Weight
Fiberglass: 69lb / 31.3kg
TuffStuff: 60lb / 27.2kg
TuffStuff Expedition: 65lb / 29.5kg
Aramid Lite: 48lb / 21.8kg
Blue Steel: 52lb / 23.6kg
Weights are based on year-long production averages and may vary.
Learn more about our materials here.
Dimensions
Length: 17′ / 518cm
Width: 36″ / 91.4cm
Center Depth: 15″ / 38.1cm
End Depth: 23″ / 58.4cm
Rocker: 2.5″ / 6.4cm
Capacity: 1200lb / 544kg
· Symmetrical Hull
· Shallow Arch Bottom
· Moderate Rocker
· Available with or without shoe keel in some materials. Weights listed above are for no-keel versions.
See Our Options Section
Reported on Nova Craft’s 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
George Drought
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.
Johnathan Berger
I wanted to thank Nova Craft Canoe for making such a wonderful product. I have been researching the perfect all around canoe for some time now and I am happy to say that I think I found it. I recently purchased a Prospector 17 to fill all of my canoe needs. I do a number of moderate length expeditions each year, both solo and tandem. I spent the last two months exploring the South East (USA). All told about 500 miles, 16 different river sections, 9 days in the everglades and a biked shuttle solo, source to sea on the St Mary’s river. The perfect all over the map trip to test my new craft. The symmetrical hull at this length should be a major selling point. It is pretty much the only one I could find. I solo paddle a lot and although that is quite a bit of canoe to throw around it worked terrific. Weigh down the bow a bit to moderate the trim and she glides. While tandem I couldn’t be happier. So stable and capable while loaded, and nimbly fun when not. Many thanks, I am psyched to see all the places she will take me.
Josh Lawrey
We have been paddling the Prospector 17 for two years now and it has become our favorite canoe. It has been on four wilderness trips on the lakes and rivers of northern Saskatchewan, it handled well in class II water, carries all our gear well and we fight to see who gets to carry it over the next portage.
Russell Hodgins
