Product Reviews > Canoes > Harbor Watercraft > Rogue River

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10-08-2012
Submitted by: Leslie - Rating: 10 of 10
     We bought our 16ft Rogue River canoe years ago. We had four young kids at the time. We used this canoe for more river trips than I can count. It easily fit my husband, myself, our 4 kids (ages 10-4) and one of our dogs. It was slow going, but for a leisurely ride it was wonderful.

01-31-2012
Submitted by: thomas - Rating: 5 of 10
     Had Mine about 14 yrs , I removed the useless 30 # chunk of console and added two aluminum bars with rod holders between them at the gunwales. The width is too much for a effecient glide but rock steady. the hdpe hull dont cook you like fiberglass in the summer, it cleans easy and slides well over mud flats. Hpde must be plastic welded if it gets a hole . wish it were offered in an 17' x 34" size . Mine has been abused and has proven durable.too heavy though but for $350.00 I'm super happy. great beginner canoe !

04-05-2011
Submitted by: TrevorN - Rating: 7 of 10
     I have one of these that washed up on the beach where I live during the worst Nor'Easter to hit this area in nearly 50 years. I have no idea where it came from but it took a thrashing during the storm and came through in one piece so it is one tough cookie!

It is a great canoe if you want a canoe stable enough to stand up and fish from, or shoot a shotgun from (I have done both). The reason it is so stable is because it is HEAVY!

My Rouge River sits on the end of my floating dock and I slide it off the dock into the water so I don't have to lift it. I coat it with 303 a couple of times a year and it appears to be holding up well. If you are looking for something that you can car top and portage by yourself you might want to look at something that weighs less than this canoe.

01-02-2011
Submitted by: FL Bill - Rating: 10 of 10
     Got my Rouge River 14 canoe used and took it out for the first time. Totally love it and was enough space for the wife, 2 kids (5 and 7) and my self. Was very stable and the kids had a blast. As did the wife and my self. The hull is made of a poly plastic and seems pretty durable. The seats are lower then the gunnel's helping increase stability. Cooler seems like it will be a nice feature as well. Tomorrow I think we will pack a lunch. Great for the flats of tampabay!

01-20-2010
Submitted by: Ralph - Rating: 10 of 10
     I use my canoe for fishing. Bought it from Sam's in Jacksonville, FL. I outfitted the canoe with two 6 ft long outboard air filled pontoons salvaged from a tow behind inflatable wake rider. With the pontoons in place I can paddle just fine, but op for a small electric trolling motor that works great. The top feature is that I can stand up, walk back and forth from back to front with no fear of tipping the canoe. It is a fantastic fishing tool for small waters. I use it in places where motors are prohibited and carry it on a modified Harbor Freight trailer that enables me to back down to the waters edge without a boat ramp. I have a hand winch to pull the canoe up on the carpeted trailer since the battery and motor add a lot of weight... more than the canoe alone.

05-27-2009
Submitted by: BCM - Rating: 10 of 10
     Bought my Rogue River 14 online (used) with the intention of using for hunting. I've used it in the lake for fishing. It rows quickly and is somewhat a stable boat if you don't stand up to take a leak. I did try an electric motor mounted on the side of the boat and was not impressed with the ability to steer. Was it intended for a motor? I'd say no it was not... it's a canoe!!

I'm an average size guy and really had no trouble loading this boat atop my Explorer, maybe its just that I'm not afraid to use my muscles I guess... I guess it would have been easy had the boat jumped up on top the explorer all by itself!! I find the canoe is was it is. It's a canoe. I thought it was great for what it is!!!!

08-23-2008
Submitted by: Jason - Rating: 10 of 10
     I've had my rogue river 14 canoe for nine years and have used it hundreds of times. It handles class II+ rapids and can turn on a dime. Very stable boat. I got it pinned in a river up against a tree root ball for two days. I came back with a comealong and managed to winch it out. The canoe was practically folded in half when it came out. I jumped on the inside and it popped back into shape. I've proceeded to run many more rivers with this boat since then. It's been dragged down miles of river bed and has not failed yet. I love my canoe!

04-10-2007
Submitted by: riverrunner814 - Rating: 10 of 10
     Bought a Rouge River 14 last year. Its made by Johnson from what I understand also make or in cahoots with Old Town. Either way my canoe has no center console. Used it on many lakes and found its a great family canoe. I had no trouble with it at all. I want to buy another so we don't have to leave anyone behind.

04-09-2007
Submitted by: RG - Rating: 9 of 10
     I had one of these about 5 years ago and loved it, except for it's weight. For those who have been looking for the manufacturer, Harbor Watercraft, their address (from my Rogue River papers) is the same address as Johnson Watercraft. They are still making these canoes, just under different names depending where on what store you find them in. At Dick's, they are sold under the brand name, Northeast Outfitters and I'm planning on picking one up this week.

09-05-2006
Submitted by: Mayor - Rating: 10 of 10
     I have had mine for 3 years. I have floated in a lot of canoes and love the stability of this boat. The dry storage is very nice. You can seat a smaller person on the center seat if needed. The boat has a nice capacity rating for it size. It is a little heavy to load by yourself, but can be done with a little grunting. I haven't had to portage mine where we usually float. Would probably be pretty heavy for one person.

05-30-2006
Submitted by: nedshead - Rating: 10 of 10
     We just got off the river with our used rogue river canoe--it's great. Perfect for our family. Very wide and stable. My brother-in-law called and said his neighbors were selling their canoe, it was a great deal and came with a trailer. HE hasn't done us wrong in the past so we bought it. My wife and I were both skeptical when we saw it, this canoe is not like the rogue river 14 i've seen pictures of, it's wider and has a flat back for mounting a motor. It looks almost like a row boat rather than a canoe. Anyway, we took two of our kids, one is a five year old and headed down the bark river in southeast wisconsin. We couldn't be more pleased. we will not take this canoe on wilderness trips where portaging is required but for river paddling, small rapids (we did go over one small dam today), fishing and duck hunting this canoe will be great! In one of the other reviews I read it was mentioned the backets on one of the seats had worn out. It appears this had happened to the front seat of ours but was repaired using rubber and metal washers that were slightly larger than the original holes. We are also missing the water tight storage, container or lid, I don't know exactly what, the space is there and it's obvious something wasment to screw in the top of the space we don't know what it looks like. I'd like to replace it but like another reviewer cannot find a rogue canoe or Harbor watercraft web site. Does anyone know how to contact them? Lastly, what is that indentation with the strap next to the three beverage holders suppose to do?

03-13-2005
Submitted by: JDP - Rating: 8 of 10
     I have had my canoe about four years. It is heavy but I do it by myself. I have a pickup with a hitch extender. A long shaft out of the hitch with a T on the end. I recommend leaving the canoe right side up. Turning it over in the bed is very difficult.

I tried a trolling motor but too weak for me. I have a bracket thing that allows you to put the motor on the side. Now I am going to buy one of those little Nissan outboards like you see in Cabelas. I see that the canoe says don't go over 2.5 HP but I would like to go 3.5. Anybody got any warnings or feedback on that? Lastly, all outboards seem to come in 15 inch short shaft/transon length, and 20 inch long shaft. I need to know which to get. I read that the transom is the length from where the motor clamps on to the bottom of the boat. On my 14 it is 20 inches. Do I really need a long shaft for a canoe? Oh also. I find that a double kayak paddle works best for one guy.

02-09-2004
Submitted by: tinkydiddle - Rating: 9 of 10
     I also bought my Rogue14' canoe at Sams. I love it. It's roomy, stable and easy to handle.The only drawback is the weigh. Being that I like to canoe alone(for the peace and quiet)I have a hard time handling the weigh.Does anyone know of a trailer that would be suitable for these canoe that has a wench hookup.

08-18-2003
Submitted by: kre - Rating: 10 of 10
     Too heavy? If it keeps the canoe stable and you don't plan to carry it far, this is a great canoe. I want a second one and plan on building a super stable break-down pontoon boat with them (a joke friends).

07-10-2003
Submitted by: AKB - Rating: 10 of 10
     This is my first purchase of my own canoe. I have floated for a long time.I am very pleased with the overall performance and features of this craft.

05-23-2003
Submitted by: Misha - Rating: 9 of 10
     This boat is heavy! Over 90#! But it lasts, you can stand, you can attach a motor... plastic hull, neat storage compartment and useful third seat. Bought it at Sam's 4 years... cheap! But I don't see them there any more. Next time? We get a lighter boat! NY, USA.

12-23-2002
Submitted by: TJ - Rating: 10 of 10
     I just bought a used Rogue River 14 and it has a few fairly deep gouges in the hull, and I am looking for information on what it is made from, and what I can use to fill them.

11-29-2002
Submitted by: Bill Wilson - Rating: 7 of 10
     I have had the canoe since 1999 and find it has (until recently) been an excellent canoe for hunting, fishing, and family fun. It is not one for taking on trips where portages are involved as it is heavy. BUT, over time I have notices the middle seat becoming wobbly and saw that the metal brakdets that held it in place were cracking. The bracket finally broke all the way through on both sides and the seat fell out. I have not found a website for the manufacturer, Harbor Watercraft. I hope to contact them by phone to see how they back their product. If this canoe only has an life expectancy of five years, it is not the bargain it appeared to be.

11-27-2002
Submitted by: Val - Rating: 9 of 10
     I have used this canoe on both small lakes and the James river (up to class II rapids). This was my first canoe so I have no frame of reference but other more experienced passengers commented on the stability and the acceleration. I think it is a great canoe and would highly recommend it. I agree with other reviewers, this is not a light canoe, difficult to load without two people.

04-29-2002
Submitted by: Bob - Rating: 10 of 10
     I have had my rogue river 14 for a month now and love it. I'm a fly fisherman and have had two of us fly fishing out of it at the same time with little to no rocking at all. It is very stable with two. It just glides through the water with little effort. The 90 LB. does make it a little on the heavy side but the little extra weight is worth it. I would recommend this canoe. This is coming from someone that has 38 years in a canoe. This is not a white water canoe.

03-19-2002
Submitted by: vince - Rating: 10 of 10
     rogue river 14 is a very good all round canoe we had it for 3 years.works well very stable havent flipped it but have sunk it on a class 3 problem there was too much booze.

08-31-2001
Submitted by: D. Blackwell - Rating: 9 of 10
     Bought the Rogue River 14T a couple of months ago and for the most part I'm satisfied with it. I mainly use it for bass fishing med. to large ponds and it works great for that. It,s very stable which is why I bought it since my young son will soon be joining me. It has plenty of room for all of my gear. It is heavy and a little awkward for one person to handle but it can be done. For still water and light current it's great but I wouldn't trust it in heavy rapids. Overall I rate it a high 8 or low 9 mainly because of the weight.

01-22-2001
Submitted by: charles d. smith - Rating: 10 of 10
     Over all, look, size, item use in it, only thing poor weight for handling by one person on top of auto.

01-17-2001
Submitted by: Bret - Rating: 10 of 10
     For my first canoe the price was great. I bought the canoe for fishing but soon after I turned it into my primary duck boat. I love the room in the back and with a trolling motor the canoe flies through water.

09-05-2000
Submitted by: ctg - Rating: 10 of 10
     Very nice canoe, well built. The cooler in the middle is larger than it looks and works well, only taken it on lake but handles nicely with two people. It's a little harder by yourself.

07-10-2000
Submitted by: --- - Rating: 10 of 10
     This is a first season and 1st canoe. My husband and I rate the Rogue River 14 a #10. I have a canoe rack on top of my Cavalier and it is just GREAT. I am going to try this week to put the canoe on the car by myself and go for a little trip. Wish me luck.

07-06-2000
Submitted by: Paul - Rating: 7 of 10
     Good boat for family, fishing, especially if you live on the water. Heavy to transport, and too wide to fit on some cars well.

05-16-2000
Submitted by: Kirk - Rating: 8 of 10
     Just purchased the Rogue River 14 today from Sam's Club. My wife, daughter(20), and I took it out to fish the back water of Tampa Bay and the boat was great. We don't have a motor yet so stearing through some of the currents was a bit slow going and the wind and choppy water were somewhat rough to make good headway but as soon as we hit the smooth backwaters it was like we had a motor on board. The boat is very roomy and we were in less then 6" of water a number of times without dragging the bottom. Only drawback is that it is heavy at 90lbs. A real handfull to put on top of our station wagon especially when wet where it not only is heavy but slippery. Boat seemed to be quite stable as well with the 42" beam.

05-15-2000
Submitted by: PMH - Rating: 1 of 10
     An earlier review mentioned using this boat in class III whitewater. Although it is a nicely priced boat, it is most definitely not a safe, or even suitable, canoe for class III, or even class II ww; short for tandem, wide, flat, flexible, easily collapsed when broached, unable to handle standing waves and heavy currents. Have fun on flatwater, but no consumer fix can make this boat a whitewater tripper. Less than "1" on whitewater.

05-11-2000
Submitted by: RLJ - Rating: 10 of 10
     Our maiden voyage was great! The canoe handled great! Have to keep an eye on it my kids are wanting to use it now. I'm satisfied with my first canoe.

05-04-2000
Submitted by: Rick - Rating: 9 of 10
     We bought the Rogue River because of pricing, but thought we prefer Old Town Discovery 158 which we often rented. On our maiden voyage, my wife (for the first 2 miles of the float) hated the canoe, no room for legs in front. It was then we discovered we were in the canoe backwards!!! Ha! We love it now!!! Plenty of room if you get in it right!

04-26-2000
Submitted by: RLJ - Rating: 10 of 10
     I just purchased my canoe along with a canoe trailer. I use my truck to pull a fith wheel trailer for camping 36ft. I couldn't talk my girlfriend into hauling the canoe on top of her Olds-Bravada but anyway were ready. from what we seen of the other canoes in our area this was the best for the money. Bought the canoe at Sams, the trailer at a boat dealer. Will post how our maiden voyage for the canoe and us went later.

04-22-2000
Submitted by: Mike Beecher - Rating: 9 of 10
     A well designed, durable, all-around canoe, the price/feature ratio can't be beat. At full weight capacity of 750 lbs. plus, this canoe only drew 5 inches. I found that by packing gear low to the bottom, the Rogue River is alot more stable, and in class III whitewater or above, the smoothe bottom makes it hard to keep the canoe straight. I am working on a modification to correct this one small problem, and will post a modified review. The inner-hull lining and built-in seats keep the canoe afloat and stable, even when swamped.

08-24-1999
Submitted by: Mike Palmer - Rating: 8 of 10
     We've had this canoe for only one season, but have become addicted to canoeing so I guess thats a good recommendation! It's a bit heavy for one person to lug around, but makes up for it in durability. Easy to control, and quite agile as well!

06-16-1999
Submitted by: Bill Southers - Rating: 10 of 10
     It's tough, stable, handles great. I think it's a good "all round" canoe. I use it in white water for the thrill and in flat water for fishing and just paddling.

06-03-1999
Submitted by: Dick W. - Rating: 10 of 10
     Hulls are thermoformed form a single sheet of high density high molecular weight polyethylene plastic. Seats are roto-molded ployethylene injected with a ployurethane foam. The center seat incorporates a water-resistant storage compartment. It also has a built in cooler.

03-30-1999
Submitted by: Dave Brzuz - Rating: 10 of 10
     Purchased in the beginning of March, and I love it! I bought it from Sam's Club and got a whole package including 13'11" Rogue River Canoe, two paddles, a dry storage compartment, and three molded seats with built in cup holders. I reviewed plenty of canoes and this one couldn't be beat. The whole package costed me $426.00 including tax. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants exceptional value and uncompromising durability.

01-01-1999
Submitted by: Frank Bennett - Rating: 10 of 10
     Durable-inexpensive-stable.

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