Gear Review: Old Town Penobscot Canoe

Value Rating: 10 Durability Rating: 9 Overall Rating: 10 Location of Test: Willamette River Duration of Test: 4 days Product Name: Penobscot Canoe Product Brand: Old Town Best Use: All around flat water and moving water canoeing Penobscot 164 Length: 16' 4" | 5 m Width: 37.5 in | 95.3 cm Width at 4" Waterline: 33.75 in | 85.7 cm Bow Height: 20.25 in | 51.4 cm Depth: 14 in | 35.6 cm Weight Capacity: 1250 lb | 567 kg Weight: 75 lb Penobscot 174 Length: 17' 4" | 5.3 m Width: 36 in | 91.4 cm Width at 4" Waterline: 34 in | 86.4 cm Bow Height: 22 in | 55.9 cm Depth: 14 in | 35.6 cm Weight Capacity: 1500 lb | 680.4 kg Weight: 83 lb The Full Review: I have found the Penobscot series from Old Town to be excellent all-around tandem touring canoes at an excellent price. There are a lot of fancy high-end canoes, but the Old Town Penobscot holds its own. This boat is an all-around flat water/moving water canoe that offers great versatility. I paddled a Penobscot 174 on a four day overnight recently and was very pleased with how it performed. The high weight capacity meant we really didn't have to skimp on food or comforts and the boat was still able to handle very comfortably. The minimal rocker and pointed bow and stern help the boat track well but it still wasn't hard to maneuver well. I found the hull shape offered reliable primary and secondary stability paddling in all conditions, paddling flat water, moving water, loaded, empty, tandem, solo, and even standing up. It’s even reliable with more precise maneuvers such as fast eddy turns, peel outs, and ferries. I'd even feel comfortable throwing some float bags in it and giving it a go on some class II rapid sections. I mentioned briefly that the Penobscot paddles well solo, but I want to emphasize this. A lot of people see canoes only as two-person boats. Many canoes, but certainly the Penobscot paddles very well as a solo paddler as well either by sitting on the front seat and paddling backward or by kneeling just behind the portage yoke. It can be a bit more difficult fighting a breeze, but especially with the weight of some gear to balance the trim, this would be a pretty reasonable solo boat as well. The durability of these boats is definitely a big plus for me. I have done a lot of trips with very nice Kevlar boats that are very lightweight and easy on the portage, but you definitely have to be more careful with them. With the Three Layer Polyethylene construction of the Penobscot, I didn't need to worry about running the boat up on the stone beach when landing or playing in the current around rocks and shallow channels. There are obvious benefits to an ultralight canoe, but the remarkable durability of these heavier boats is a huge plus as well. The Good: The versatility of this boat is excellent. Everything from an hour or two paddle with the family, kids, dog, you name it, day paddles on flat water or down a river, to week-long or even month long trips, the Old Penobscot has you covered. The durability gives confidence and peace of mind that you don't have to baby your boat too much. The price. For a little over $1000, you can get a quality two person, versatile, family friendly boat that will last many many years. The Bad: The weight is probably the biggest draw back of these boats. It is definitely not a small lift to get it on the car. And portaging one of these boats solo is not for the faint-hearted. The Bottom Line: This is a great versatile boat at a great price.