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By ride105 from Lexington, SC on 07/16/2009 Pros: Comfortable, Easy Entry & Exit, Easy To Lift, Easy to Paddle, Good Maneuverability, Great secondary stability, Stable Best Uses: Day Trips, Flat Waters, Rivers Describe Yourself: Recreational Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend Comments: 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!
Outstanding product from Bell Canoes By UK2TX2CA from NorCal on 06/11/2009 Pros: Comfortable, Easy to Paddle, Good Maneuverability, Stable Describe Yourself: Recreational Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend Comments: 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!
; Images shared by: UK2TX2CAAsh thwarts not aluminum Tags: Picture of Product
Everything but whitewater By Hiker Roy from San Diego, CA on 10/17/2008 Pros: Easy To Lift, Easy to Paddle, Good Maneuverability Best Uses: Day Trips, Flat Waters, Slow moderate rivers Describe Yourself: Recreational Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend Comments: This is my second solo canoe. First was 14' r-84 royalex. This is very stiff hull in comparison so no oil canning. Seat height is designed for sitting not kneeling and is low enough to make it difficult to kneel with your feet under seat. Seat height is ideal though for sitting and hit and switch paddling. I like bent shaft paddles but will need longer paddles to use sitting vice kneeling. Decent tracking and glide. My first paddle was on a moderate windy day and was easy to maintain or change course. Canoe did have numerous blems which are where the carbon buckled inward creating a dimple where there is excess resin filling in to create smooth outer hull. No form fit or function problems just estheticcally not as nice as it otherwise would have been(stunning!) I[...]
By Rusty from Northeast Michigan on 08/25/2008 Pros: Comfortable, Compact, Easy Entry & Exit, Easy To Lift, Easy to Paddle, Stable Best Uses: Day Trips, Flat Waters, Rivers Describe Yourself: Recreational Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend Comments: Nice boat. Tracks as well as can be expected. Beautiful, got a lot of envious looks and good comments.
By Rocky Mountain Rascal from Lyons, CO on 08/12/2008 Pros: Comfortable, Easy To Lift, Easy to Paddle, Good Maneuverability, Stable Best Uses: Day Trips, Flat Waters, Rivers Describe Yourself: Recreational Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend Comments: Good value for a well-designed Royalex canoe...
By Sven from Northern Minnesota on 07/20/2008 Pros: Compact, Easy to Paddle, Good Maneuverability, Stable Best Uses: Flat Waters, Rivers, Small rapids Describe Yourself: Recreational Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend Comments: Nice relatively short canoe. Nice amount of rocker front and rear makes it maneuverable, but still tracks well. Ships water in rapids more easily than expected. Not a laker, but still glides fine.
Impressive glide and stability By Mr. Wonderful from Lincoln, Nebraska on 06/23/2008 Pros: Easy to Paddle, Good Maneuverability, Stable Best Uses: Flat Waters, Rivers Describe Yourself: Recreational Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend Comments: Boat has nice "glide" also very stable and quite. A little heavy but tracks nicely. I'm 5'9" and have been taking it out solo, kneeling in the center position (aft of center). Boat moves suprisingly well with only one paddler. With two it moves quickly. I'm very impressed, only down side is it's not a featherweight, but won't easily get damaged like the lightweights. Overall, nice boat.
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