A Versatile tandem with excellent performance and easy handling on rivers and lakes. One of our Best Sellers!
"Balanced" is the best word to describe the Spirit II. It travels distances easily yet turns extremely well. It's capable on rapids, and open water, too. It's big enough for trips. It's also very stable.
So, does it obsolete all others? No. If you want an elevated level of a certain attribute, say tracking or capacity, then a specialized design may suit you better. But if you need a canoe that delivers a good level of all types of performance, the Spirit II is ideal.
Canoe & Kayak Magazine tested it, and concluded, "...this canoe is simple and functional. If you could have only one canoe to serve all your needs for the rest of your life, the Spirit II would be one of very few candidates."
At 17' long, it strikes a good balance between the efficiency of a longer hull and the maneuvering of a shorter one.
The Spirit II is safe and roomy, too, having capacity for medium-heavy trips. With two large people it draws just 4", leaving lots of reserve buoyancy for gear. Loaded it becomes more stable yet still handles well, even on waves.
Should you have a Spirit? If no single Wenonah seems ideal due to its specialization, you likely need the wide versatility of our Spirit II, or its cousin, the Aurora.
Also, you may wish to consider the Champlain. Similar in concept, this canoe can better suit larger people and heavier loads.