Canoe Outfitter in the Copper Harbor Area

[treeking]

Does anyone know of a canoe outfitter in the Copper Harbor area that can rent a Kevlar canoe for a 1 week trip to IR? I've tried searching the internet but without any luck. Thanks!

[Ingo]

It's been a few years, but the last time I looked I couldn't find anyone around C.H. or Houghton. I rented from Sylvannia Outfitters in Watersmeet, near the WI border where US 2 & US 45 intersect. It was the closest outfitter (maybe the only one) I could find in the U.P. with a kevlar canoe--rental kayaks are easier to find. Happily for me, they were on my way up there. And we really loved the canoe, a Souris River Quetico 17.

If you do happen to find someone else closer in the U.P., please let us know--there's at least a few folks who would be interested.

[Midwest Ed]

These folks are based right in Copper Harbor. Their kayak storage is right next to the Queen's dock. I delt with them a little bit last summer regarding bike rental. Seemed like real nice people.

http://www.keweenawadventure.com/outfitting.htm

[Rafiki]

Is there a place to rent canoe or kayaks in the Houghton area? Also, aren't people able to rent them at the rock harbor lodge or is that only for day trips and not for several days on the island?

[Ingo]

Is there a place to rent canoe or kayaks in the Houghton area? Also, aren't people able to rent them at the rock harbor lodge or is that only for day trips and not for several days on the island?

Yes you can rent canoes in Rock Harbor, both for day paddling and longer trips. But they are aluminum, not Kevlar. My biggest issue for tripping is that they don't have decent yokes for portaging, weight aside.

[Rafiki]

I'm a novice when it comes to kayaking and canoing. Can you explain how the yolk would affect the portage of the vessel. I think I follow you on the Kevlar, because that is a lighter material in comparison to the alumminum ones I am assuming are offered at Rock Harbor. Correct?

[Midwest Ed]

Can you explain how the yolk would affect the portage of the vessel?

A yolk is intended to make the weight of the canoe rest as comfortably as possible on your shoulders when the canoe is inverted over your head. They range from non-existent (in the case of many rentals) to cheap and unadjustable to custom fitted and padded.

[Rafiki]

So basically from what I have gotten from you is that it is highly unlikely that I will find an outfitter that rents top notch kayaks or canoes with yolks that would be acceptable in the eyes of someone that is not a novice, at least not in Cooper Harbor or Houghton? Also for a first water trip at Isle Royale, what would you recommend; a canoe, a kayak, or a double kayak? And why? Thanks.

[drobarge]

Some canoes have yokes, All eggs have yolks.

[Ingo]

Also for a first water trip at Isle Royale, what would you recommend; a canoe, a kayak, or a double kayak? And why? Thanks.

Frankly, I don't recommend an Isle Royale canoe or kayak trip for anyone without paddling experience. I just don't believe it's a place one should be learning to paddle. The water is too cold, it's too remote, and in a worst case scenario if you can't self-rescue, well, you're dead. To be safe it's important to know your abilities and stay within them, but if you haven't done it, how do you know what those are?

There are guided kayaking tours to I.R. from both MI and MN I believe. That would be good option. Or hook up with a paddling club in your area and get the experience you need. In any case going with someone who's experienced and trusted is important.

Appropriate or "top-notch" boats is also relative: something appropriate for a novice may be considered a barge by an experienced paddler, and a top-notch boat to an enthusiast may be unsafe for a novice. Given the appropriate experience and skills, very generally a kayak would be best in the waters of Superior, and a canoe for the inland lakes.

[Midwest Ed]

Some canoes have yokes, All eggs have yolks.

Auto spill chick can sometimes heart more than yelp.

[Midwest Ed]

Frankly, I don't recommend an Isle Royale canoe or kayak trip for anyone without paddling experience. I just don't believe it's a place one should be learning to paddle.

Ingo,

Is that your opinion for a trip limited to only inland lakes even with just minimum amount of proper gear and preparation?

[Ingo]

Frankly, I don't recommend an Isle Royale canoe or kayak trip for anyone without paddling experience. I just don't believe it's a place one should be learning to paddle.

Ingo,
Is that your opinion for a trip limited to only inland lakes even with just minimum amount of proper gear and preparation?

Hard to speak in generalities, but I wouldn't recommend it to say 2 people who were not already comfortable paddling a canoe. I think common sense and staying within your limits relative to conditions are the most important factors, however, but that's hard to judge of others. If you know when to stay off the water, even novices will be OK, but that's dependent on (a) knowing what's OK and (b) resisting sticking to the schedule. And of course, mother nature tends to throw curve balls at times. Certainly I'd recommend the inland lakes before Superior.

As a related side note, when my girls were young we would take our canoe out on a busy boating lake in the summer and purposely hit the biggest wakes I could broadside so that they would learn how to handle bigger waves (relax and go with the motion, don't fight it). Also practiced purposely capsizing and getting back in the canoe. On one occasion one of them got her head stuck between a thwart and the seat under the upside down canoe. That was a great learning lesson for everyone including myself, because I had not considered that scenario before. I had to first calm her down (and everyone else), fight my own urge to panic, then remove her life vest which was keeping her in place, help her go underwater to get out, and get the life vest back on. (I had to take my vest off too so I could dive down with her.) Experiencing this in warm water, close to shore, and with lots of people around brought home how disastrous a capsize could be in the middle of a big cold lake with no one else around.