Submitted: 03-29-1999 by BB
I have an older green model, which I have used on the Susquehanna River in northeast Pennsylvania. Mostly tame waters, but when the level drops in late summer, scraping the bottom is common. It seems to be just about bomb-proof. The bottom has a zillion scrapes and gouges, some of them deep, but nowhere near through. Never had to patch it. Comparing it to my other canoe, an aluminum Grumman 17 ft. squareback, with a keel. The Coleman is not nearly as stable, noticeably more tippy. However, the tiny keel, and flexible bottom makes it easier to scrape the rocks here and there without being tossed out. Thanks to Coleman for the oil-can effect. The paddling effort is about the same for the two, but the Grummie is more comfortable for the stern paddler, me, because of a wide, shelf-type seat. I am currently trying to swap the double-ended greenie for a Coleman Scanoe, which should combine the best advantages of both. wide, stable, little or no keel, the beloved oil-canning instead of tumbling into the drink, no maintenance, and the flat stern for mounting a motor. As a cheap, no nonsense, trouble free canoe, the Coleman ram-x is not a bad choice. |