Product Reviews > Canoes > Nova Craft Canoe > Prospector 17

Reviews for Prospector 17 Canoe by Nova Craft Canoe

Rated: 8.82/10 Based On: 11 Reviews

Length: 17' 0" - Width: 36.0" - Starting at: $1779.00
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03-12-2013
Submitted by: Raymoondo

- Rating: 9 of 10
My wife and I own 8 canoes including an assortment of solo and tandem canoes for river running and tripping. The Nova Craft 17 Prospector has been on many wilderness adventures with me including 6 trips on the Pukaskwa River in Ontario. It comes off of rocks from glancing blows and boofs better than any large canoe I have paddled in my 40 years of river running and it holds a lot of gear and is stable and predictable.

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12-04-2007
Submitted by: Daryl Tumbleson - Rating: 10 of 10

I had sold my 17 ft Nova Craft Propector and my 16 ft Nova Craft Prospector when I bought new boats in the past. I just traded a Wenonah Ultra Light Minnesota II to get my 17 ft Nova Craft Prospector back. The Wenonah was fast but I just love the Nova Craft Prospector line. They use strong Aluminum gunnels and beautiful ash furniture. Looking back on years of canoing and several different models I think the Nova Craft Prospectors in Royalite are the best bang for the buck and the most versatile and beautiful canoes out there. If I could only have one boat it would be the 16 ft because I paddle solo most of the time but I never hesitate paddling the 17 ft solo either. Great Company and a great boat.

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05-29-2007
Submitted by: Frank T - Rating: 9 of 10

Novacraft Blue Steel Prospector 16. My 3rd season with this boat. My gel coat skills have improved immensely. The scuffing and scratching is painful, take a knife to your Lexus paintwork, it's the same. However dont fret, this is aesthetic only. The boat is light, strong turns well, and is fast and man handleable. Impresses the pants off fellow UK paddlers

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10-25-2006
Submitted by: T. Law - Rating: 1 of 10

In May of 2006 I purchased a Nova Craft,17 ft. prospector, kevlar/spectra, canoe from The Wilderness Supply Co. Ltd. in Thunder Bay, Ont. Canada.

In July of 2006 while canoeing on Bedivere Lake in Northwestern Ontario, Canada, we headed diagonally into oncoming waves with a chop of approximately one ft. After about 3 to 4 minutes into these waves, the wave action forced the bottom of the canoe to bulge upward midway between the front and rear seats. At the right and left extremities of the bulge the canoe hull fractured and water started entering the canoe.

This was a dangerous, shocking and frightening experience when your in the middle of a wilderness lake. We managed to get back to our base camp without sinking, where I was able to make some temporary field repairs with duct tape and other materials found in the field that allowed us to return to our point of entry.

I hope by relating my experience with a canoe manufactured by Nova Craft Canoes, future potential canoe buyers will be careful in the selection process!

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09-13-2006
Submitted by: kencanoe - Rating: 9 of 10

Update after 11 days in the Adirondacks. The boat handled really well. Just what I expected. Family of four with all of our gear, no problem. Paddling around solo at dusk, lots of fun. Bent shaft paddle gets you moving on flat water. Previously I stated that I moved the seats 4" to the center...that wasn't enough. I ended up moving both seats 9" to the center. To do this i ordered a center seat ($45) and put it in the front. Front seat moved to the back. I really like this arrangement. Wood gunwales are good, but not as nice as others I've seen. R-lite has worn some...if we keep doing rough landings and drag-outs I'll need skid plates in three years.

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07-07-2006
Submitted by: kencanoe

- Rating: 9 of 10
I've paddled a bunch of rental canoes and sold my Penobscot 16' to buy a prospector 17' r-lite wood gunwales. This is a large capacity boat that handles best with some weight in it. Paddling solo I fill a few dry bags with water. Some flexing on the bottom...expect this with R-lite. I pulled off the gunwales and gave them a coat of tung oil (this is what they use at the factory)...I cut an inch and a half off the center thwart to make it 34.5 inches wide with more tumblehome...I shimmed the center thwart to tilt back and it feels better (less slide) when I tilt the front of the boat up when portaging...(at 67lbs this is about the limit of what I want to carry these days) I moved the seats four inches toward the center. Reinstalling the seats I snapped a few bolts (got tung oil on the threads, oops!) I drilled half inch holes into both ends of the decks for drainage (when the boat is flipped upside down the water now has a way to drain) I may add wood spacers to the inwales for drainage...still thinking about it. Changing the shape of the boat voids the warranty so I am not recommending this. So far I just paddled in the pine barrens...heading to the Adirondacks in August. I'll write a follow-up after that.

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10-14-2004
Submitted by: --- - Rating: 10 of 10
I reported on Nova Crafts 17' Blue Steel Prospector Canoe back in June. Since then my wife Barbara and some friends paddled two of them for 45 days and 1000 km down the Dubawnt River and Thelon River to Baker Lake in Nunavut. We ran rapids, paddled big lakes, dragged over ice and every landing the heavily loaded canoes were dragged over rocks, gravel and sand. The scratching looks horrific but in no way is the integrity of the canoes compromised. Their handling qualities were superb both in rapids and storm tossed lakes. They are singularly the best tripping canoe that Barbara and I have ever paddled. Blue Steel made with Nova Craft�s Infusion Process is definitely the way to go. They are both light and incredibly strong. They are aptly named.

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10-02-2004
Submitted by: cbhomeseller

- Rating: 10 of 10
Just paddled Black Canyon of the Colorado from Willow Beach to Arizona Hotsprings. 8 miles up and 8 miles back. This was a solo paddle but the new 17' Prospector did great. Started out paddling from the bow seat with canoe facing backwards. When the wind came up I moved to the center kneeling and paddled with bow front. The canoe was very easy to manage even in strong quartering headwind. A lot of boat solo but still very manageable. Used my new Bending Branches Explorer Plus Paddles. The trip took 2hrs and 40 min upstream and 2hr 20 mins downstream in headwinds. Can't wait to get the canoe in some good whitewater. It has just the right amount of rocker to give you the best of both worlds. Bought my boat at Sierra Outdoor Center in Auburn, CA. Great shop and a great boat.

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06-18-2004
Submitted by: jonathan berger - Rating: 10 of 10

Since 1971 and a trip down the Eastmain, i have paddled prospectors. In 1971, they were wood and canvas from Chestnut Canoe Company. Since the early Eighties, I have paddled Nova Craft's model 17'. Like its wood and canvas predecessor, it can handle all sorts of water. It does just as good a job on small narrow twisty shallow streams as on the big lakes and the wide fast rivers. For one boat for one trip i would always take a prospector.

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06-04-2004
Submitted by: --- - Rating: 10 of 10
For many years Nova Craft Canoe has supported us in film making projects in the Canadian Arctic. Always with 17' Royalex Prospector canoes. They are a truly versatile canoe and large enough to support us for a complete six week trip. This year we are going with a new 17'Prospector from Nova Craft called "Blue Steel" wich promises to be the best long distance river tripping canoe that we have ever paddled. It weighs in at 58 lbs and the initial tests done on Lake Water paddling only, have proved to be a real treat. No! It is not Kevlar! Rather it is a completely new layup of a core material of Spectre Cloth. Then for stiffening it is sandwiched between a blended Carbon Fibre and Kevlar Cloth. It gives the canoe a unique blue/black to black appearance depending on the light. Because of its narrow entry lines, it was much faster than a royalex canoe and because of its rigidity it is incredibly responsive in the water. This year we will have two of them on the Dubawnt River in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. A six week 1000 km trip without food replenishment to Baker Lake. It will be an excellent test for these new canoes, and I will report again when we return at the end of August.

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09-24-2003
Submitted by: LGraubner

- Rating: 10 of 10
I ordered my Nova Craft Prospector 17 from Canada and had it shipped to Tennessee where I live. I've had it out several times and I am very pleased. At 64 lbs. it is 20 lbs. less than my Old Town Discovery 169 so the portaging is much better.

The seats are laced with hiking boot material and are very comfortable. The yoke is sculpted and has a notch for your neck vertebrae which does make it more comfortable for portaging. The boat paddles well solo in the front seat facing rearward. It does well heeled over also if you prefer that paddling style.

It is not as responsive as a Prospector 16 with more rocker, but as I wanted a boat for river trips of a week in duration, this is the canoe for me. The boat is deep enough to handle whitewater, light enough to carry and the 1,200 lb. payload will let you bring the kitchen sink if so desired.

I bought mine in Royalite and had Kevlar skid plates installed at the factory. The boat will see many more years of use, but all in all, this is the best boat in my fleet of 4 canoes and 5 kayaks. I highly recommend it and the quality and craftsmanship put into the boat by NovaCraft are outstanding.

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