Wenonah Minnesota II Long-Term Ownership Review

Instagram: OldManofNewEngland
We've had this Minnesota II for close to 4 years. It's an 18' 6", ultra light weight aramid (Kevlar-type) canoe. These are my impressions and how we use it.

[@granthaller9544]

We have had the Minnesota 2 for several years and your review is spot on. I keep ours stored outside on wood horses with a Red leaf designs cover and it still looks great. I would add that it is narrow with a rounded bottom that gives it a “tippy” feel initially, but it has good secondary stability. It is fast! I have a great Old Town canoe from the ‘70s, but often didn’t want to load it due to the 80 or so pound weight. The 42 pound Minn. 2 is a breeze to load and portage.

[@wunkus]

I love mine, it's a great family camping canoe. And fast! Even loaded up, I can easily out pace my friends in kayaks.

[@OldManofNewEngland]

Totally agree! Thanks for watching!

[@andinageli8577]

looking for an fast and easy to paddle lake canoe we tried different Wenonah canoes. The Jensen 18 and the Minnesota II were the ones that really fly. We bought a Jensen 18 and are very happy with it but I am convinced, the Minnesota II is equivalent and we would recommend it to everybody who wants a flatwater canoe. Especially as the Jensen 18 is no longer available.

[@FreqBand]

I had a 17 foot "Jensen", maroon jelcoat and mahogany gunwales.

[@kd7tda]

Thanks for the nice review! Just curious if you have ever clocked your cruise speed with a gps? We have only tested one out in a pond where we couldn't get up to a comfortable cruise before having to turn around.🙃 We use to own a Wenonah Itasca which we loved but want to step down in weight.

[@OldManofNewEngland]

We’re pretty leisurely paddlers. I haven’t checked to see how fast we can cruise. It’s a pretty popular boat for tandem racing. 18’ supposedly makes for a very fast boat! Thanks for watching!

[@kd7tda]

@@OldManofNewEngland Okay, we don't race either but do like to cover a good distance each day. It looks like your canoe goes pretty good in your videos but sometimes a camera can distort reality:)

[@OldManofNewEngland]

@@kd7tda You certainly will be hard pressed to find a faster boat that is not dedicated to racing. Looking through my Strava routes, our overall average is about 4mph.

[@kd7tda]

@@OldManofNewEngland Okay, that's good to know. Did that include rest/stops?

[@OldManofNewEngland]

@@kd7tda Yes...all in!

[@wiscobuckeye]

I’m looking for a canoe that is hard to turn. Haha, just want the thing to go straight. How would you describe the MN 2’s tracking? Thanks!

[@OldManofNewEngland]

HA!! I understand. At 18 1/2', it tracks really well. Of course, there is no substitute for proper paddling technique!

[@jimeagling7508]

Maybe you can explain the difference between Aramid and Kevlar.

[@OldManofNewEngland]

Hi Jim - Kevlar is a Dupont-branded type of aramid. There may be performance differences but I'm not aware of them. Thanks for watching!

[@bluesideup007]

Kevlar (brand name) IS an aramid fabric. So, no difference. Kevlar can be interwoven with other materials (such as carbon fiber) and/or used in different layers to obtain different characteristics (stiffness, flexibility, compression or bending resistance, etc). How the fabric is laid up, what resin is used, and how (or if) it is vacuum bagged makes A LOT of difference.