C-Forum

The Mohawk XL series would also be worth considering.

I would secound the suggestion to look at some of the more traditional tandems. Many of the classic tandem designs were made for exactly the type of laden expedition tripping in up to class III water that you are talking about. The larger boats are more stable for having kids in and you can haul a lot of gear.

I have a 15' Nova craft Prospector fitted with a removable saddle (facing the normal stern), dagger knee boots and a custom curved thwart replacing the normal yoke to place the saddle just a bit closer to center that I use for solo/family tripping. I have left the tandem seats in their normal positions and sometimes we run it tandem, also the bow seat offers a nice place to sit and paddle a bit on a long distance trip as just a change every once and a wile. I have run it with kids 3 and 9 loaded for overnight trips (my wife runs a kayak and carries almost no gear) on the Upper New river which is fairly big water but not technical class III and it performs wonderfully. We have also done up to four day trips on rivers with class II+ water (Pine Creek in PA, Greenbriar in WV). I have also done day trips with 8-10 year olds in both of the normal tandem seats front and back (still running backwards) and a 3 year old or two in the middle.

It can be hard to keep the kids as still as you want them to be and if they have paddles in their hands a more stable canoe is a blessing when one of them decides to do a bow pry out of the blue, just for fun. I am sure that there are plenty of more WW oriented boats available that would also suffice but if you plan on eventually getting a more WW specific solo boat, then a more traditional tandem may be just he trick.

Sent you a PM.

You must have a horseshoe stuck where the sund don't shine.

Look what just showed up on boatertalk : http://boatertalk.com/gear/gear-detail.php?gid=58810

I don't like the triple saddle. You're always stuck with all that saddle, it limits your options & space. I'd go with removable saddles - tandem positions and solo outfitting. I use the North Water outfitting.

It's a bit of a project to figure out anchors, knee pads, foot blocks etc., because some stuff overlaps, but then you have max options. Mine is a Vertige X, but any ww tandem would work.

Pat.

lostriverghoat wrote:... going to a canoe for a change and so I can take my kids with me....paddle solo on up to class 3+...take a small child ... down ...(class 2).... I know I need 2 canoes but for now I need to do it with one...

I have an Old Town Cascade (14'6") and it works well for what you're describing. I put short airbags in the ends. I left the seats in. I replaced the yoke with a kneeling thwart. Obviously this setup is tilted more toward the recreational and easy whitewater side of the equation -- that's exactly what I wanted. I thought about saddle(s), but decided against it for this boat.

It's a very flexible setup. I can paddle it from the stern seat with kid and gear/dogs in the front. I can paddle it from the middle with a kid in each seat. It can be paddled tandem with gear in the middle.

Here's a boat I saw on Craigslist that would probably work:

http://bham.craigslist.org/boa/2499707975.html

in Boatertalk Gear swap. As mentioned above this boat would do what you want now plus would allow you to progress to class 3, or above, as you and your new tandem partners wish. Good price too.
Bill

Here's a Caper near Baltimore, Md for $500--- http://baltimore.craigslist.org/boa/2528313766.html

AC DC is an old one... early 80's. Thwart (not saddle) seats, originally had knee cups and straps (old army webbing and plastic cut out from milk jugs). I've updated it a bit with minicell for knees and feet, with another minicell sheet that goes over the thigh strap points from flatwater, as well as a little minicell on the thwarts for comfort. Makes a BIG difference.

I only have one set of straps in it right now, but I do plan on putting a few more in.

Back when I used it more (in the bow, my father in the stern) we didn't use the straps and knelt on boat cushions... they are really too thick. Minicell is MUCH better.

Thanks for all the great and informative posts. I started a new job and had truck trouble at the same time. It all has ended fine my canoe purchase is now scheduled in the late fall. On an end note I started working for WNC and have access to a Dagger Legend an Mad River Outrage X on a couple weekends till then. Now I can get my canoe-legs before I buy any thing.
Thanks for your time.
River Ghoat
I have ww kayaked 10+ years(i feel I am a class 3/4 paddler) and hear the learning curve in a canoe is harder. I had a dugout canoe as a kid and paddled a short fat aluminum canoe too, but not on real white water. My passion for the water started there. For me Canoes have a simple and complex look and feel. As a kayaker I love the water but seeing a canoeist pass me on Chattooga section4 and I wonder how the run 7 foot falls It is a mystery to me and I feel a respect for the boater with that skill. That is not a kiss @$% statement but real from my prospective.