Product Details
We pride ourselves in having a wide selection of make and models to choose from at Rutabaga, but that means that we sometimes don't have specific models or colors shown on our sales floor. If you want to come and check out a specific boat on our sales floor, please call or email us in advance to set up a viewing appointment. If we don't have the exact make and model you're after on the floor, it could take 45 minutes or more to retrieve that specific boat from our warehouses.
The Chestnut Prospector has probably been described more often in text than any other canoe, it’s just that popular. Our version of this venerable craft is faithful to the original. Since 1984, we’ve gone out of our way to continue the tradition so future generations of paddlers can enjoy this icon of Canadian history.
The Workhorse of the Canadian north, our Prospector 16’ feels most at home loaded with gear on a remote wilderness lake or river. While it is best suited for river tripping, it remains versatile enough to be a good all round canoe. With experience, the self-righting aspects of the shallow arch hull will become apparent and confidence levels will soar. Whats more, it provides a very dry ride in big waves and whitewater. It is simply the best all round wilderness tripping canoe available.
Specs
| Length: | 16 ft |
| Max Width: | 36 in |
| Weight: | 45 lb - 66 lb |
| Number of Paddlers: | 2 |
| Bow Rocker: | 2.5 in |
| Stern Rocker: | 2.5 in |
Build Options
Materials
Aramid Lite
Aramid Lite canoes are the lightest boats Nova Craft makes and are intended for flatwater tripping. Built by infusing Aramid cloth with their high impact resistant vinylester resin these canoes have great strength to weight characteristics. While they are ideal for wilderness trips involving lots of long portages, it is also wonderful just to have a lightweight canoe to put on and off the car. We use Twaron fabrics to give you the power of Aramid.Blue Steel
Blue Steel is an aramid and carbon fibre hybrid material. These canoes are light like Nova Craft's Aramid Lite boats but are significantly stronger. Not only is the look of carbon fiber cloth very appealing but the carbon fibers add stiffness to the hull to increase paddling efficiency. Adding an inner layer of Innegra and infusing these hulls with high impact resistant vinylester resin makes a very rugged canoe. Blue Steel canoes are most at home in flatwater scenarios but have been proven very reliable on long Arctic river expeditions as well.Fiberglass
Fiberglass is an affordable composite material with a proven track record of durability. Nova Craft's fiberglass hulls are among the lightest and most rugged on the market today. They use woven fiberglass cloth to make a truly superior hull. Fiberglass canoes are great for recreational and cottage use and are a good choice for budget-minded individuals.TuffStuff
TuffStuff is a cutting edge proprietary composite made of basalt and Innegra fibers. Basalt fibre is made of melted basalt rock and Innegra is a fibre consisting mostly of polypropylene. When they are woven together into a cloth and infused with Nova Craft's high impact vinylester resin system, the result is simply amazing! TuffStuff canoes are a great choice for paddlers looking for a light canoe for extended flatwater tripping with more than enough strength to handle lots of abuse in the back country.TuffStuff Expedition
TuffStuff Expedition (TSE) is a more robust, heavier duty version of Nova Craft's standard TuffStuff construction. These canoes are an excellent choice for an expedition grade canoe for extended wilderness trips and some whitewater use. Stiff for great performance, incredible impact resistance and lightweight all in one canoe.Gunwales
Aluminum
Aircraft grade black anodized aluminum gunwales come standard. Sleek looking, lightweight and tough. An additional benefit of the aluminum gunwales is that they are virtually maintenance free and can last forever.Aluminum Lite
An anodized aluminum gunwale system with a slimmer profile than the regular aluminum gunwales to maximize weight savings. If you enjoy canoe tripping off of the beaten path, you’re likely no stranger to portaging. Shaving pounds off the total weight of the boat is usually very important to portagers; our new Aluminum Lite gunwales help keep this number as low as possible.Payment & Security
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