Canoes, Open Boats, and Canoe Equipment

Welcome to our section on open boats. Here you can find advice on getting the correct boat for your needs, whether it be solo camping, family canal tours, or moving water. You will also find accessories for decking out your boat, canoe paddles or poles, engines, airbags, and many other bits and pieces that will make each trip out on the water safer, quicker, more comfortable, or just plain more enjoyable.

Advice on Boat Selection

What makes an Open Canoe great? Open or Canadian canoes are suitable for carrying large loads and some models will take three people or more. They are very stable, great fun for families, and look lovely on the water.

The ones housed on this page will do a bit of everything. You can use them for river trips on flat water or easy white water, take the kids exploring the local lakes, or go fishing. More adventurous paddlers might go canoe camping, where you pack your tent, food, sleeping bags, and very best friends into your boat and head off down river - far more exciting than driving up to a campsite. They can be paddled from a comfy seat, or from a kneeling thwart for more power.

If it's just flat water you're interested in, or you want an entry-level open canoe, see our Touring Canoes page, and we have a section just for Whitewater Canoes as well.

All-round canoes come in lengths from 13 to 17ft, depending on the carrying capacity and desired characteristics. Wider boats are more stable, but longer, narrower boats are faster. The range of boats is huge, so we'd like to recommend some of our favourites.

Solo users - an open canoe trip is a perfect way to relax and unwind on your own. You should look at a boat around the 13 to 14ft mark as these tend to be lighter, meaning it's easier for one person to handle when off the water.

Many two-paddler boats can be paddled solo too. The Venture Canoes Ranger 14, for instance, comes either with seats for two or a thwart for one. This is a tough, versatile polyethylene boat for all uses. The Mad River Explorer 14 TT comes as standard with two seats and a yoke.

If you're looking for a boat that will offer you greater carrying capacity for gear we suggest you consider canoes between 14 and 16ft. Basic fittings usually include two seats, a central thwart, and yoke. They are generally wider than the shorter canoes, aiding stability, and meaning that they can be used as great family boats too. Many of the models in this size range can also be fitted with a third seat if required.

Touring boats are intended for river and lake trips on fairly flat water. They are perfect for a day on the water with the kids or a weekend camping trip travelling down a long stretch of river. They are designed for efficient forward movement so are often quite long, and most have a high carrying capacity so you can fit in lots of gear (or people!) without overloading.

Canoes for white water have their own page here, where you'll find open boats designed specifically to tackle white water. If you only want to play on easy rapids and little waves on your trips down the river, have a look at the options on our All Round Canoes page. In this section, we have both solo and tandem white water options. Remember - half the paddle, twice the paddler!

If you already have a canoe and want to kit it out, you might want to have a look at Accessories, Canoe Airbags, or seating options to increase capacity or comfort. We have all manner of useful things for repairing your boat too. If you're feeling lazy, engines are available, or sails and mast adaptions can help you harness the wind.

If you need help choosing the right boat or would like to discuss colour options and delivery prices, feel free to email: watersports@upandunder.system15.net