Bell Canoe 16' Chestnut Prospector Royalex Canoe with Vinyl Rigging

Comfortable, Easy Entry & Exit, Easy To Lift, Easy to Paddle, Good Maneuverability, Great secondary stability, Stable

Day Trips, Flat Waters, Rivers

Recreational

Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Though my status is now "recreational," I've taught flat-water canoeing for 7 years in the scouting program as aquatics director at a summer camp. Lots of lake and mostly-flatwater-river experience for over 35 years. This is the best handling and most comfortable canoe I've ever owned--or even paddled. Roomy for camping gear, light at 65 lbs., good balance between tracking and turning, quiet. My wife and I enjoy it for tandem paddling. [...]Bell makes a great canoe and at this price, the value is great. The reason it is a 2nd is that the Royalex at the bow is stretched a bit too thin, but Bell put Kevlar skids on the bow and stern of this particular canoe to make up for it in strength. I don't think all of the Chestnut Prospectors have or need Kevlar skids, though. With ash thwarts, no "oil canning" and cane seats, what a canoe!

Comfortable, Easy to Paddle, Good Maneuverability, Stable

Expedition

Recreational

Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

David Yost did a fantastic job of interpreting the Chestnut Canoe Prospector in Royalex. The canoe is not as pictured ( STP use Bells awful vinyl gunwale / aluminum thwarts picture ) as it actual has vinyl gunwales and ash thwarts, a very nice surprise! By the way, Bell Canoe's 2nd's are better than some vendors 1st quality canoe however a 2nd would include mold pull fault i.e. a section of the inside of the tip of the canoe may be patched ( the tips are the hardest to pull from the mold because of the shape of the canoe ) however since its not an area you kneel in its purely cosmetic ( hint: a floatation bag covers the area perfectly ). The second canoe STP sent had a 1/2" by 1/4" surface dent and one 1/8" blem in the inside coating ... superb value! ;