Does this canoe look funny to you?

[teslabolt77]

Hello all!

Just getting into canoeing and have a quick question. This canoe was given to us by a friend that only used it once. He said that he had it strapped on his truck in the heat of the Kansas day, and thought it may have warped.

You can definitely see that the bow and stern curve downward. Appears the stern is more pronounced. Is this a feature of the Sundolphin Mackinaw canoes?

Thanks for looking!

 

[Big Al]

Yes, the horizontal lines on the house siding make it look pretty bad. What does it look like sitting on the driveway?

 

[Grandpa Paddler]

I have a buddy with the same canoe and it too is hog backed. Still floats!

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Yes, it looks funny to me. Not only is the keel line hogged (arched upward), but so is the gunwale line. Traditional canoes have keel lines that are straight or arch downward and gunwales that sweep up at the ends. However, if you google the Sun Dolphin Mackinaw canoe, this is pretty much what it looks like new. Perhaps your friend did increase the hogging somewhat if he had strapped hard in the center upside down in the heat.

It will float but probably won't maneuver as well as many of us like canoes to do.

 

[dougd]

I've seen a few of those in my neck of the woods, Rouge River or something like that. What the hell for free and floats, go have fun with it!

 

[Guest]

I've seen a few of those in my neck of the woods, Rouge River or something like that. What the hell for free and floats, go have fun with it!

Tesla, while it will float, so does driftwood and plastic garbage in the Pacific Gyre. Simply put, it will paddle poorly with that reverse rocker hog.

Before, or after the first time you “go have fun with it”, put some gentle heat on that midships indentation, pop that concavity back out, brace it there while it cools and then install some “stand-offs” between the thwart/yoke/bow seat frame back to help hold the floppy oil canned poly bottom to something better approximating a canoe shape.

“Stands-offs” can be as simple and a couple wood braces down from a thwart/yoke/seat frame to the hull, with a cushioning slab of minicel at the hull end as a flexible “shock absorber”.

Seriously, hogged to that degree, with negative rocker, would be an awful introduction to the joys of canoeing. And heavy hogged poly canoes have probably turned more people off from paddling than they have enouraged.

To be blunt, it is an inexpensive, poorly “designed”, heavy poly canoe, but it doesn’t need to be an absolute pig under paddle.

And, if you find you enjoy paddling, it won't be your last canoe purchase.

 

[yellowcanoe]

Tesla I am all for economy when you are starting out but I am also in favor of having fun.. Canoes are supposed to have the top line curve up toward the ends not actually down.. This one will not only not turn but if you have waves I hope you have an understanding bow paddler that does not mind being soaked/swamped . I have seen some sorry boats like this.. They are usually called planters ( we have terrible soil here so it makes sense for flowerbeds)
If you accept this boat consider just borrowing it from your friend.. Regifting it is going to be an issue.. Do you have free bulky waste pickup? Here you have to pay by the pound and it is a consideration.

If you don't like it will your friend be annoyed? Though I suspect there is a reason behind free and used once.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Here's a picture of a new one. It's 15-6 long and 42" abeam. A canoe with that that wide a L/W ratio will be hard to paddle straight. So they designed in two gimmicks to help it go straight. The keel line is hogged so the bow and stern will pin in the water, and there is a deep keel. It will plow through the water, slowly.

 

[Jim Dodd]

If it floats ? I would use it ! Still better than a Bath Tub !

Jim

 

[PaddlingPitt]

As I have said before, I have read that the only thing worse than a bad canoe, is no canoe at all!

 

[yellowcanoe]

Reviews aint bad..considering.. You know though one reason it does not appeal to us is that it wants to kill us.. I hope you are young hale and don't try to portage the thing..
95 lbs
https://paddling.com/gear/sun-dolphin-mackinaw-15-6-canoe/#reviews

 

[lowangle al]

LMAO, just kidding Tesla. Hopefully that boat will be enough to give you a love of being on the water. If it does it will be worthwhile to invest a few hundred bucks in a proper canoe.

 

[Oldtyme]

Everyone starts somewhere. Ask these guys. I was a huge pain in the butt for a few weeks with my first canoe. At least it was free. I had to sell my first tank canoe before I could step up to my canoe before a better canoe canoe.
I can still hear my new canoe singing "Oh Canada" as I'm zooming across the lakes.

 

[ppine]

It is a cheap short canoe to begin with. Somebody cranked it down on their rack. It is hogged badly.
Give to a family with some kids.