Okay, so I'm getting in here late......
It's certainly a trade off, that's for sure.
I started out thinking that ( for me) a toon would be optimal, for all of the reasons that Jack mentioned. I bought a great one ( have since sold it) , but I never got to try it on the New. The thing weighed right at 84 pounds, and was too awkward for me to get on and off the vehicle by myself. It did fit INSIDE my commander ( barely), as long as I only wanted to bring other limited gear. Mine was a two person model, because I wanted the flexibility of taking a passenger. (That has it's own pros and cons , btw...). It took 10 minutes +/- to setup once I arrived on scene, which wasn't bad at all. I'm sure other models are lighter, but you lose the abillity to bring a buddy. What's the weight on a Sunrise anybody?
Most of these guys have more watercraft experience than me, but FOR ME , I would eliminate a SOT for the New first off. A: they are pretty darned heavy B: They are terrible to get in and out of when you want to wade ( which happens often on the New) and C: You are VERY low to the water. If i was planning on covering 12 miles of innnercoastal waterway a day, I would consider one. Maybe. I like to move around some. Yet they are very popular...and getting more so.
Maybe other folks know something that I don't , or haven't realized you can mount a center seat in a canoe.
Toons: Are MUCH more stable, allow you to stand, and can be "skooched" over rocks. They also can keep your hands free. BUT you'll get hung up more due to width of the craft, have somewhat limited accessable storage for coolers, etc ( much more storage than a SOT, though) . And in many cases, loading and unloading can be tough. They are also (probably) more susceptable to cross winds than canoes or kayaks, due to more sail area and a taller profile . ...(
maybe, that part is just opinion, not facts) . They are a breeze to get out of and wade.... with no problems at all. And they sure do look good floating down a river! I would also GUESS that you can learn to solo a toon with less learning curve than soloing a canoe....but in the long run investing a few hours in either craft with someone who knows the ropes is worth it. I've seen guys in canoes do stuff a toon couldn't even consider, on par with a kayak for sure.
A
well built Canoe, imo, has the best happy medium. A royalex boat is lighter and stronger, allows more passenger room and cargo area, moves faster in slow water than a toon, and gives greater overall felxibility of use. A Kayak covers alot more ground with less effort.
That said, I think getting in and out of my canoe in water more than shin deep is a minor pain in the rear...not as bad as a SOT, but still a pain.But then again Im not exactly a gymnast. You do have a paddle to deal with, but unlike a SOT you have plenty of space to just "drop" it into the boat and forget about it till it's needed.
I Heard alot about standing while fishing when I bought my toon, and how great it is; and I agree. It's cool to sight fish when the opportunity arrises.
But sitting in my canoe, my upper torso is almost exactly as far out of the water as if I was wading in high knee to mid thigh deep water.....where I typically am when wade fishing. I suck at casting...and it hasn't been a problem. Ive also been told to stay low when approaching spooky fish.
If at all possible, I would try all three more than once each, then make up your mind. I took a 200 dollar loss on my first purchase...and that's a tough lesson to learn.
GOOD LUCK!
Hybrid Mode
