Topic: I Ordered a Nova Craft Prospector Canoe – It's HERE!

Tagged: meremac, Nova Craft, Nova Craft Prospector, onendaga, Prospector, Prospector 17

This topic has 6 voices, contains 19 replies, and was last updated by Dennis 1017 days ago.

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July 23, 2009 at 2:59 am #31740
James	This is not my boat…but it is what my boat will look like. The image was borrowed from Nova Craft. Ok, I am ready to bite the bullet and order a brand spanking new Nova Craft Prospector canoe. I’ve decided on the 16′ in red. What I am wondering is everyone’s opinion on a couple of things. Do I want aluminum, ash or vinyl gunwales? Is the royalex lite tough enough for Missouri steams or should I get the heavier royalex? Do I want Nova Craft to install a kneeling thwart or do it myself? Should I wait until later for kevlar skid plates or have them installed at the factory? Once I get it should I drill a bunch of holes in it and lace it for float bags? Is my wife going to kill me? I’ve kind of answered all of these in my head but I still want some opinions. If you have any photos of your Prospector canoe in action or outfitting tips please post them.
July 27, 2009 at 2:25 pm #31741
James	Ok the boat is on the way. I ordered it from Rutabaga in Wisconsin. I got red with aluminum gunwales and the laced ash seats. Rutabaga had one in stock and shipping should be pretty quick because its only 5 hours away from St. Louis. My fingers are crossed for it getting here by the weekend. It’s probably a long shot but we’ll see. I talked to Andrew “Roman” Romanelli who gave me the low down on all my questions. He explained that the Royalex light is only lighter on the sides and that everything below the waterline can take whatever abuse I dole out. Ok, now I need you all to post some photos of your fully outfitted canoe so I can get an idea of how I’m going to set her up. I think I found my first new boat accessory. A couple of NRS float bags, maybe some Crazy Creek Chairs for the flat water and some knee padz. I have to honestly admit that most of the rivers Cate and I paddle don’t require float bags…I just think the lacing looks cool. Anyone against me drilling a bunch of holes down the side of my new boat? Let me know if I’m missing anything.
July 28, 2009 at 1:02 pm #31742
James	I just talked to the friendly folks at Rutabaga in Wisconsin. My canoe is going to be loaded onto a truck to St. Louis on Thursday. I am so excited.
July 29, 2009 at 11:35 am #31743
James	Rutabaga in Wisconsin provided me with some brilliant customer service today. Apparently the boat was in their system as red but was actually the burgundy color…Gross. John called me after peaking in to the wrap to verify the color. They didn’t actually have a red one so several phone calls later we determined that red was the best color and that a 17’ boat actually fit my needs a little better than the 16. So the boat is on a truck and headed on its overland voyage to St. Louis. Rutabaga says 10 days…but will it arrive sooner? I have my fingers crossed. Good catch John, Thanks.
July 30, 2009 at 12:13 am #31744
Lloyd	I tried out Magikelly’s 17′ Prospector and all I can say is; sweet. It does everything that a smaller canoe can do but is fast like a scared deer. We did not get to try it in moving water but I get the feeling it would live up to its name although I would be more likely to pick straight lines and forget eddy turns. 90% of the manoeuvrability you would get in a 16 footer is still present and the capacity is enormous. In fact it does not start to work good until you get a load in it. The speed is the main bonus for me. Even stopping in a wind to take photos and drifting behind the rest of the group by several hundred yards we were easily able to regain the distance in a few minutes and could slack off on the paddling to avoid passing the group. The stability is probably even greater than in a shorter canoe. We could sit without paddling quartered and sideways in good sized waves and take photos with no feeling of instability. Did I mention the speed? A good paddler could gain 5-6 inches per paddle stroke on a shorter canoe. All this makes it an excellent lake water or tripping guide canoe that has the ability to sprint to the rescue if needed. My only thought about the Royalex lite model is that there is a bit of flex to the hull and so I would add another thwart about 3 inch’s behind the bow seat to correct this. If you want a cargo hauler that the kids can water ski behind the 17′ prospector may be for you. I give it a 9.7/10 on the Lloyd scale
July 30, 2009 at 12:22 am #31745
James	I’ve been jumping around like a little girl who just got her pony and I don’t even have the new boat yet. I’ve been reading about outfitting over at song of the paddle and I am pretty sure I’m going to drill some holes in it for lacing after it arrives.
July 31, 2009 at 9:42 am #31746
MotoMike	I too bought my canoe from Rutabaga. Their customer service is great. I considered the Prospector, but ultimately decided on the Pal. I love my Pal, works great for the flat water big river, lake and back water paddling that I mostly do. I am sure you will love the Prospector.
July 31, 2009 at 5:55 pm #31747
James	http://twitpic.com/cb8pg the canoe is here! Going to dinner because my wife got a new job. Best day ever. Paddle & pics tomorrow.
July 31, 2009 at 10:36 pm #31748
James
August 1, 2009 at 12:23 pm #31749
jabbrwcky	Just wanted to say – congrats! There’s few things as exciting as a new canoe! It looks gorgeous too; looking forward to hearing of your adventures together
August 1, 2009 at 2:11 pm #31750
James	Cate and I take the new boat out for a paddle. It gets cut short by the rain so we make some stir fry on our new Brunton stove. I’ll post some more photos later tonight.
August 2, 2009 at 10:49 am #31751
MotoMike	admin – 20 hours ago » Cate and I take the new boat out for a paddle. It gets cut short by the rain so we make some stir fry on our new Brunton stove. I’ll post some more photos later tonight. She’s a beauty Your SotP shot really shows the depth of the hull with noticably more freeboard than my Pal. You will be good for some extended tripping and big water. Congrats
August 3, 2009 at 6:54 am #31752
James	Mike- It does look deeper than the PAL. Admittedly, we have no gear and Cate only weighs 105 pounds so it may be a bit deceptive. According to the specs the Prosector is 15” and the PAL has a 13” depth in the center. We also get 1200 lbs of gear hauling vs your 900. Here are the full specs: Length: 17′ Beam: 36″ Center Depth: 15″ Bow Depth: 23″ Bow Rocker: 2″ Stern Rocker: 2″ Capacity: 1200lbs Weight: 68 lbs (Royalex Lite)
August 3, 2009 at 7:49 am #31753
NEMO	James, what other boats were you looking at before you decided on the Nova Craft?
August 3, 2009 at 7:58 am #31754
James	Nemo- I really looked at any and all river tripping boats. But in order of preference: Nova Craft Prospector Wenonah Prospector Bell Prospector Mad River Legend Mad River Explorer Wenonah Spirit II If you have questions about a specific boat I’ve probably paddled it. If your looking for something below $1000 I would look at these options over the Old Town Discovery: Nova Craft Prospector SP3 Wenonah Northfork Mad River Explorer TT What type of paddling are you planning on?