If you are one of the many canoeists who find themselves without a partner on occasion, the Tripper 'S' is just what you have been looking for.
For the past 20 years, the Tripper 17’6″ has been Clipper’s most popular model. We often had brainstorming sessions as to how to improve the Tripper, and in the end we decided to leave our best selling canoe alone. What we did come up with was a smaller version of the Tripper that also performs as an excellent solo canoe – the Tripper ‘S’.
The Tripper ‘S’ is 16’6″ with a four-inch waterline width of 31.5″ (versus 33″ in the Tripper). The canoe is asymmetrical with noticeable tumblehome that starts in front of the yoke and increases significantly towards the stern thwart. This results in a maximum beam at the gunnel of 32″. The Tripper ‘S’ is a delight to paddle solo yet it still provides sufficient volume for tandem wilderness trips. It has slightly more rocker for its overall length than the Tripper, which makes it more maneuverable and easier to control when paddled solo.
If you are one of the many canoeists who find themselves without a partner on occasion , the Tripper ‘S’ is just what you have been looking for; it comes standard with a kneeling thwart for solo paddling. This thwart can be easily removed when not in use. You can order an optional third seat or a removable foam saddle in place of the kneeling thwart. Check with your Clipper dealer for pricing on these options.
Tripper ‘S’ Water Test by Canoe Kayak Magazine
Western Canoeing has been building canoes under the Clipper brand for more than 25 years. Its lineup includes a wide variety of “composite” canoes, constructed of both fiberglass and Kevlar® material.
The 16-foot-6-inch Tripper S made available for this review was constructed in the company’s standard fiberglass layup and is a downsized version of the company’s popular 17-foot-6-inch Tripper touring canoe. The “S” definitely stands for solo use; at 33 inches wide, the canoe is fairly narrow, greatly enhancing ease of solo paddling but adding an element of “sensitivity” when it’s paddled tandem. (In other words, it helps if tandem paddlers know what they’re doing!). The Tripper S is an outstanding solo-tripping or cruising canoe, however, with excellent speed (thanks to its relatively long waterline), tracking, and carrying capacity.
Quality fiberglass boats are light, stiff, and excellent value for the money, and the Tripper S is no exception. Our test boat tipped the scales at a very manageable 67 pounds and was the stiffest canoe paddled of the boats reviewed (the hull is reinforced with laminated foam ribs and floor). The Tripper S is also available in Kevlar®.
Snippet of Review on Paddling.net by Tom
“…without a doubt my best investment in outdoor equipment has been my Clipper Canoe. She is now 30 plus years old and going strong…”. Life is short and worrying about scratches and various damage to your boat just detracts from the outdoor experience.” “The car took off and ran over the (bow) line and folded the boat over the car rack. It snapped the gunnel but the fiberglass shell was fine.”
“Plastic tractor seats may look cheap as compared to the classic cane seats but they are so much more comfortable and durable. Also, the seats are set below the gunnel making for better stability.” “With these (foot) braces you feel more at one with the boat and are able to brace with more confidence as well as paddle with more power.”
“At 16′ my boat seems to have the right combination of width and length to ride up and over most heavy wind whipped waves without spearing through the waves. The weight of the Clipper is reasonable and I have always done the carrying of my boat myself as it just seems easier and I am not a big guy…5’6″ tall. Carrying capacity is great. Surely I have over loaded this boat many times and it always performed like a trooper.”
Review on Paddling.net by JC
I have owned the Tripper S in Kevlar for three years and paddle about 50days per year – a mixture of lakes and rivers with two circuits of Bowron Lakes (one solo, one tandem). I am a lifelong paddler (late 50s), and I have been in love with canoes before (cedar canvas prospector, Royalite prospector).
The Tripper S is a great canoe for me — 90% of my paddling is solo. It is light, loads and portages easily. It is fast through the water, tracks well and handles waves. Somewhat slower turning is the compromise for tracking, so better for flat water than whitewater. Kneeling to paddle solo is a fantastically stable – pad your knees.
In tandem paddling, both paddlers should have experience or at least coordination. The Tripper S is not forgiving of a large, inexperienced and uncoordinated paddler. If all my paddling was tandem, I think I would still want my Tripper S. If all my paddling was tandem tripping, I would go for the Tripper.
So why 10/10? It seems like this canoe was custom built for me.
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