fishinDon Posted October 9, 2012 Report Posted October 9, 2012 First time posting here, planning a paddle/portage/camping canoe trip into the Ontario bush next spring/summer. Lookin' for tips/tricks from experienced bushmen. Not looking for fishing spots (I have maps and a spirit for exploration), just gear/preparation help so I don't die...wife won't be disappointed, but the kids might be. If there's already good threads on this, if you don't mind reposting links, much appreciated. I tried some searches, but I think all my terms were too broad. Thanks, Don
davey buoy Posted October 9, 2012 Report Posted October 9, 2012 First time posting here, planning a paddle/portage/camping canoe trip into the Ontario bush next spring/summer. Lookin' for tips/tricks from experienced bushmen. Not looking for fishing spots (I have maps and a spirit for exploration), just gear/preparation help so I don't die...wife won't be disappointed, but the kids might be. If there's already good threads on this, if you don't mind reposting links, much appreciated. I tried some searches, but I think all my terms were too broad. Thanks, Don A intro goes a long way.If you did,good luck in your search. This is out of my realm .lol. Great site/best site, you'll enjoy it here!!.
NAW Posted October 9, 2012 Report Posted October 9, 2012 Welcome aboard. There was a good post a while back from a guy named "Letsgofishing". Everyone got together and made a nice list of items one should take with them on a back packing canoe trip in to the bush. That should get you started. Here's the link. http://ontariofishingcommunity.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=62655&st=120&p=698534&hl=algonquin&fromsearch=1entry698534
mercman Posted October 9, 2012 Report Posted October 9, 2012 Welcome to this little piece of fishing madness.Great place to meet similarly afflicted people Our wives must be sisters
SirCranksalot Posted October 10, 2012 Report Posted October 10, 2012 Try myccr.com, the best canoeing website in the world!(Or PM me and I can give you some suggestions via phone---I'm a 2 finger typist)
solopaddler Posted October 10, 2012 Report Posted October 10, 2012 Welcome! A little more specifics would go a long way towards getting the answers you want.
fishinDon Posted October 11, 2012 Author Report Posted October 11, 2012 Welcome! A little more specifics would go a long way towards getting the answers you want. Planning a 6-8 day trip somewhere between the Sault and Wawa in early June. 4 guys (2 father/son combos in 2 canoes), hope to find a few specs, relax and enjoy...would like to target both some lake and river fishing, but will stick to lakes if it's easier on the older guys...some of the places we are considering have portages of over 1000 meters, am I crazy? We are on a budget, but time is more important than a couple extra bucks for this trip since it's been 10 years in the making... Everyone in my group is an experienced trout fishermen/canoer, we've done some long floats and camping in the US (Michigan) - but never been gone this long or this far from town/supplies. Also, from what I've heard so far, the terrain in that part of Ontario is more than a little hilly. Rapids, waterfalls, etc. are not all that common on this side of Superior and portages are pretty easy - Mostly very short, to get around obstacles like down trees...I have a feeling we've packed way heavier than I'll want to for this trip in the past. We have 2 aluminum canoes (Sportspals) - are these too heavy? Also have two small tents. Need a light/portable cooking stove. And plan to get a couple backpack style large dry bags for food/gear. dishes? Assume we should be prepared for all weather and horrible bugs... I'm probably missing a bunch, but that's a start. Don P.S. thanks for the other replies guys, I'll check out the links!
SirCranksalot Posted October 12, 2012 Report Posted October 12, 2012 forget the Sportspals. Rent a couple of lightweight kevlar ones.
fishinDon Posted October 15, 2012 Author Report Posted October 15, 2012 forget the Sportspals. Rent a couple of lightweight kevlar ones. Thanks for the tip. How much can I expect to pay for a week's rental? How much weight am I saving?
fishinDon Posted October 15, 2012 Author Report Posted October 15, 2012 Welcome aboard. There was a good post a while back from a guy named "Letsgofishing". Everyone got together and made a nice list of items one should take with them on a back packing canoe trip in to the bush. That should get you started. Here's the link. http://ontariofishin...=1entry698534 Read this thread and bookmarked it. Absolute wealth of info there! Thanks!
TDunn Posted October 15, 2012 Report Posted October 15, 2012 Pm me your destination if you want. I am very familiar with lake superior park and can probably give you a heads up on what to expect.
SirCranksalot Posted October 15, 2012 Report Posted October 15, 2012 I have my own kevlar so I don't know how much $$ to rent. You'll need to google that. If you are going thru SS Marie there must be a rental place there.(In fact, even if you're not, there's probably still a rental place there) Kevlars weigh about 50#, but it's not just about weight savings. Sportspals are like barges compared to the type of kevlar normally avail for rent. So., IMO, if you're doing a lot of paddling OR a lot of portaging, it will be worth the money.
adolson Posted October 15, 2012 Report Posted October 15, 2012 Kevlars weigh about 50#, but it's not just about weight savings. Sportspals are like barges compared to the type of kevlar normally avail for rent. So., IMO, if you're doing a lot of paddling OR a lot of portaging, it will be worth the money. In other words, it's not about the weight whatsoever. A 12' Sportspal is around 34lbs, and a 14' is around 41lbs. I've yet to find anything lighter, especially without sacrificing stability. I feel safe in my Sportspals and fish from them exclusively. But I would never want to paddle them for long distances (and by "long distances" I mean I don't want to paddle them AT ALL). A real canoe will take far less effort, is much more maneuverable, and will go a whole lot faster than any Sportspal will. On a trip such as you're planning, you need to factor in more than just the weight of the vessel. I'm speaking from inexperience here. But I'm pretty sure I'm right - I wouldn't do it myself, and I'm pretty sure I'll be buried in a Sportspal when I die.
solopaddler Posted October 15, 2012 Report Posted October 15, 2012 (edited) In other words, it's not about the weight whatsoever. A 12' Sportspal is around 34lbs, and a 14' is around 41lbs. I've yet to find anything lighter, especially without sacrificing stability. I feel safe in my Sportspals and fish from them exclusively. But I would never want to paddle them for long distances (and by "long distances" I mean I don't want to paddle them AT ALL). A real canoe will take far less effort, is much more maneuverable, and will go a whole lot faster than any Sportspal will. On a trip such as you're planning, you need to factor in more than just the weight of the vessel. I'm speaking from inexperience here. But I'm pretty sure I'm right - I wouldn't do it myself, and I'm pretty sure I'll be buried in a Sportspal when I die. You may speak from inexperience, but you're bang on. A Sportspal is great for puddle jumping and putzing around on back lakes but it's horrible for tripping for all the reasons you mentioned. My favourite flatwater touring canoe is an 181/2' Wenonah Minnesota II that weighs 42lb's. It's super fast, although not overly manouverable, and the load capacity and stability are beyond compare. There's plenty of ultralight kevlar boats in the 16-17' range that weigh less than 40lb's. These boats are a joy to paddle and portage and are the equivolent of driving a Ferrari. The Sportspal in comparison is akin to driving a beat up '73 Gremlin on long trips LOL! Edited October 15, 2012 by Mike Borger
fishinDon Posted October 15, 2012 Author Report Posted October 15, 2012 You may speak from inexperience, but you're bang on. A Sportspal is great for puddle jumping and putzing around on back lakes but it's horrible for tripping for all the reasons you mentioned. My favourite flatwater touring canoe is an 181/2' Wenonah Minnesota II that weighs 42lb's. It's super fast, although not overly manouverable, and the load capacity and stability are beyond compare. There's plenty of ultralight kevlar boats in the 16-17' range that weigh less than 40lb's. These boats are a joy to paddle and portage and are the equivolent of driving a Ferrari. The Sportspal in comparison is akin to driving a beat up '73 Gremlin on long trips LOL! As fond as I am of my gremlin, I'll now google the canoe rentals in the Sault. Thanks guys! Don
solopaddler Posted October 15, 2012 Report Posted October 15, 2012 (edited) As fond as I am of my gremlin, I'll now google the canoe rentals in the Sault. Thanks guys! Don Was also going to say, you mentioned the area between the Soo and Wawa. TDunn is the best source of info for you there. You're pretty much looking at a trip within LSPP, or starting a trip outside the boundary and paddling through. Tyler may correct me if I'm wrong, but there's not a ton of lengthy routes in that region. Not exactly sure what you're planning, but unless you do a destination type trip where you go in and out the same way, logistically you'll likely require two vehicles. One at the start point and one at the end. There's a couple of routes off the Algoma Central Railway where you hop off the train and paddle to your car. The Sand river route immediately comes to mind but it may be too arduous. The Oba river is a good route off the ACR, but it's further north not in the area you mentioned and is mostly walleye and pike. Edited October 15, 2012 by Mike Borger
SirCranksalot Posted October 15, 2012 Report Posted October 15, 2012 My Novacraft tripper(16 ft) weighs about 45 lb and moves like a sportscar. My wife loves to paddle, so when we are out canoeing(not fishing) I usually end up just steering for a while so we don't way ahead of other folks. Dana, I didn't realize the Sportspals were so light!! A friend of mine trips with one but he's very strong. He put a hole thru the hull with some 'beaver lumber' while pulling it over a big dam. Stability is a function of hull shape rather than weight of material used.
adolson Posted October 15, 2012 Report Posted October 15, 2012 (edited) Dana, I didn't realize the Sportspals were so light!! A friend of mine trips with one but he's very strong. He put a hole thru the hull with some 'beaver lumber' while pulling it over a big dam. Stability is a function of hull shape rather than weight of material used. Yeah, a Sportspal is just a bunch of foam held together with a thin layer of aluminum, so it winds up being lighter than they look. I do realize there are other options out there, including ones that are as light or lighter, and likely some that are very stable. But I own two Sportspals that I paid a total of $150 for, and the important thing to me is that I knew what I was getting - a light, stable, leaky fishing vessel. I'd love to try some lighter canoes out some day, but I think the chances of me finding one at a price *I* would pay is probably slim. I've not used very many real canoes in my lifetime, but the ones I did were not very stable. In fact, last summer, I don't know what brand or model but I tried this one canoe out. It was a calm day and I was in 4 feet of water, but still, it was so tippy, it felt like there was a drunken A.D.H.D. epileptic in the middle of having a seizure in the boat with me and I was afraid for my life. Edited October 15, 2012 by Dana
fishinDon Posted October 15, 2012 Author Report Posted October 15, 2012 Was also going to say, you mentioned the area between the Soo and Wawa. TDunn is the best source of info for you there. You're pretty much looking at a trip within LSPP, or starting a trip outside the boundary and paddling through. Tyler may correct me if I'm wrong, but there's not a ton of lengthy routes in that region. Not exactly sure what you're planning, but unless you do a destination type trip where you go in and out the same way, logistically you'll likely require two vehicles. One at the start point and one at the end. There's a couple of routes off the Algoma Central Railway where you hop off the train and paddle to your car. The Sand river route immediately comes to mind but it may be too arduous. The Oba river is a good route off the ACR, but it's further north not in the area you mentioned and is mostly walleye and pike. Ok, I found a place near the Sault that rents canoes, here's the link in case anyone else finds this useful: Canoe Rental Sault Ste Marie 30/day, don't know if that's good or bad, but seems reasonable to me. Mike - thanks for the hints on places/routes. I've PMed TDunn. We don't have a firm destination/route yet. Still planning, but I have maps of the region from the Sault to Wawa, including the park, so I've pretty much put a bullseye on that general area. I think you are correct - at least based on what I've read - that the Sand is too much for the dad's on this trip. They'd probably make it, but never want to go back again. Don
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