Raven Ready Restorations LLC

09/11/2026

🛶 Easter weekend surprise 🛶

Easter Saturday was quite a day. I thought my customer was arriving to pickup the second of two boats he’d purchased earlier in the week. Rather than arriving in just his pickup, he rolled up towing a brand new four-place canoe trailer. I complemented his taste in trailers and we got his boat loaded. Then he starts asking about my remaining inventory of solo and tandem canoes. One thing lead to another and I realized he intended to outfit his family for Boundary Waters trips together.

The four boats that ultimately made their way to a new home were a Souris River Quetico 17, Wenonah Basswood 17, Northstar B17 (not pictured), and a Wenonah Advantage solo. A serious BWCA lineup!

Thank you DD for choosing Raven Ready (twice)!! It was a true honor to be chosen to outfit you and your family! I thoroughly enjoyed working with you. Best wishes for countless miles of paddling and many great Boundary Waters adventures with your family.

If you’re in the market for a lightweight Kevlar canoe, I look forward to connecting with you. My cell is in the final photo.

*Link to ad with current inventory in the comments.

08/29/2026

🛶 Mississippi Backwaters to the Boundary Waters 🛶

In early April this gorgeous Northwind 17 headed home to Iowa, where it will see plenty of time exploring the backwaters of the Mississippi River as well as trips into the BWCA with family and friends. With its combination of stability and performance, the Northwind 17 is a great fit for these adventures.

Thank you CW for choosing Raven Ready! I really appreciated the opportunity to talk through what you were looking for and find a boat that fit both your local paddling and Boundary Waters plans. Best wishes for countless hours of quiet paddling this summer and beyond!

If you’re in the market for a lightweight Kevlar canoe, I look forward to connecting with you. My cell is in the final photo.

*Link to ad with current inventory in the comments.

08/25/2026

🛶 Improving the customer experience one step at a time 🛶

We are excited to announce that Raven Ready is now set up with Zelle® For Your Business!

Why use Zelle?
* Fast & Direct: Funds move right from your bank account to ours in minutes.
* No Extra Fees: It’s completely free to use from your participating banking app.
* Secure: No need to share sensitive card or account numbers.

No cash, no checks, and no extra apps needed.

Simply open your banking app, select Zelle, and send your payment to our secure business handle: ravenreadyrestorationsllc

Fast. Safe. Secure. Thank you for supporting our small business!

08/16/2026

🏈 From the land of National Championships 🏈

August has been busy with customers driving from both near and FAR.

With football season right around the corner, it’s only appropriate that boats would be going home to two of the past three D1 National Champions (Hoosiers, you’ll get your recognition in a future post). The first boat will reside in Buckeye Nation just outside Columbus, OH. The second will literally live in the land of Maize and Blue, Ann Arbor.

Raven Ready appreciates working with all customers no matter where they’re from. However, those driving from hundreds of miles away to Menomonie, WI always make for interesting stories.

If you’re in the market for a lightweight Kevlar canoe, I look forward to connecting with you. My cell is in the final photo.

*Link to ad with current inventory in the comments

08/05/2026

🛶 No April fools here 🛶

The month kicked off with a Basswood 17 taking a cozy ride home in an enclosed trailer.

The Basswood 17 is Wenonah’s premier fishing-focused tandem canoe.

“The ultimate backcountry fishing machine. The Basswood series offers massive stability and capacity and comes standard with Wenonah’s revolutionary VersiGunwale integrated gunwale track system. Offered exclusively in our proven ultralight aramid construction. The Basswood 17 offers outstanding stability and capacity in a lightweight wilderness tripping canoe. The Basswood 17 is roomier and more stable than our other 17 foot tandems. This canoe’s wider seating positions and higher seat placement offer more comfort for a long day on the water. The Basswood 17 is the right choice for the serious angler, whether on an extended wilderness trip or fishing local backwaters. Standard VersiGunwales integrate an accessory rail along the full length of the canoe and are compatible with a wide range of rod holders, fish finder mounts and kayak fishing accessories. Gear up for backcountry fishing with the Basswood 17.”

The customer reached out looking for a lightweight tandem that would be used primarily for fishing. After reviewing several models, they settled on the Basswood as the boat that best fit their needs.

Thank you MS for contacting Raven Ready! I really appreciated the opportunity to help you get on the water. 🎣

If you’re in the market for a lightweight Kevlar canoe, I look forward to connecting with you. My cell is in the final photo.

*Link to ad with current inventory in the comments.

07/30/2026

🛶 Fantastic news! As of this morning, 41 BWCA entry points are now open for both day and overnight use. 🛶

Chris, Anne, and the rest of their staff do an incredible job. An overnight stay in the Historic Clearwater Lodge is a must when up on the Gunflint. The central fireplace and the included breakfast (with a great view of the lake) are real highlights.

Find all their lodging, outfitting, and shuttle/tow service information here.
https://clearwaterhistoriclodge.com/

Canoes are staged on shore and shuttles are loaded for outbound eastern BWCAW overnight trips going out in the morning... Let's go!!

07/30/2026

🛶 Final boat from the last Saturday in March 🛶

The mighty Seneca from Wenonah has become one of the most popular three seaters this season. For three adult paddlers with lots of gear or families with children, it provides efficient traveling with reassuring stability.

“For three-person paddling adventures, few canoes perform like the Seneca. Whether you’re reeling in eight-pounders or power-paddling to the next lake, the Seneca’s great initial stability and efficiency turn you into a harmonious paddling team. The Seneca is a big canoe with enough freeboard to keep gear and equipment dry. Designed for family and general use, the center seat is removable if you’re looking to comfortably fit two large people with a lot of gear. It also serves as an alternative to a tag-along solo canoe.”

The customer reached out midday Saturday interested in a three seater for their family. I explained I had room for one more appointment at 4pm. They said we’ll see you then. Once we started looking at and discussing options, it became clear the decision was between the Seneca and Minnesota 3. They ultimately chose stability over speed.

Thank you DR for contacting Raven Ready! I really appreciated the opportunity to work with your family.

If you’re in the market for a lightweight Kevlar canoe, I look forward to connecting with you. My cell is in the final photo.

*Link to ad with current inventory in the comments.

07/23/2026

Grant, Christina, Dwight and the rest of the crew are incredible to work with!
Our family first used Seagull Outfitters nearly twenty years ago.

Find all their lodging, outfitting, and towboat information here.
https://www.seagulloutfitters.com/

07/23/2026

🛶 Almost finished with the final Saturday in March 🛶

Sometimes the job calls for 23 feet of paddling efficiency. Enter the Minnesota 4 from Wenonah.

“A specialized lake-tripping canoe designed for four paddlers. While the Minnesota 3 is a fine choice when a canoe is needed for three paddlers, sometimes it is even better to have one that holds four. We’ve developed the Minnesota 4 for just this use. This canoe is great for group trips. It comfortably carries four paddlers plus their gear. You can travel vast expanses very efficiently and without waiting for a slower canoe in the group to catch up. This is also a great canoe for families with children old enough to want to paddle. Smaller children can also sit two abreast in the extra-wide center seats. The Minnesota 4 is also a big hit at camps. With its excellent performance, tracking and capacity, the Minnesota 4 is the ultimate canoe for multiple paddlers to take on trips and for families to use on lakes and rivers with long open stretches.”

The MN4 is hard to come by. Raven Ready was fortunate to acquire one this past off season.

The customer needed a single boat with capacity for their entire family. They were experienced paddlers and valued the efficiency of the Minnesota series of hulls from Wenonah.

Thank you GD and MDM for contacting Raven Ready! It was wonderful working with you over the phone and in person.

If you’re in the market for a lightweight Kevlar canoe, I look forward to connecting with you. My cell is in the final photo.

*Link to ad with current inventory in the comments.

07/19/2026

Bob and his family have been serving BWCA paddlers for generations. They do a fantastic job.

For lodging, canoe trip outfitting, towboat services etc, find the details here.
https://fishbwca.com/

Sunday Update from LaTourell’s:
As you can see by the photo, the air quality today is great here in Ely this morning. This is on Shagawa Lake on the north side of Ely. We have a new updated BWCA closure until Friday which also aligns with Quetico Park’s current closure. This was set to allow for everyone to have more advanced planning. We will be notifying everyone that is within that window of time and staying hopeful that future dates remain open. We’re hopeful that the improved conditions and the great resources that officials now have in place here allow for even more progress to be made in the coming days. Once we get through the next few days, we will provide more updates on what things look like moving forward following the direction of the officials in charge here. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that conditions are most likely not going to degrade to the almost never before seen conditions we had last Monday. We’re hoping we’re now closer to the time that we can again be welcoming visitors back to LaTourell’s.