BURGUNDY

Wenonah Spirit II Royalex Canoe

$1274.09
$1499.00^*

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Item # 833007

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Equally nimble on the lake or the river, the Wenonah Spirit II Royalex canoe combines durability with versatility.

Royalex® multilayer composite offers excellent abrasion resistance and springs back from impacts
Royalex also makes a much lighter weight hull than standard polyethylene and offers excellent strength and toughness
Exterior layers of vinyl sandwich interior layers of ABS plastic and undergo heating and molding, producing a high-quality watercraft material
Rigid foam core provides structure and buoyancy
Generous width and depth allows enough capacity for an expedition, and shallow arch hull is stable when loaded
Moderately rockered hull offers a great balance between maneuverability and speed
Vinyl gunwales and black end caps offer excellent durability; molded carry handles at bow and stern decks aid in transport of 69 lb. canoe
Webbing seats are cool and comfortable, and suitable for sitting or kneeling
Seats are hung from the gunwales with aluminum plates to increase paddling comfort and eliminate the need for rivet heads on exterior of canoe
The Wenonah Spirit II Royalex canoe features wood thwarts and an ash yoke

Made in USA.

Item 833007

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Wenonah Spirit II Royalex Canoe Customer Reviews

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Wenonah Spirit II Royalex Canoe

4.0

(based on 1 review)

Reviewed by 1 customer

Displaying review 1

May

2012

(12 of 12 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Wenonah Spirit II

By Canoebear

from Upland, Ca.

See all my reviews

Pros

Does as advertised
manufacturer support
Performs well
Quality construction
Reasonably Priced
Tracks well
Versitle

Cons

Not for Class IV or more
Slight oilcanning

Best Uses

All around touring
Camping fishing photo
Family outings

Comments about Wenonah Spirit II Royalex Canoe:

Let me start with a little background. I'm in my mid 50's and have been in canoes since before I could walk, as have our kids. My wife and I have been married over 20 years, and I introduced her to serious paddling when we were still dating (if you want to see IF a relationship will last, go paddling ;-). We sport a family of 7. We own 19 canoes and kayaks, and have paddled, build, repaired, altered, or modified almost every conceivable make or type of canoe on the market (barring dugouts and Birch Bark). Several times a year we try to introduce people to the sport. And, I'm a research fanatic.
In the summer of 2003 we had to dry dock our 1964 Moore Venom Racer for repairs and a very special face lift. My wife and I used the Venom Racer like most serious canoeists use a touring canoe. It's an extension of our bodies and fast enough to outrun small sailboats, yet after years of practice with specialized strokes, we can maneuver just fine in the thickets (for experienced paddlers only). After trying a substandard stand-in for a canoe trip, I knew I couldn't last the season without a real canoe separating me from the water.
My wife and I had talked about getting or building an all-around touring canoe. One that would go and do the few things we couldn't make the Venom Racer do. We found it while returning from a canoe trip near Lake Tahoe. A maroon Wenonah Spirit II Roylex with a center portage thwart. Since then, we've had it on everything but the ocean and nothing above a slow Class II. This includes an incredible 60 mile+ trip and portage in the back country waters of British Columbia. Here's how I rate the Spirit II.
It does everything Wenonah says it does. It's solid as a rock. Normally we like to "stable" our canoes when the other person climbs in or out. On the Spirit II, I just shove off and jump in. When loaded light, it skips across the water, but loses some tracking. Once cresting a wave side-to in a heavy wake, a strong crosswind gust lifted the entire canoe out of the water (we've never flown a canoe before). It was just a few inches off the water (at best), and we landed just fine. So you could say it also has good aerodynamic stability too. When loaded heavy, it digs in but doesn't compromise its maneuverability. We carried the majority of gear for four people on our 5 day British Columbia trip. Even in heavy chop with swirling winds and waves rolling down the gunwales, we never lost control of the canoe. I found the portage thwart to be well balanced, but uncomfortable outside of the short haul. I installed special Yoke Pads on Wenonah's portage thwart and fell in love all over again. Problem solved. After experiencing various hull shapes, I'll probably never be happy with anything but an arced bottom. This is one of Wenonah's trademarks. These hulls are quicker and more maneuverable than most non-specialized hulls. Their initial stability (how stable they feel) is almost as good as a flat bottom, but they retain a good secondary stability (how well they can be leaned and recovered, or slide sideways down a wave). And they don't concentrate bottom damage along the keel line like "V" hulls and those with actual keels. The Royalex holds up well. It has taken a few significant hits and though we have dents to show for them, the canoe was never compromised. However, I will probably install some Kevlar stem guards since speed isn't an issue. And last but not least, it's very quiet on the water. If you like to hunt, fish, photograph wildlife, or just sneak around, this is the vessel. Now for the down side.
First understand I'm accustomed to our racing, so these issues will not be issues for most canoeists. Speed is not its strong point. It paddles well and moves easily, but not fast and effortlessly. Royalex has a lot less drag than HDPE (including PolyLink3). Still it's faster than most plastic, aluminum, and Royalex touring canoes, but can't compare with the polished finish of composites hulls like fiberglass and kevlar. You must earn your speed with a discounted cadence. As for tracking, it lacks real tracking by my wife's standards. Too much effort is spent correcting its course (in racing canoes, you want every stroke of the paddle to move you forward, not back onto course). Racing canoes track straight with every stroke like they are on rails. She is spoiled in that respect. In an unbiased statement, the Spirit II is NOT a racing canoe. It tracks and maneuvers better than many canoes I've been in, and this includes some other high rated big name canoes. Unloaded there is a tendency to oilcan just a bit. The bottom middle of the canoe bulges up. This is normal for many canoes and does not hurt the canoe or alter its performance. It slices through waves (which is a good thing normally), but without a cover, deep waves can roll right in over the gunwales. A price you pay for a touring canoe without flair on the freeboard (a hull design that slows the canoe, but helps the top ride high in the waves). I wish it were faster, but do not hold it against the Spirit II. Still, I have to say, it can back up all of its claims. Without a doubt, it is one of the very best quintessential touring canoes on the market.