FIND FREEDOM IN A CANOE

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The sleek river runners come in a confusing variety of sizes, designs, and materials . . . simply because there is no perfect, all-purpose canoe. You'll want to choose the style most suited to the type of paddling you'll be doing. For example, will you be cruising on flat water or running the rapids? Do you plan to travel as a solo paddler or with a partner? Are you primarily interested in fishing, racing, or canoe camping? These factors—and a good many others—can influence your choice of equipment.

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
In general, it's best to select the longest canoe that suits your needs. Although they're lightweight, the shorter craft (those from 10' to 13') tend to ride low in the water, offer little room for gear, and are typically slower and more unstable than are longer canoes. So even if you intend to paddle solo, you'll want to choose a 14-footer, at least.

Most canoeists prefer a 16' to 18' craft. The standard 17' size travels swiftly when powered by two paddlers, has the capacity to carry a good bit of gear, and is easy to handle in white water. Canoes over 17' have an increased capacity (meaning that they ride higher in the water than would a shorter canoe loaded with the same weight), but in gaining that advantage they sacrifice maneuverability. Therefore, craft 18' or longer are used primarily for cruising on flat water.

When selecting a canoe length, you should also be aware of the craft's beam (the width of the boat at its widest point) and the degree of fullness from the beam to the ends of the craft. The more pointed and narrow a canoe, the faster it will travel . . . however, that speed is achieved at the expense of stability.

Another aspect of canoe design is depth. On a wind-protected river you'll want a center depth of about 15", in order to be sure you have adequate freeboard (that's the height of the craft's side above the water-line) to prevent white-water waves from splashing into your lap and swamping the canoe. On an open lake, however, the wind will tend to catch such high sides and blow you off course, so a shallower craft—11" to 12"—would be more appropriate.

Hull configuration will play an important role in determining your canoe's specific function, too. There are two basic types of hulls: flat-bottomed and rounded (see Fig. 2). The former design has a very shallow draft (the amount of boat that rides under the water), ample cargo-carrying capacity, and stability. This type of canoe is generally the choice of fisherfolk, since it gives an angler room to stand up and cast, and will remain relatively steady while he or she does so. Variations of the flat-bottomed hull are the "shallow V" and the "shallow arch" designs. Each of these configurations results in a canoe that initially is somewhat tippier than is a flat-bottomed boat, but has a greater reserve stability if the craft should really begin to go over, and such designs are sometimes preferred for general-purpose recreational canoes.

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