A few details on my new (used) Magic

[gumpus]

I picked up a used Magic over the summer. I've always been a kneeler and kneeling can sometimes be painful so this is really my first "sitting" solo. I've had it out at least 20 times and I like it...the handling is surprisingly good and it's pretty fast if you invest some muscle and the dog even fits in it. It's a 1996 and I think the older Bells seem to have better build quality than the later ones.

The caned bucket seat was sagging and uncomfortable so I put a new Northstar seat in it, same as they'd install in a new Magic. Big improvement in comfort and I think it looks good too. I got the ash laminated seat since I think it matches the boat better than the one with walnut in the lamination.


I also put stainless finish washers on the top of the seat and thwart screws and flat washers underneath (had to buy slightly longer machine screws for the thwarts). The bolts hold much higher torque now and the boat feels noticeably more solid and it doesn't squeak when you carry it any more.

Finally I put 2 D-rings between the inwales and outwales towards the stern and looped a piece of cord through them so now the boat has my favorite set-up for carrying a spare paddle (quiet and out of the way but secure and easily accessible).

 

[Guest]

Gumpas, the Magic is the only canoe with those dimensions I have felt comfortable paddling. It was almost, no pun intended, magical.

With cord or bungee paddle blade stuffage I’ve slid a little spacer, a small round ball or such, on the line so I don’t have to dig and prod to get the paddle blade to get it between the lines.

I put finish or flange washers on dang near all top mounted machine screw to help spread the load, usually stainless, sometimes brass with brass hardware on dark brightwood.

PA270061 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

I agree that the older Bell canoes have superior shop-monkey craftsmanship. At the end of Ted’s stewardship, and certainly in the Bell ORC days after Ted sold the brand, the build quality declined.

I think the same thing is true with Mad River; the earlier Vermont days MRC turned out some really well made, hand-laid composite canoes. I’d buy a pre-NC or SC Mad River composite in a heartbeat if it was the hull I wanted.