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opinions on PennYan canoe

Very good condition, actually like new from the pics, no repairs which is always a big plus, means it was well taken care of. Looks narrow in the 3rd picture, looks kinda fast but hard to tell from pictures. Half ribs are nice to have, adds strength without adding much weight, exterior stems look nice and that stripe down the side is nice. Those seats are beauties. Thwart behind the bow seat makes it tough to solo unless you knell. Nice canoe for the money,
Cheaper than restoring one if you throw in your time.
 
Thanks for the comments. It also looks like a sweet boat at a bargain price to me and I agree that it looks sleek and fast. I like mahogany!

Based on the build date and 16 foot stated length I think it's a Rainbow but I could be wrong.

I'm not looking for another boat at the moment so I hope someone else on this site gets it.
 
Robin (or anyone else for that matter) - You mentioned the obvious issue of paddling from the bow as the "stern" seat for solo use. Is there a place that thwart can easily be moved to so the canoe could be used as a solo? I'm not a builder and don't know what would be involved but my guess is others may have the same thought...get the canoe IF there's a good way to move that bow thwart.

So if this was your canoe, what would you do? Any thoughts or suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks!

That's all for now. Take care and until next time....be well.

snapper

PS - Does anyone have a clue as to the weight of this canoe?
 
^^^ On my OT Yankee I removed the thwart and it didn't seem to affect integrity of the hull. On my 18' Guide I was thinking about raising the seat to gunnel height so it will be flush with the thwart. I currently have been kneeling on the thwart. I also experimented with putting a piece of foam on the seat to raise it to the height of the thwart. I kinda want to leave the thwart where it is because the trim is a little better being about 4 or 5 inches closer to the center of the boat.

I wouldn't let that thwart affect my decision if I was thinking of buying it.
 
Hey snapper, I hope you grab that boat. From a structural standpoint that thwart is there to help prevent twisting (to add torsional stiffness) and to maintain the shape of the hull side to side, but the solidly mounted front seat should be fine by itself. Alternatively the seat in the pics works pretty well and it's well made (Canadian eh). If and when that boat ever needs to be reskinned I would personally consider Dacron instead of canvas since I have a solo with that and it's plenty tough for most or all or my normal uses, plus you save a bunch of weight. I think that boat has been listed for months...at least quite a while. I would offer $900 cash.

So we expected 18 inches of snow in SW Michigan today but we only got 16. Hah. Can you imagine driving due east from here along the southern edge of the Great Lakes to try and get that boat? Right now the main E/W highway is closed due to a multiple vehicle accident just east of here in Kalamazoo.
 
I have always thought a seat like that might be a good idea. It would be interesting to try.

As for the boat...that is a nice one and if anyone is even remotely considering a w/c they should grab it.

Christy
 
Plus the boat clearly needs to be rescued and taken to a good home. Plus it's a good investment that could be sold for a profit any time. Plus the wood is mahogany! Pardon me for drooling.

Hey iskweo one thing to note about the drop in hanging seat is that it will pull the gunnels in towards the center of the boat when you sit on it so it's best for a strong boat...and the PennYan looks pretty strong. There are other ways to get a kneeling thwart in without modifying the boat at all...if you google "removable kneeling thwart" you can get some ideas. I like the design shown on Song of the Paddle where someone just strapped a piece of ash to the underneath of the scuppered gunnels and then just hung a regular kneeling thwart from the piece of ash.

Alternatively, perhaps we need to go in together and buy this boat and share it. 12 people, $75 each, everyone gets it one month per year.
 
Al is right. Any sensitive and selfless husband would wrap that up with a pretty red bow, fill it with rose petals, and give his wife this most thoughtful romantic gift.
You can always ShopVac up the flower petals later before you test paddle it for her. And change the locks on the barn.
 
Last edited:
snapper said:
I'm going to remember all of you when my wife gives me that stink eye (LOL)!

Until next time....be well.

snapper
Click to expand...

Does that mean you got it? If so, from my experience a ticked off wife only lasts for a few days while a w/c canoe can last for generations. It sounds worth it. Plus it might save you from buying a more expensive boat in the future.
 
No, not yet. I did hear from the owner yesterday and he said it's still available. My biggest concern is the weight. He says it's 75 pounds. With one knee already replaced, I began moving downward in weight classes. I think my heaviest tandem at this point is about 42 pounds. I'm not real sure how well I'd handle almost double the weight when alone. I realize that balance can mean a lot but it's a drive just to find out. Still pondering...

That's all for now. Take care and until next time....be well.

snapper
 
It's a beautiful canoe, and there might be ways to handle it but... look after those knees, they'll thank you for it every day.
 
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