Old Town Saranac 146 Canoe Review

Reviewed By Owen Clarke / Kayaks Editor

November 4, 2022

THE OLD TOWN SARANAC 146 REVIEW

Old Town Saranac 146 Canoe

See Customer Owner Feedback >>

Summary

The Old Town Saranac 146 Canoe is a recreational, easy to use, stable and fishing friendly canoe. With a high degree of comfort for a “small” canoe, it’s the perfect canoe to go out with friends or partner for a weekend getaway. It’s so comfortable time while pass by without you feeling tired by the seats or by the available space. Can be used either by two people or solo, which gives you the advantage of a multiuse multipurpose canoe at a reasonable price. It has the comforts you can’t find in a Kayak, making it the best choice for people who are looking for a hobby.

Made by Old Town a US based company with over 100 years of experience, its entirely produced and manufactured in the US. Making it a canoe that has both design and built in comforts for the everyday user or the professional user a like.

The Saranac 146 Canoe also offers the possibility of using it with a motor, anchor and gear, as long as you follow the manufactures recommendations, and keep its use to lakes and ponds only.

What Makes This Canoe Stands Out
Easy to use, perfect for beginners and pros alike.
Fishing or recreational use with multiple features.
Can be used with a small thrust motor
Easy to load and unload
Adding a standard motor mount it can use a trolling motor up to 45 lbs. of thrust.

View More By Old Town Canoes & Kayaks »

Features

The Saranac 146 canoe is made from a single-layer high-density polyethylene plastic (HDPE), which is so durable the company offers a lifetime warranty for the hull and deck, except for blemished boats who are only covered with a 5-year warranty from the date of purchase. With small floatation devices under the seat, this canoe offers security and stability for the maximum capacity of 750 lbs.

Made as a recreational canoe, the Old Town Saranac 146 canoe is made to enjoy in flatwater lakes and ponds. It can be used with the family or even as an easy solo paddling from the center seat. The canoe offers two comfortable contoured seats with seatbacks, a center contoured seat without a seat back, and molded-in cup holders in every seat.

Other comforts the Saranac 146 canoe offers is its molded-in paddle rests in the bow and stern, molded-in storage space, a 6 ” hatch for storage under the seat in the center. As well as a really practical waterproof storage tray, even do it’s really small, probably couldn’t fit an iPhone 6 or such. If you want to fish from this canoe it can be done with the rod holders located in the bow seat and center.

Specifications

Length: 14′ 6″

Width: 36″

Bow Height: 18″

Depth: 13.25″

Weight Capacity: 750 lbs. or 3-person max

Canoe Weight: 79 lbs.

Seats come down for transport

Padded seats

Made in the USA

User Experience

Usability

The Old Town Saranac 146 canoe is an amazing entry-level canoe, which can be used for simple leisure paddling or as a fishing canoe. The canoe offers a simple hull and board but has the full features necessary to have a great time in a lake or pond.

It can be used with up to 3 occupants, as well as being an easy to use solo paddling canoe. Offering high comfort for the ride. The Saranac 146 has some restrictions on the size and weight of the users, being able to carry around 750 lbs., it has the downside of the seats are not being great for big people, who would be really uncomfortable with the molded-in seats.

Stability

This Canoe offers great stability, being almost unsinkable, with the company even saying that the only way for the canoe to sink is with weight over the capacity restrictions. The Saranac 146 offers built-in flotation devices under the molded seats, to make sure the boat stays afloat.

Even do the Old Town Saranac 146 canoe does not have the volume or the width of other canoe models, it still offers a stable hassle-free ride. Adding its 36” width and its weight capacity, this canoe offers a safe and even kid-friendly experience, without losing the features professionals and multipurpose users require.

Storage

Being the Saranac 146 canoe a 14 ft. canoe it’s quite easy to store. Having the benefit of the plastic seatbacks being foldable so it makes it simpler to store, having the top of the canoe float.

The storage inside the canoe is quite possibly its best and most interesting feature. It has the capacity to store up to 750 lbs. without the weight of its users. It offers a lot of mold in storage spaces inside the canoe. Offering a 6” waterproof storage in the center seat, and bigger storage under the same seat. Its storage space also offers molded-in cup holders in all the seats, and paddle rests rod holders, and molded-in carrying handles.

Fishing

Built with molded-in rod holders, the Saranac 146 Canoe offers a great experience for beginners and pros alike. With its 36” width and its long design, you don’t need to worry about hitting your partner with a fishing hook or the rod itself.

It can even be fitted with an anchor; Old Town suggests any Scotty or Cannon accessory that has a star mount. The suggested perfect fit is the Scotty Anchor, which will give you a better experience during your fishing adventure. Due to its highly stable design, fish won’t be scared by the movement of the canoe.

You might also like:

Ocean Kayak Malibu Two Tandem Kayak Review

Comfort

This multipurpose canoe offers some of the best comfort features in its price range. It can comfortably have 2 or 3 passengers, with the added benefit of having seatbacks in the front and back seats. Even do they are molded in seats, it’s still really spacious for a regular-sized person. If you’re planning a weekend getaway or a small leisure trip on the lake, it can carry anything you need for the multiple activities it offers. The contoured seats offer the possibility of seat adjustment by using the ropes on the sides of the seat.

The downside of the molded-in seats is that it can be uncomfortable for larger people, who require a bit more space. It could be fixed by removing the center seat, but unfortunately, it can’t be removed or replaced with a different style seat.

Portability

For a Canoe its size, the Old Town Saranac 146 is portable and easily transported due to its intelligent design. It can fit on top of your SUV, with built-in carrying handles it will not be hard to transport, due to its 79 lbs. weight. The seatbacks can be folded to make it easier to transport, with the rope mechanisms attached. Old town company even offers a list of authorized dealers which have been approved[1].

As a downside, the Saranac 146 does not have a latch or locking mechanism to keep it in the down position. So if you want to transport the canoe upside down on top of a vehicle you will need to use a piece of rope or a bungee cord to keep the seatbacks in a down position.

PERFORMANCE IN THE WATER

The Old Town Saranac 146 has great performance in the water. It can only be used as a recreational Canoe so its performance is outstanding in lakes and ponds, but shouldn’t be tried in other types of the water body. The paddling is smooth due to the low weight of the canoe and its aerodynamic design.

The additional features of adding a small thrust trolling motor of up to 45 lbs. and a 42” shaft should be perfect for all-around use. You can even add a small anchor to keep you in place during high winds or small currents. These features offer great performance in the water, giving stability, safety, and all-around great performance in the water.

Pros

Easy to use
Highly comfortable seats
Waterproof storage space
Molded-in holder for cups and rods.
Can be upgraded with a motor and anchor

CONS

Not the easiest to transport
Size can be uncomfortable for long term storage
The Center seat doesn’t have lower back support

Overall Rating

Design

100%- Due to its design it’s a multipurpose canoe that can be used by children, adults without experience, or a pro. The top feature is the design offered by the molded-in seats and the seatbacks which offer great comfort without losing capabilities.

Material

95%- Even do it’s made from a single layer of Thermoformed Polyethylene, the hull has been reported to suffer dents and is easily slashed by small objects, like rocks and such. But the inside materials have a great feel to them, they don’t seem plastic, more like a bit rugged and sturdy, which gives the owner a lot of users of use.

Price

100% It’s a great canoe for its price range, due to its added comforts and multipurpose built-in features. It has more comforts and possibility than most canoes in the size and price range, with the seatbacks being its biggest feature.

Globo Surf Overview

If you’re looking for an affordable, easy to use, multipurpose canoe, the Old Town Saranac 146 is the perfect choice for pro users and beginners alike. Giving a huge amount of upgrade possibilities, this canoe can be used as a canoe or as a motor thrust boat, made for lakes and ponds.

It can be used either with a party of 3 or by a solo canoer looking to go out with his dog. The Saranac 146 canoe is one of the best choices for families looking to give their children a positive yet safe outdoor activity.

In its price range, it’s one of the most affordable options, with the advantage of having comforts that are not usual in canoes.

Old Town Saranac 146 Canoe

CHECK LATEST PRICE

See Customer Owner Feedback >>