CAN I AFFORD A REAL CANOE?
Can I afford a real canoe from a real canoe shop?
There are lots of places to buy things to paddle, and it can be difficult to figure out where to go and who to talk to. We’d recommend you talk to experts! But that can be intimidating, especially if you don’t know if you can even afford what they sell.
So what is the starting price on a canoe? Follow the link below to get a rundown on canoe pricing and what you get for what money. But the short answer at our shop is this:
Our least expensive NEW canoe is around $1,200.
With 2 paddles and 2 life vests, the package is about $1,538. (+ Mass tax)
Why is that more than you might see at a big box store or discounter?
Because it is a real, quality canoe.
Because it is made by a manufacturer who stands behind their product.
Because it will perform for you on the water and be a joy to paddle.
Because it will last you (and your kids) for years and years.
The expert advice you get from us is free. We are not marking prices up over the discounters, you are just getting a better product.
We also sell used canoes for really big savings!
The challenge is finding them… We actively look for good condition used canoes that we can pass along at reasonable prices. If you have a canoe you’d like to move along, let us know. We take trade ins as well.
More About Canoe Pricing
Overview
How much a canoe costs depends mostly on what material it is made of. Features, trim, brand and other factors can certainly have an effect, but the biggest factor is unquestionably what material the hull is formed from. For a full description of materials, visit our Canoe Materials page.
At White Rose Canoe, we try to stock canoes that are affordable to paddlers on a budget. That being said, we don’t stock any cheap pseudo-canoes and only stock brands that we are confident produce a quality product. But what does that mean in terms of price? If you came in to talk to us about a canoe, what’s the bottom end and what is the top end? This page should give you an idea.
Important note: While the world’s supply chains are starting to improve, it can be hard to get the boats we want when we want them (one major manufacturer has issued quotas for 2023 - we already know how many boats we’ll get for all season from them). In normal times we would only includes boats and equipment we have in plentiful stock or can quickly get on a list like this. At present we cannot guarantee that is the case. We certainly have or will soon get some of each of these boats, but once stock is gone, we can’t predict the lead times to get replacements.
(The remainder of this page is still under construction - we’re updating based on expected stock and prices)
$1200-$1650
The Nova Craft Prospector 15 in SP3 lists at $1214. Bending Branches Loon wood paddles are $79.95 and a good paddling pfd (life jacket) starts at $99, and you get 10% off accessories if bought with a boat. So this package (boat, two paddles, two pfds) would run $1538 (+ tax). With a 16’ Prospector ($1329), the package would be $1653 (+ tax).
With this you would get a durable, stable canoe suitable for lakes and rivers. Good for families (the 16 offers a little more room), fishing and general use. It’s drawback? It’s heavy - the 15 footer weighs 80 lbs.
$1800 - $2250
Option 1: Fiberglass. A Nova Craft 15’ Bob Special or Prospector 15 list for $1799 in fiberglass. Add in a pair of BB Loon paddles and two good PFDs, and you have a package for $2123 (+ tax). If you stepped up to a 16’ Nova Craft Pal or Prospector 16 in fiberglass, the boat list would be $1899, so the package would be $2223 (+ tax).
The benefits of moving up to fiberglass would be: a drop in weight, to around 60-65 lbs; wider range of models to choose from; the stiffness of fiberglass improves performance. The primary drawback is that while fiberglass is tough and durable, it is not as tough as SP3 or T-formex.
Option 2: T-Formex. More on this soon.
$3000+
More to come, lots of options here!