Things to do with that old poly canoe

[memaquay]

Our local lake, Kenogamisis, is only about 150 feet from my house. The lake covers an enormous area with many bays, arms and creeks and rivers. With all this Covid crap going on, I decided that I would try to keep my freighter canoe docked behind my place, so I can just jump in and go every day without bothering with the trailer and boat launch. Only problem is I don't have a dock, and that freighter is way to heavy to drag onto shore by myself.

So I thought long and hard over a couple of Bud's, and noticed my Old Town poly, sitting derelict and unused and broken in the bush. So I hauled it out and grabbed my jigsaw.

Saved the gunwales, they are completely reusable.
That poly is tough stuff. I thought if I just opened up the stems, it would flatten out, but much to my surprise, it refused to lose its canoe like shape. So I filleted it into parts that would lay flat on the ground.

Then I made a runway coming out of the lake using the skinny fillets, and used the bottom for the freighter to rest on.

Had to get rid of the cheap Chinese come-a-long, couldn't use it to crank a baby carrot out of the dirt. Remembered that I had collected a couple of lousy boat trailers last summer, so I took the hand crank off one and chained it to a couple of trees.

Well, that worked real slick, only takes about two minutes to crank the boat from the water to the current spot. That poly is excellent slippery stuff too, when I want to relaunch, I just give it a shove and it slides right back into the water.

Anyone else find any uses for old poly canoes?

 

[snapper]

Saw one used as a beer cooler at a wedding reception. Was a great use for that hull!

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

snapper

 

[ppine]

For equipment that gets used all the time you want it to be right. I would say those are some good adaptions to unusual situations.

 

[alsg]

Great idea! On my first overnight trip with my cedar stripper, we need to haul the canoe about 20 feet up a very steep embankment on the Potomac River which was dirt mud and the usual rocks, sticks and roots. My paddling partner that day was very worried about scratching it up, so we put down a cheapo (free) Harbor Freight poly tarp and put the canoe on it before hauling. It actually worked very well but not nearly as durable as what you did!

 

[Jim Dodd]

My First thought was a Square Stern modification, then I saw you had it cut up ! I thought Oh ! Paddle board !

I guess not. A little disappointed.

But put to good use !

I still think you could at least Surf with the bottom portion !!

You can Surf can't you ?

 

[Jim Dodd]

I wonder if there is enough flotation in the bottom to keep you above the water ?

Maybe add some Pool Noodle ! The Big ones. A Water lounger ?

I wish I had an old Royalex to cut up ! Serious !

Jim

 

[clemency]

Or you can just abandon it at the landing by my house. Currently six down there that haven't moved in years. :/

 

[Odyssey]

I first thought you were going to cut out the bottom and transform it into a crib dock resting perpendicular to the shoreline access. To the casual eye it'd look like a canoe tied up close to shore, but hey ho with deck boards fastened just below the gunnels it'd give the dry footer a solid dryish place to step. Maybe the next old poly that comes your way? Just a thought.

 

[Guest]

I'm currently looking for an old, poly or aluminum, beater canoe.


I plan to place it right in the middle of our front yard; to amaze, amuse, or aggravate my neighbors.

 

[Iskweo]

You see a lot of those small rail systems on the lakes around here. They have a little sled the boat fits onto and you winch it up onto shore with that. Gravity feed re entry. On Lake Erie we used to see a sort of boat lift frame with slings to raise it out of the water.
You totally need a floating dock Mem.

 

[yellowcanoe]

filedata/fetch?id=111459&d=1590507384I'm currently looking for an old, poly or aluminum, beater canoe. filedata/fetch?id=111460&d=1590507367


I plan to place it right in the middle of our front yard; to amaze, amuse, or aggravate my neighbors.

Joann can make any ugly thing pretty.. Think its mostly her handiwork..

 

[Guest]

Mem, what was the demise of the poly Kineo?

 

[memaquay]

Snow plow driver put his blade through the bow, very large hole, beyond my abilities to repair.

Couldn't kill that canoe in many white water trips, probably saved my life a few times one spring on a river called The Drowning. Sad to see it go, but at least itis proving useful again.

 

[Robin]

I saw a couple of old Poly canoe half’s in northern Maine this week, they where to be used as sleds to haul moose meat out of the woods.
We just used plastic sleds, my daughter on a solo 1/2 mile drag with two front shoulders thru some tough terrain.

 

[jdeerfoot]

Repurposed 20+ yr old disco.

 

[jdeerfoot]

Memaquey - great idea on removal of gunnels to be saved. We use a sawzall to quickly cutup scrap canoes that are headed for the dumpster.

 

[Black_Fly]

What strain were the buds?

 

[memaquay]

Lol, American, the Bid Lite strain, 4% beer.