It's summertime at the lake. The family clan gathers. It's a paddle-happy reunion—and everybody wants to go canoeing. There's only one problem. A flotilla of different canoes is stored in the shed. Some family members even brought their own boats! How will they decide which to use? Their choices will help guide you to the right canoe for your needs.

DID YOU KNOW?
According to U.S. Census data, Maine has the greatest inland water area of any Northeast state (2,264 square miles). New York ranks second (1,895 square miles).

The Recreational Canoe
Young nephew Jimmy charges down to the water. "Me first! Me first!" he cries in glee, eager to paddle on this calm, fair-weather day. Uncle Bob hustles behind, knowing exactly which canoe to select. He wants a wide, flat-bottomed boat to provide excellent stability, especially on entry and exit—Jimmy is notorious for tipping over into the drink. (Good thing Jimmy always wears a PFD, like everybody in this safe-paddling family.) Like other casual boaters, Jimmy won't care much that the flat underside slows the canoe and makes it difficult to paddle a straight line. He just wants a leisurely float. The anglers and photographers, who also appreciate this ultra-stable, quick-turning boat, just have to wait their turn.

Uncle Bob also needs a boat made of tough, durable materials that can handle Jimmy's full-speed-ahead shore landings and less-than-delicate approach to canoe care. Fortunately, recreational boats are constructed with such abuse in mind; most consist of springy closed-cell foam sandwiched between two layers of heavy-duty polyethylene or plastic. Uncle Bob soon emerges with an exemplary recreational canoe, which hovers in the average, all-purpose range for length (16 feet), weight (75 to 85 pounds), and price ($600 to $1,200). Uncle Bob and Jimmy soon paddle away. "YEEEEHAW!"

Jimmy's exuberance lights a smile on his mother's face. Once Jimmy gains a little experience, she'll paddle with him in her preferred recreational canoe. The bottom of her boat features the noticeable curvature of a "shallow arch" hull design, which improves speed and tracking (the boat's tendency to follow a straight line) in exchange for somewhat less stability.

Depending on the conditions, she may also consider the canoe's sides. The shape can vary dramatically as a canoe rises from waterline—straight, flared out, or curved in—and affects secondary stability, or how the boat behaves once it begins to roll off of level. An outward flare improves stability (Uncle Bob's choice), but makes paddling more difficult; vice-versa for an inward curve. Most of the time, Jimmy's mom opts for straight sides, a good all-around compromise.

The Adventure Canoe
All this family time is a bit much for backcountry enthusiasts Marie and Vince, who are plotting a multi-day adventure on a network of lakes. "We're outta here!" They expect to make several portages, requiring them to schlep all their gear a short distance by foot. They select a longer 17-foot canoe with a more pronounced V-shaped bottom, features that help provide excellent tracking and speed. As experienced paddlers, Marie and Vince happily accept the trade-off of decreased initial stability.

Vince inspects the distinctively shaped portage yoke that spans the middle and allows one person to carry the canoe upside-down and across the shoulders. He also gauges the boat's weight, a consideration both for speed and portaging. Their canoe is a few inches narrower than recreational models and is made from lighter (though less impact-resistant) materials; both help reduce weight into the 55- to 70-pound range. "Thank goodness this is here," Marie says. "A boat like this would run us $1,000 to $2,000 or more."

The Luxury Boat
Grandpa Bucks is a passionate paddler and has cash to burn. Last year he showed up with a handsome all-wood canoe ($5,000 to $10,000-plus), an elegant nostalgia piece for the days of "When I was a kid..." This year he dropped more than $2,500 on a high-end 16-foot canoe with a hull made of ultralight Kevlar, the same stuff used in bulletproof vests. It weighs a mere 40 pounds or so, though the weight savings comes with a greatly reduced resistance to impacts and abrasion. Grandpa Bucks has only one thing to say about his new possession: "Get away from that boat, Jimmy!"