Rentals:

All of our rentals include paddles, PFDs, bailer & sponge and cartopping gear ( rope, straps & foam blocks). Kayak rentals additionally include skirt & pump for the asking.

Bottom of this page lists all boats, prices and specs.

Choosing your Canoe or kayak

In choosing your canoe, first consider the purpose and style of your trip.

For Basecamp trips.....

If you are planning a basecamp type trip with coolers and heavy gear then you will want a more stable all-purpose boat (made of a plastic laminate called Royalex) like the Old Town Penobscot 16 ft or the Esquif Avalon. the Old Town Camper 15 ft is good rugged boat for smaller loads in rough terrain like streams with logs or rocks. The Penobscot 17 ft still has two seats, but can easily accommodate a third small person sitting on gear in the middle. The Penobscot 18.5 ft can accommodate three adults and gear, but does not have a carrying yoke in the center so it is ideal for camping trips on the Middle and Lower Saranac Lakes. Solo paddlers can choose the Bell Yellowstone Solo as a good Royalex canoe.

For lake to lake trips or trip with lots of portages....

or if you are feeling a bit older ......or just want a lighter weight boat......you may want to consider lighter weight Kevlar boats. The Souris River Quetico 16 is our most stable tandem. The Quetico 17 is a real workhorse that can still cruise right along very pleasantly. Two lightweight or smaller people might want to consider the Wenonah Escapade which is faster and narrower in the bow seat area. For longer trips or just for higher performance longer canoe like the WeNoNah Minnesota II is an excellent choice. If your trip includes three adults the Minnesota III should be a consideration. If the family dog is joining you, consider an even more stable three seat boat like the WeNoNah Seneca canoe or the Souris River Quetico 18.5. Solo paddlers have a choice of traditional seating (hung seats) to sit on and to paddle with a single blade canoe paddle or, optionally, a seat on the floor of the boat in which case the boat is usually paddled with a double paddle (kayak style paddle). We have three traditional lightweight solos: The Bell Merlin II 15 ft is good for small and medium sized people and the Souris River Tranquility is good for the larger paddler. The WeNoNah Vagabond is a good all around solo for all but the larger paddler. Our doudble paddle solos have been a popular choice for many. If your trip is for exploring, fishing or just out for a paddle, then the Hemlock Nessmuck 10.5 ft is a great 16 pound boat for people up to 175# and the Nessmuck XL 12 ft is a great boat for paddlers over 175#. The Placid Boatworks Spitfire 12 ft and Rapidfire 15 ft are narrower at the waterline and are our most efficient solos for "Point A to Point B" type trips.

In choosing your kayak........

We break kayaks into three categories:

Recreational boats

are shorter, wider (more stable) and have a larger cockpit or seat opening. These boats are great for just getting out to explore, or if you are just trying out kayaking or if you are slightly less agile in getting in and out of the boat, or if you just morgaged the house to get that new movie camera. The Acadia Scout is a great children's boat. The Old Town Otter 9.6 ft is good exploring boat---wide, stable and short, it does not track well so not a "Point A to Point B" type boat, great for small streams. Choice of Old Town Cayuga 130 or the Lincoln Quoddy Light will come down to price and weight of the boat. This might be good place to point out that a stiffer hull (kevlar) will be faster than a more flexible (plastic) hull. The Old Town Twin Otter is our tandem kayak in this category--it does track fairly well simly because it is longer (14 feet).

Touring kayaks

are longer ---usually 13 to 15 feet in length. This group does not have rudders. Our Current Designs Breeze is stable & has a very user friendly cockpit that has a rear hatch. It is our most popular kayak and is fine for overnighters. The Boreal Designs Kasko is narrower (initially less stable) but deeper in the hull, so it is still roomy once you are in the cockpit---nice paddling boat for someone looking for a plastic price with better performance. Two hatches. Here is another generality----This boat has a considerable smaller cockpit, but a smaller cockpit means a drier ride---so if you have kayaking experience you will like the Kasko. The Perception Tribute is longer but less deep---it is a great performance, plastic boat for the smaller person. Smaller women love this boat---less depth means less (vertical) leg room but plenty of length. The Carolina 14 and the Cayuga 146 are both great boats for multiday trips. The Lincoln Chebeague (emphasis on the last sylable) is our lightest weight boat is this class. The Tribute, Carolina 14, Cayuga 146 and Chebeague all have two hatches.

Sea Kayaks

Deck safety lines, rudder and longer length characterize these boats. Shortest is the plastic Carolina 14. We have two fiberglass sea kayaks: the Boreal Designs Narwhal is a great multiday kayak that is stable, yet a joy to paddle even loaded. The Current Designs Solstice GTHV is their " Grand Touring High Volume" version. This is the epitome of sea kayaks. Our two tandem sea kayaks are double cockpit boats. The Northwest Explorer is great for the Saranac Lakes trip whereas the Expedition is too big for small streams. If you are planning a multiday trip on one of our larger lakes, like Cranberry or Lake Champlain you would want to consider the Expedition.