Nova Craft - Prospector 18'

The cargo capacity of the Prospector 18’ model can only be described as massive. The Prospector lines produce a canoe that feels deceptively light and responsive, but there’s tons of space to pack in a load of supplies for any expedition with room left over to toss in the kitchen sink. The P18 is a big boat with straighter tracking than the shorter Prospectors. It’s perfect for the wilderness traveler intent on expedition style adventures or a large family wanting to travel in one canoe.

*Weights are based on year-long production averages and may vary.

*Adding options to your canoe will add to its overall weight.

Trim Systems

• • Aircraft grade black anodized aluminum gunwales come standard on Fiberglass, TuffStuff, TuffStuff Expedition composite hulls. Sleek looking, lightweight and tough. An additional benefit of the aluminum gunwales is that they are virtually maintenance free and can last forever.

  

  • Aluminum Lite gunwales, standard on the Aramid Lite and Blue Steel composite hulls. An anodized aluminum gunwale system with a slimmer profile than the regular aluminum gunwales to maximize weight savings. If you enjoy canoe tripping off of the beaten path, you’re likely no stranger to portaging. Shaving pounds off the total weight of the boat is usually very important to portagers; The new Aluminum Lite gunwales help keep this number as low as possible.

  

  • Ash gunwales provide many advantages. The most obvious reason to upgrade is aesthetic. Wood gunwales have a classic and traditional look that is tough to beat. But there are also some practical reasons why one may opt for ash over aluminum. Wood trim is quieter on the water. If you are interested in hunting, nature photography, or simply observing wild animals in their natural habitat, travelling very quietly is important. Animals are less likely to be scared away when paddles knock against wooden gunwales. Ash is also very comfortable to handle and carry because it is a non-conductive material. Aluminum, on the other hand, will heat up in the sun and get quite cold in low temperatures.

  

Materials

• TuffStuff is a cutting edge proprietary composite made of basalt and Innegra fibers. Basalt fibre is made of melted basalt rock and Innegra is a fibre consisting mostly of polypropylene. When they are woven together into a cloth and infused with Nova Craft's high impact vinylester resin system, the result is simply amazing! TuffStuff canoes are a great choice for paddlers looking for a light canoe for extended flatwater tripping with more than enough strength to handle lots of abuse in the back country. 
• TuffStuff Expedition is a more robust, heavier duty version of the standard TuffStuff construction. These canoes are an excellent choice for an expedition grade canoe for extended wilderness trips and some whitewater use. Stiff for great performance, incredible impact resistance and lightweight all in one canoe. 
• Aramid Lite canoes are the lightest boats Nova Craft makes and are intended for flatwater tripping. Built by infusing Aramid cloth with high impact resistant vinylester resin these canoes have great strength to weight characteristics. While they are ideal for wilderness trips involving lots of long portages, it is also wonderful just to have a lightweight canoe to put on and off the car. Nova Craft uses Twaron fabrics to give you the power of Aramid. 
• Blue Steel is an aramid and carbon fibre hybrid material. These canoes are light like Aramid Lite boats but are significantly stronger. Not only is the look of carbon fiber cloth very appealing but the carbon fibers add stiffness to the hull to increase paddling efficiency. Adding an inner layer of Innegra and infusing these hulls with high impact resistant vinylester resin makes a very rugged canoe. Blue Steel canoes are most at home in flatwater scenarios but have been proven very reliable on long Arctic river expeditions as well. 

TuffStuff: 68lb / 30.8kg

TuffStuff Expedition: 72lb / 32.7kg

Aramid Lite: 54lb / 24.5kg

Blue Steel: 60lb / 27.2kg

Length: 18 ft

Width: 36 in

Center Depth: 15 in

End Depth: 23 in

Weight:
TuffStuff: 68lb
TuffStuff Expedition: 72lb
Aramid Lite: 54lb
Blue Steel: 60lb

Max Capacity: 1400 lb