Thank you for stopping by to check out our new canoe inventory! Piragis is a Wenonah and Northstar dealer, and all canoes listed are availble for pickup today. The list of inventory displayed below includes each boat's model, layup type, trim/gunwale style, and price. For the sake of keeping the lists simple, many of the boats have options not listed here (such as internal skid plates). Call or email us to discuss further details.

  Northstar’s IXP layup utilizes materials to create an abundantly durable hull, one that can stand up to serious whitewater as much as any Royalex ever could. If you have been to our Boathouse in Ely, you will recall the whitewater canoe standing up in the showroom (the Ocoee), a boat designed specifically for whitewater. The Ocoee is the most obvious application of the IXP layup in the Northstar catalog, but there are other canoes available in this layup that may not have the hull design for maneuvering a class 4 rapid, but make use of the technology to deliver a rugged tripping boat for those who want to run some rapids on a full-blown river expedition, or pull over every beaver dam and skip the occasional portage in the Boundary Waters, at weights that would make the old Royalex canoes blush. We have two examples in stock and on super-duper sale.

 First is the Northstar Polaris. This is my favorite model built by Northstar, one I have spent many hours in with my youngest son. Without a strong paddler up front (he’s 8), the Polaris has been the perfect canoe to paddle in every Boundary Waters setting for the past few years, be that on a short daytrip or out tripping for a few nights. Our weight differential is extreme, and while offsetting with a water bag is necessary (a 30-liter sealine dry bag filled with water is my best friend), when I paddle that canoe from the stern without much assistance up front, it feels like I am paddling an efficient solo canoe. At 16’9” and a fair amount of rocker (not too much) I am able to maneuver in tight spaces while maintaining a high degree of efficiency out in wind and waves while crossing a lake. The Polaris accelerates fast, and when you put a second adult paddler in the front, this canoe can deliver real performance. Most canoes that would match its performance (Wenonah’s Escape comes to mind, albeit the Escape is faster on flat water) will feel twitchy to most and tippy to some, but the Polaris is somehow able to maintain stability that is comfortable for most. If I had to have one canoe to do everything (rivers, small lakes, big lakes, etc.), the Polaris would, without a doubt, be in that conversation.

  Second is the Northwind 16. If the Polaris is the sleek performance hull that can do it all, the Northwind 16 is its more stable, more versatile cousin. When I think about the Northwind 16 I think about a canoe that is fun to pair with a big freighter canoe like a Wenonah Champlain on trail. Throw two-thirds of your gear and your biggest guys in the Champlain, and the rest in the Northwind 16; then when you get to camp, you have a canoe that can be taken out to get water or fish as a solo – you can turn the Northwind 16 around backwards and paddle it solo from the bow. How many times have you been in camp and asked who wants to go out to get water or cast at an inlet for a bit, only to be met by groans, or snores in the early morning from someone who got a little greedy around the campfire? When we have had the Northwind 16 in camp with us, it seems to go out more than any of the other canoes for recreation. A fun, maneuverable boat with loads of stability and a low enough optimal load range to perfectly accommodate daytrips, the Northwind 16 is a great fit for people who want something they can paddle full of gear or empty, solo or tandem.

  Now the moment you all have been waiting for. These two canoes have been with us for a few years, stored safely in our canoe barn. The IXP makes these canoes heavier than most customers are looking for, but also several times more durable. With that said, it is time to find them a home, and we’re ready to offer them at a price that will make them move. The Polaris retails today at $3,395 in the IXP layup, and today we’re pricing it at $2556. The Northwind 16 retails today, with internal skids, at $3,500, and today we’re pricing it at $2,640.

  Call us today at 218-365-6745 and ask for Tom or me (Tyler). And as always, be sure to check out the used canoe inventory page on our website to see what we have available out of our rental fleet.