around too much. but this canoe wont do well going down the river unless its a slow one. you can find old grummen aluminum ones for 200 hundred bucks. or get a newer fiberglass for 3 to 5 hundered. high performance ones cost a grand to two. cheap old towns are okay. 500 hundred or so.
for a new beater those coleman plastic ones are stable and work fine. and can be used on rivers. 300 bucks.
consider a john boat with an electric motor for stability. but a stable canoe you can even stand up in if careful. remember to kneel on the floor if its windy or going in a river as the seats are made for dunking you in all but calm conditions.
the old town day tripper may be what you are looking for. your paddle should be about five foot. or up to your chin.

[Ed I]

How about a row boat? Might be better suited for fishing with kids.