High schools and colleges around the country are about to be let out for the summer and vacations will follow soon after. One great way to spend some time outdoors with family and friends is to go canoeing.
You may have dismissed the idea in the past because it sounds expensive. After all, a good canoe must cost a lot of money, right? Wrong! You can have a great vacation without breaking the bank by buying any of a number of cheap canoes.
If you have never been canoeing before or have no idea what to look for when buying one, take a deep breath and relax because it is easier than you think. Here are a few things to consider when purchasing a canoe to make sure you are getting exactly what you need.
The first question you should be asking yourself is how you plan on using your canoe. There is a huge difference between paddling on a gentle lake and rafting down a wild river. Not only should you have experience canoeing/kayaking if you decide to challenge a river, the type of canoe you would use is different than the one you would use in a romantic stroll along a lake.
Speaking of romantic strolls, make sure to take into consideration how many people you will be sharing your canoe with. Are you going to be out there by yourself or will you be sharing the space with a few buddy’s? If you plan on being out on the water for a prolonged period of time, you are going to want plenty of space for your materials and gear (not to mention yourself).
If racing down white-water rapids isn’t on your itinerary, then you can afford to get a larger, wider canoe to store all of your passengers and equipment. It won’t be as maneuverable as a racing canoe, but if you don’t plan on challenging strangers to random races it won’t have to be. This will also affect what type of material you canoe should be made out of. Again, if you don’t plan on racing, you don’t need the most expensive, light weight, aerodynamic canoe out there.
Also, before you pile everyone and everything in, it would be wise to take a look at the weight limit of your canoe. It would be mighty embarrassing (not to mention potentially dangerous) for you to sink or tip over as soon as you got into the water. If you are over the weight capacity take a few moments to think about what you could do without on your trip.
One last issue to think about is how you plan to transport your canoe. When purchasing from online retailers it would be smart to see how much shipping for such a large item is going to cost. And when you do finally get the canoe, you have to figure out how to get it from point A to point B. Take the time to figure out how large/heavy of a canoe your vehicle can handle and adjust your plans accordingly.
Image Source: MyKayakingBuddies.com
Find at Smarter.com: Shop through a variety of canoes.
