That's a good sign it'll be fun to paddle just for the heck of it.
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Happy First Sighting of Manatees by Columbus (1493)! 💧🐘
Share your opinion on a new canoe?
- Thread starter Alasgun
- Start date
It’s taken a while but thanks to you guys; im on my way! I’ve had this new boat out previously but this outing was meant to more fully evaluate what i’ve got going here; so wearing my Piragus britches, Chota shoe‘s and Sealskins i‘m sure i really impressed the Loons.
For this little outing i assembled a collage new stuff and enjoyed all of it.
Starting with the boat, i added a 50lb bag of play sand to the front (stern actually) and a battery for the fish finder.
for paddles i had the Sassafras otter tail and a carbon Greenland double blade Which i’ve concluded is worthless to me. So far that otter tail is winning over any of the carbon paddles i built last winter.
i put together a neat & compact fish finder that’s easy on/off with no permanence. I also took a couple vintage rod’s with me and even caught one little rainbow. I was far more “into” figuring out the boat and can fish anytime.
Part of knowing what you’ve got, is knowing what you’ve got which began with the boat on the floor to check the rocker. It’s pretty straight at 3/4 to 1 inch on both ends and it weighs 50.2 lbs. With forward ballast in place, it paddles nicely and is maneuverable in the face of a good breeze. My phone said 4mph. Up, down or cross wind in numerous directions it was completely manageable. This project began as a way to replace the Ocean boat and im happy with the outcome And looking forward to this.
This first picture is my idea of “Portaging”.
For this little outing i assembled a collage new stuff and enjoyed all of it.
Starting with the boat, i added a 50lb bag of play sand to the front (stern actually) and a battery for the fish finder.
for paddles i had the Sassafras otter tail and a carbon Greenland double blade Which i’ve concluded is worthless to me. So far that otter tail is winning over any of the carbon paddles i built last winter.
i put together a neat & compact fish finder that’s easy on/off with no permanence. I also took a couple vintage rod’s with me and even caught one little rainbow. I was far more “into” figuring out the boat and can fish anytime.
Part of knowing what you’ve got, is knowing what you’ve got which began with the boat on the floor to check the rocker. It’s pretty straight at 3/4 to 1 inch on both ends and it weighs 50.2 lbs. With forward ballast in place, it paddles nicely and is maneuverable in the face of a good breeze. My phone said 4mph. Up, down or cross wind in numerous directions it was completely manageable. This project began as a way to replace the Ocean boat and im happy with the outcome And looking forward to this.
This first picture is my idea of “Portaging”.
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Congrats on the successful test drive! Nice looking boat!
Perhaps you've already thought of this so feel free to ignore, but using some container (water bag, dry bag, 5 gal bucket, DIY carbon fiber ballast tank) filled with water as ballast is recommend by many over something like rocks or sand - the reason being that if you tip, the water container suddenly becomes neutrally buoyant instead of sinking the canoe that much faster. Plus, you can fill it at the water's edge, instead of lugging 50 lbs of sand to the boat.
Perhaps you've already thought of this so feel free to ignore, but using some container (water bag, dry bag, 5 gal bucket, DIY carbon fiber ballast tank) filled with water as ballast is recommend by many over something like rocks or sand - the reason being that if you tip, the water container suddenly becomes neutrally buoyant instead of sinking the canoe that much faster. Plus, you can fill it at the water's edge, instead of lugging 50 lbs of sand to the boat.
After settling in with the new boat i no longer consider it twitchy but rather appreciate the light weight attributes. Along the way i purchased a double blade carbon paddle and couldn't be happier with the up-graded performance. Most of the negative press on these was just that; i now travel 3-4 times faster than solo paddling, have far greater control without correction strokes and yes my lower pant leg does get wet from the drip but once I i included hydroskins i don't even notice this very tiny issue.
I spent a foggy, early morning on the water this week with a new vintage fly rod. I‘ve got a half dozen or so virtually brand new (Vintage) glass fly rods that i’ve never fished and im trying to rectify that! A couple of us are lobbying a local sport complex for some floor time to allow a small group of codger’s to “floor cast” a couple times a month; allowing me to familiarize myself with some of these before i keel over!
Originally i considered having this boat built as a solo and backed off for some reason But after spending the summer in it im back on the solo kick. More than likely i’ll give it another season to be sure before any refitting But i’m leaning more this way all the time. 100 % of my water time is solo so it stands to reason.
The remaining days before freeze up are limited but enjoyable and i’ve got enough winter projects to help the cold/dark pass.
I spent a foggy, early morning on the water this week with a new vintage fly rod. I‘ve got a half dozen or so virtually brand new (Vintage) glass fly rods that i’ve never fished and im trying to rectify that! A couple of us are lobbying a local sport complex for some floor time to allow a small group of codger’s to “floor cast” a couple times a month; allowing me to familiarize myself with some of these before i keel over!
Originally i considered having this boat built as a solo and backed off for some reason But after spending the summer in it im back on the solo kick. More than likely i’ll give it another season to be sure before any refitting But i’m leaning more this way all the time. 100 % of my water time is solo so it stands to reason.
The remaining days before freeze up are limited but enjoyable and i’ve got enough winter projects to help the cold/dark pass.
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Great to hear you have gotten accustomed to the canoe and are enjoying it.
That bag of sand you have in the bow will give you ballast from your non-centralized seating position, but could have some downsides. If you do flip over, that solid weight might get jammed under the seat and drag your canoe further under the water. Or, if it falls out, it will sink and you'll lose it.
These issues are why many folks use water ballast in the bow. Water in a big, waterproof roll-top bag will be of neutral bouyancy if you flip over and will essentially float. It won't pull down the canoe. And you won't have to lug 40 or 50 pounds of sand back and forth to your canoe. Just fill up the bag when you start your trip and empty it when you portage or finish.
I certainly appreciate the concern for my well being and have to admit the sand bag is laziness on my part. I’ll have to round up a suitable “bag” for next season, or proceed with the solo conversion.
I'm interested - what did you put together ?
mine is a Lowrance Fish Hunter, a little buoy you throw in the water, with an app on the phone to show the results. it's nearly useless ;-)
So looking for something portable that works a bit better..
Doug, if you scroll back to #62 there are a couple good pictures of that set up. Bear in mind, im a machinist with machine tools which adds appreciably to the user friendliness of any finished product. The transducer is mounted to a driveway delineator via a stainless bolt affixed to the rod using carbon fiber. On the top end where it goes thru the gunnel mount, the hole is precise and that small oring is plenty strong for holding the rod in place and still being completely adjustable.
i just used the factory dash mount and a couple ball bungee’s to fasten the display to a thwart. Pretty elementary and works very well.
the gunnel mount is a piece of solid micarta leftovers that was machined to fit the gunnel; from the underside a small bar makes a solid clamp.
i just used the factory dash mount and a couple ball bungee’s to fasten the display to a thwart. Pretty elementary and works very well.
the gunnel mount is a piece of solid micarta leftovers that was machined to fit the gunnel; from the underside a small bar makes a solid clamp.
That would give you the best gear-less trim, and it would give you the best boat control if you ever decide to pursue serious single blade paddling techniques. However, if as a fisherman you need that chest and other gear in front of you, you may have to put a centralized seat somewhat further back than the gear-less optimal position. Unless you can shift some gear behind you. Which is all pretty obvious to you, I'm sure.
Very little “serious” about my endeavors! The solo upgrade will happen but probably next winter, it’s not even here yet but this winter looks pretty full already.
i want to do some homework and have a seat and some sort of foot support here before i start. I’m completely flexible regarding gear placement so proper seat location will be the datum point that everything else will hinge around. I do enjoy single blade paddling, to a point! After trying that double; it’s hard to ignore all it brings to the table for an old lazy guy just trying to get across the lake; today!
i want to do some homework and have a seat and some sort of foot support here before i start. I’m completely flexible regarding gear placement so proper seat location will be the datum point that everything else will hinge around. I do enjoy single blade paddling, to a point! After trying that double; it’s hard to ignore all it brings to the table for an old lazy guy just trying to get across the lake; today!
thanks - nice work. I don't have much in the way of machine skills ;-)
build you a rod, repair a reel, new gunwales on a canoe, that I can do.. fix a fence, mend a dent, I got lots of experience..
