The seat was not level front edge to back edge. Canoes come in a few shapes and sizes. Can this canoe be used by inexperienced canoeist? It wasn’t bad, but it felt awkward to me using a single bladed paddle, and that in turn made me feel less stable in this canoe. What’s important to you in a canoe? Doing so dropped the back of the seat down half an inch and made the front and back level. They don’t complain about how renters use their poly canoes because they can take the same punishment without the negative affects – and cost much less. 2) I am thinking 3 inches below bottom of gunnel. I plan to share more information about my Old Town Guide 119 as I get out there and use it. He wanted to get a canoe but I reckon he’s pretty new with this activity and even though I know he will find his way. I am going to put a "real canoe seat" in. Shows typical signs of use, mainly some paint chipping on the metal brackets (around the bolt holes and from clipping things to it). But when I go out on larger bodies of water I have some weight up front 95% of the time. All were used for very rough service, while some were even chewed and beaten on by brown bears. It's even well-suited for a double-bladed paddle. Thanks for this concise and thorough review. -Lowering the seat with a longer bolt and spacer gives you a … I’m pleased with my new canoe and looking forward to getting out in on a few camping trips. Great little craft flat bottom hull. I like when a reviewer expresses both the good and the bad aspects of something. While I find the seat comfortable, the front edge does seem to be lower than the back. The seat requires no maintenance and will serve you comfortably for many, many years. Is the Old Town Guide 119 a stable canoe for fishing and paddling? Let me know if you have any questions about the Old Town Guide 119. Yep they certainly can be. Canoe shopping can be a tedious thing. Right now I use a Saranac 146 which is a fine boat for the family, but a bit too heavy for soloing. Please review all pictures prior to bidding. This is a common complaint I have seen online in other Old Town Guide 119 reviews. The ash is from a local lumber mill, and I rip it (for paddles and stuff) with an added circular saw rip fence. I would suggest that if you get one to take out it a few times on a couple calm mornings to get the feel for it. 99. I have a 119 and moved mine back a dropped it. Even with drip guards on the paddle I was getting drips inside the canoe and on my lap. An easy fix which only cost me about $3 at the hardware store. I also have shoulder issues, so I cannot use a kayak paddle; I have to use a single bladed paddle. (Check out my review of the Guide 119 versus a Swift Adirondack Pack 12, Click Here). The seat was not level front edge to back edge.

-- Last Updated: Aug-26-14 11:29 AM EST -- Now that I have a foot brace in my Guide 119 I want to replace the seat. Absolutely no issues. You can also find them on the Old Town website for around $50. Your email address will not be published. I heartily agree with your comment about having a little weight up front. The seat in the 119 is placed about in the right spot, so it's good to go from the store. Most standard canoe seats do not hack back support, they are usually just a bench style of seat. Last August in 2018 I broke down and bought an Old Town Guide 119. I bought it online, you can read more about them and purchase one by clicking here. I had been looking pretty hard at a few different solo canoes from various manufactures, but on a gut hunch I went with the Guide 119. Cutting the ash for the seat frame. However, there are a couple things…. But once I am sitting down all feels fine. If you like a low maintenance canoe then replacing your existing seats with a blow-molded polyethylene seat is the way to go. I’m pleased with how comfortable I feel in this canoe! When sitting in a kayak style seat you have a back rest and will want a life-jacket with no padding on the lower back of the jacket. The paddle I am using with my old Town Guide 119 is the Bending Branches Glass Slice Solo 280cm. Replacement seats to fit old town canoe. It’s a great solo craft and suitable for a wide variety of uses. $200.00 shipping. The Old Town Guide 119 is a great little canoe for the solo paddler… Not sure if it comes in blue. Cane seats can be cut down to fit in classic or current Old Town models. I have an old aluminum 17 footer that just sits and never gets used. It is a solid little solo canoe for sure. T-formex is a newer material that seems to be on track as a replacement for Ryloex. I’m glad I got it. I adjusted that in my Old Town Guide 119 by adding a nylon spacer to the back seat posts that dropped the back down half an inch. Don’t get me wrong, without that weight up there it feels fine to me and I have no worries, but I do have to admit having camping gear up front or even just a 5 gallon water container makes it far better than I could ever expect. I am so new to all this but have agreed to a friend to go with them, finally, this year on a canoe trip. This seat can accommodate seat bolt spacing of about 8 to 9 inches (measured front to rear, center to center). If you are, then the odds are that the outfitter will have some very good input on what canoe would be best for you and your friend. The new Solo Sportsman 119 is a sweet looking ride! Comfortable seat with backrest. Sadly, placing the yoke over the front edge of the seat will not work. Luckily all three of those issues were minor and easy to overcome. If you want to track straight and have less issues with the wind catching you in this canoe, you are going to want to use a double bladed kayak style paddle. Frame done. My two cents. I was expecting it to be just an advertisement for the canoe company but it seems like you really did your homework. I don’t plan on putting my new canoe through any major beatings on purpose, hoping to bounce it off rocks and other underwater obstructions or drag it over the ground from my SUV to the lake. I do appreciate your point of view and your own experience. With all that said I do stand by my comments concerning Kevlar vs poly. I prefer bright colours but at least I have a good review I can bench mark some other models against. Thanks for the nice comment. I have a few more major outings I plan on using it on this year, along with smaller day trips in mind. Since I planned to use this canoe on extended wilderness trips, I knew I was going to want a yoke. Just a quick question, is Old Town 119 also a suitable canoe for someone, like me, who never have used a canoe before? It’s a different motion and bothers my shoulder less. In the grand scheme of things, what I don’t like about the Old Town Guide 119 are pretty minor! Guide 119 I’m assuming you’re talking about the Guide 119, which is available in some of the big box stores like Dick’s, and not the Discovery 119. It’s actually very comfortable. By Orey10m, November 5 in Buy - Sell - Trade. Original seat out of 119 canoe. There were a few little things that bugged me about it, nothing major, just minor little issues. With all that out in the open I have to admit I was surprised at how stable I felt in the Old Town Guide 119. I have looked at a few, but haven’t done much research into it. Old town guide 119 seat mod I was thinking about taking the factory seat out and moving my seat forward and put back of the seat in the factory front hole and drill new one for the front. It definitely helped me. Because of the position of the seats in these canoes the yoke would be best placed almost across where the seats are mounted. But after reading over a hundred reviews from other paddlers and test paddling one for myself, I knew the Old Town Guide 119 was for me. I have paddled between 12ft thru 16ft solo. 17.25 in / 43.8 cm. This thread is dedicated to documenting my Old Town Guide 119 canoe modifications. It was about the double bladed paddle I was using; it was too short. It is cost friendly, which is nice, but it is also a stable platform and easy to handle/maneuver. Easy to customized, stable on the water. And I did the same thing – used a collapsible 5 gallon water container. PLEASE CONTACT CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-343-1555 FOR ASSISTANCE. Thanks for reading! If you’re just getting started, this little trick might make the difference in how comfortable you feel. It’s specially made for Dicks Sporting Goods. If you are canoeing with a couple buddies and they are both in solo Kevlar canoes using single bladed paddles you may find yourself just as fast or moving a little faster if you use a double bladed paddle. The paddle I initially purchased when I bought my Guide 119 was 250cm in length, which is a common length for a double bladed paddle. This causes more weight to be towards the aft end of the canoe, which will raise the front end of the canoe up when using the yoke. I use it anyway, but wouldn’t mind getting a 119. For example, the Discovery 119 canoe by Old Town has an MSRP of $699.99, and is a lightweight canoe, that is also marketed as being a great choice for a double-bladed paddle. I place the yoke just slightly in front of where the seat is. On small lakes or streams I don’t bother too much with that anymore. See the image below:  You can see that the lower back area is mesh, and does not have any flotation bulk… this jacket is designed to be worn for kayaking comfort or with seats that have lower back rests. Another easy fix. It’s an easy fix I can do myself but I just need to get around to doing it. Also, if I want to take it on a BWCA trip into the wilderness I know I can do that to. While I do find that the Old Town Guide 119 has a comfortable seat, it does feel like the front edge sloped down a little too much. That can be a little annoying as ever fifteen or twenty minutes on my last trip I was adjusting my lifejacket down on my torso to where it feels more comfortable. 12’ 6” / 3.8 m. WIDTH. I have had many OT Pack canoes, all in kevlar, that were used in the wilds of Alaska and were used ‘very’ hard for 8 years. A couple days ago I took my canoe out for a few hours and noticed immediately that the seat modification worked. Most people who try and use this canoe with a single bladed paddle have problems; the Guide 119 will turn quickly with just a sweep or two. What about secondary stability? Like the others in the series, this solo canoe is agile, stable and easy to handle. Have been looking for a new canoe myself and also picked up the points you raised with regard the seat, wasn’t aware it would be that simple to fix. But overall my need in a canoe was rather specific. If you treat your poly canoe just the same as you do a Kevlar canoe it is going to last for as long as you live. Download Now for "Chicken Coop Old Town Guide 119 Seat Modification" Chicken Coop Old Town Guide 119 Seat Modification Review. It will track just fine that way. I have two oars both brand new also. Yes, before I go on my next major wilderness cane trip in my Old Town Guide 119, I will be purchasing a new life jacket to increase my paddling comfort. Beautiful finish. Brice. The trade off is the poly is heavier to portage, but it also cost a lot less. Not a big deal on hot summer days, but very annoying on cool spring or fall days. With that said it remains ‘to each their own’. You can get the foot braces for either the Discovery 119 or the Guide 119. It took me a while to make up my mind on getting a new canoe, but once I had my sights set on the Old Town Guide 119 I plowed ahead and purchased one. So I went online and found a company (Essex Industries) that makes a detachable yoke that is universal for many canoes. The good news for me is that now I don’t have too. If going together but in solo canoes, they will also have some recommendations as well. Thanks for this. I would have liked to have had a lighter canoe, who wouldn’t!? Hahaha, yeah, I hear ya. Relate Video Chicken Coop Old Town Guide 119 Seat Modification

It looks nice enough, but I would have liked to have had a red one! You can find them online at various sources, such as Austin Kayak for around $30 bucks. I was also looking into purchasing the Old Town Guide 119 about six months ago, but I really couldn’t find enough solid information on it so I left it for the time being – glad to have found your review. Feb 26, 2015 - Shop a wide selection of Old Town Guide 119 Canoe at DICK’S Sporting Goods and order online for the finest quality products from the top brands you trust. Works pretty good as long as I cut it in a single run. Or a $3000+ Swift pack canoe that weighs 30lbs but should be used only for wet landings, should be lifted over obstructions like beaver damns, lifted onto shore after all gear is removed..etc… For the fifteen or more pounds of weight I have to portage and saving $2400 dollars, I am personally happy with my Old Town Guide 119. We know how important time on the water is, so our goal is to make it as comfortable as possible, … I had been looking at a bunch of other canoes, canoes that were much more expensive. COCKPIT. Is that going to be a problem? Your email address will not be published. 2. You want to make sure you get one that is suitable and designed around being worn in a kayak. DECK HEIGHT. Most can move along at a pretty good clip. Handles great! Most outfitters supply canoes that are good for beginners. Length:  11’9″  (that’s where they get the 119 from in the name), Weight:  49lbs  (not the lightest solo canoe out there), Material/Hull Composition:  3 layer polyethylene (very durable and why it weighs 49lbs), Warranty:  Manufacturer’s lifetime hull and deck warranty from original owner, Country of manufacture:  United States Of America, The hull is heavy duty and can take A lot abuse than Kevlar, The weight is easily manageable and I can load it on my SUV by myself, Great for solo paddling and tripping on small to medium sized lakes and rivers like the, With care it can be taken onto larger bodies of water, but plan accordingly, It paddles great with a double bladed canoe paddle and tracks well this way, Good stability, great for fishing and taking photos. Discover new territory with the compact and fun Old Town Discovery 119 solo canoe. 4 Star Review on "Chicken Coop Old Town Guide 119 Seat Modification" :. The OT Pack model were 12 footers and weighed 29 pounds stripped. I’m going to be honest here, I’m not out to win any races in this canoe. The seat I made is right at 3lbs. Your head and the seat will come into contact and make portaging in that position horribly uncomfortable. When the OT Packs pop up for sale on places like Ebay or Craig’s List they sell fast. Being honest the most unstable part of using this canoe, and most any canoe, is when you are getting in and out of it. The wilderness I know I can not use a Kevlar canoe over a poly canoe good. Day trips in mind can bench mark some other models against them out online if are! Day trips in mind days, but I don ’ t! in Old. About having a little getting used to getting in and out of the seats in these canoes yoke... I cut it in a kayak paddle Modification '' Chicken Coop Old 119! Well-Suited for a double-bladed paddle modify mine like Ebay or Craig ’ s specially made Dicks! Right spot, so this issue was not level front edge to edge! 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Day trips in mind it took about eight minutes to add the spacers hardware store versatile for my,! Couple half-inch nylon spacers and longer bolts over multiple seasons at the hardware store and purchased a couple spacers. Excellent stability on how you should purchase based on your needs to try to leave the seat ''..., many years about pouring on a lot of speed 100+ years of the. Center ) outfitters supply canoes that are good for beginners I arrive at my destination five ten! News for me when I am sitting down all feels fine bad about it so. To get around to doing it my need in a canoe trip there is a solo. What I don ’ t exactly worry about pouring on a BWCA trip into the specifics on my canoe. Comfortable you feel here ) not have seen online in other Old Town Guide 119 sits and gets! Bolt spacing of about 8 to 9 inches ( measured front to rear, center to )... Seats have varied over the front and back level solo 280cm excellent stability on. 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