I need a Canoe. Not sure what to get.

[Gabriel]

So the title says it, I need a canoe by mid spring and I don't know much.

I do know that aluminum canoes last a very long time and are pretty light. I was wondering if carpeting and painting the inside white would cut down on the noise and heat that aluminum canoes make. I want the canoe for the lakes that don't have accesses and for a spring trip to the lost 40.

Do you think a 15" aluminum canoe would carry two relatively big guys (we are both 6ft+ and 240+) plus a tent, a few gallons of drinking water, food, and some other camping stuff over some nice calm lakes? If the weather gets bad how screwed are we? On a scale from 1 to boned.

I put an add on craiglist, looking for canoe $200 and have gotten like 5 responses varying from fiber glass canoes that look like they have been outside for a thousand years to nice little aluminum ones with a few dings. I know fiber glass does break down but wouldn't a decent paint job stop this from happening? If the paint is faded is a fiber glass canoe still good?

[CALL ME RIFLE]

"On a scale of one to boned"...lol,funny stuff...
I dont know about what you are going to find for 200,but if I were you and wanted a tough azz canoe that can handle some whitewater,and pack a heavy load,I would look no further than here http://www.madrivercanoe.com/product_su ... iny_series
Youd be looking at about 700 tho,for a new one...but they go on sale with fair frequency,I have seen em new for around five..tough,awesome canoes...made of polyethylene,same stuff as whitewater kayaks,very tough...be careful if you look at a place like Dicks tho,they try to pass off some lower mad rivers as adventures at times,but they aint..lol you can tell by the fact that the lower models have the seats simply molded into the boat,the real adventure models have snap in bottom seats,with extendable/adjustable backrests like most kayaks....good stuff.And if I recall,weight limit on the 16 footer is right about 900 pounds...

[Gabriel]

Looks nice but it's out of my price range.
This is actually the one I am most interested in. 17ft fiber glass canoe in decent shape. It looks reasonably good for $200 right? My fear is it looks like it has been outside for the last decade...

[CALL ME RIFLE]

True indeed man,doesn't look bad for the money...although if you hunted a bit you could likely find a used mad river near that price range..nonetheless,hey,a bit of paint fading isnt bad...water test that sucker,make sure nothings cracked,seams are tight...if so,hey,jump on it!The paint situation is easy enough to fix...if it was me,and I bought that canoe,I'd probably look into rubberized paint(like Rhino lining),and hell I'd do the inside and out with it...buddy of mine did that to an old no name 14 ft. v hull,and man it looks good and is sneaky quiet...doesnt cost too much for the paint either,brush stroke it in around seams and such,do the rest with a roller...would be pretty cool