C-Forum

It's OK, you can laugh. I do a lot of downriver racing. I have both a tandem and solo rec and racing canoes.

However, some of the bigger races we do have Coleman and Aluminum classes. Now there are aluminum canoes designed for racing, and there is even an aluminum canoe Nationals. However, I'm pretty sure no Coleman canoe has ever been designed with racing in mind; you can pick up Coleman canoes almost for free on Craiglist.

I thought it might be fun (or at least amusing) to see what could be done with a Coleman canoe to make it into a "racing" boat. That means looking for the fastest (lightest?) base model. Anyone have any thoughts?

Find the longest one you can find. The keel will keep you straight (ha ha)

Look for the least deformed hull. Lol

The boat with the biggest strongest paddlers in it

Tie two logs together and mount a propane stove to it.

The real answer is likely a RamX 17. Pull in the gunwales, maybe shave some depth out of the midsection and she'll go as fast as a Colman can. Well, I guess I've been in one faster. Dad had a Jonsered
self contained 3hp outboard that we strapped onto a side mount on our RamX 17. Scary, yes. Fast, yes, for a Colman.