Hey Kerry... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Uriah · #1 11-20-2005, 07:35 PM

I just noticed you like canoes and stuff.

What's a good one to get? I've got a Scanoe I've had forever and used it for everything as it's stable and can haul some weight. It used to be my goose/duck hunting rig, but I've used it for remote deer hunting, ect... with good results, and it'll haul alot of camping gear. I know alot of people don't like these things, but I do as again, I've used them for years and know what they will and won't do.

I've also got a older Old Town 13" trapper I use when I expect to have alot of portage being it only weighs like 55 pounds, compared to the 130something of the coleman, with no gear stowed.

I really need a squareback so I can mount a small outboard or electric trolling motor, but other then that I'm not real picky. Oh, I can't swim either, and I don't do whitewater, just river cruising, lakes and stuff.

I've had several Old Towns and everything that Coleman has made, but I think it's time to find something else, just not sure what.

I'd REALLY like to have a lighter, better handleing version of the Scanoe, otherwise it's almost perfect for me.

kerry · #2 11-20-2005, 07:52 PM

That's a tough question to answer. You're correct that most canoeists stay away from the Scanoe. When I use a motor on my canoes, I use a motor bracket off the side at the stern. Square stern canoes are not as efficient to paddle.
As you can see from my list of canoes, canoes are usually designed for specific purposes so it's hard to find one or two that fit all our needs. The lightest weight ones are kevlar but they are usually quite pricey. Royalex is very durable but not that light. Royalite is a bit lighter than Royalex, but the inside material is much harder to glue to. Cross linked layered polyethylene like Old Town's Discovery models are popular and inexpensive but quite heavy. Cross linked Poly in the Coleman models is also inexpensive but very flexible and the designs are not what most experienced canoeists like.
The Trapper is a pretty wide canoe, which makes it hard to paddle efficiently, although it has a lot of initial stability.
If I have to portage, I have an 18' Wenonah Jensen, foam core fiberglass that weights 54 lbs. It is basically a flatwater canoe that I put a fabric deck on if I have to paddle a lot of open water.
I have an 181/2' Jensen WWIII that I like for river tripping. Very cheap fiberglass layup from the late 70's that weights about 70lbs, but it's a fast deep boat that can carry a huge load.
For whitewater tripping I love the old Blue Hole Starburst. It's 16', but still very manoeverable and can carry a fair load.
For tandem whitewater I paddle a Dagger Caption. It was designed by Stever Scarborough who also designed the Starburst. I think he's designed wonderful tandem river boats that are hard to beat.
For all round paddling, I have an Old Town Tripper-- which I originally bought for whitewater back when it was one of the few Royalex models available. I've put thousands of miles under its hull.

Uriah · #3 11-20-2005, 08:53 PM

I'm been combing Ebay for a couple weeks as I'm cheap and like to shop off-season. I'd ALMOST buy a rowboat, but if you get down to it, the Scanoe almost is one.

I'm not sure exactly what I want. When I lived in Maine, and Maryland (bay use) I liked to have high gunnels and a fairly flat bottom, with a retractable centerboard, (a skiff, popular in Maryland), harder to row, but better in rough water. Never had a sail version, though. Around here it don't really get that bad, even when the wind picks up on one of the bigger lakes, which is still small by comparison. Most of the rivers are pretty smooth, as, again, I don't do whitewater, and really anything that over what's considered a II.

You ever have the problem I do on some of the lakes around here? You're out rowing, minding your own business when some moron on a jetski passes you at 50 knots. That almost makes me homicidal, it's not like there isn't plenty of berth room...

kerry · #4 11-20-2005, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uriah

I'm been combing Ebay for a couple weeks as I'm cheap and like to shop off-season. I'd ALMOST buy a rowboat, but if you get down to it, the Scanoe almost is one.

I'm not sure exactly what I want. When I lived in Maine, and Maryland (bay use) I liked to have high gunnels and a fairly flat bottom, with a retractable centerboard, (a skiff, popular in Maryland), harder to row, but better in rough water. Never had a sail version, though. Around here it don't really get that bad, even when the wind picks up on one of the bigger lakes, which is still small by comparison. Most of the rivers are pretty smooth, as, again, I don't do whitewater, and really anything that over what's considered a II.

You ever have the problem I do on some of the lakes around here? You're out rowing, minding your own business when some moron on a jetski passes you at 50 knots. That almost makes me homicidal, it's not like there isn't plenty of berth room...

I've found that the best used canoe shopping sites are the on-line classified ads of area canoe clubs. Prices always seem to be better than Ebay. For instance I found a solo whitewater canoe for a friend of mine at the Pittsburgh canoe club classifieds. Shipping canoes via Forward Air is usually less than $100.
Bought two kayaks for my daughter for $50 each on those kinds of sites.
I've got a sail rig for my WWIII but I haven't used it much. I do like canoe sailing on big lakes when I'm paddling a heavy load.

mikemover · #5 11-20-2005, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uriah

Oh, I can't swim either, and I don't do whitewater, just river cruising, lakes and stuff.

You go on hunting and camping expeditions with canoes, but you can't swim???

It's really none of my business, but that doesn't seem very prudent to me..... I'd advise learning to swim. Quick. It's not difficult.

Mike

kerry · #6 11-20-2005, 09:22 PM

I used to paddle Class III+ for years with a good friend who had never learned to swim. He ALWAYS wore his pfd and he's now about 64 yrs old, so I wouldn't worry too much.

Uriah · #7 11-20-2005, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikemover

You go on hunting and camping expeditions with canoes, but you can't swim???

It's really none of my business, but that doesn't seem very prudent to me..... I'd advise learning to swim. Quick. It's not difficult.

Mike

No, I can't. I ALWAYS wear my PFD, however. Not that it matters, but alot of my family are watermen, commercial fisherman, and very few of them can swim, either. Sounds odd, but it's very true that not many watermen ever learned to swim.

I love hunting and camping (fishing to a lesser degree) on the water as I can generally get to where most hunters won't bother to go, and if they do it's quite a trek overland.

I grew up on the water and know my way around it, I just can't swim in it, lol.

Actually Kerry, if I were doing III and IV stuff, I'd learn to swim in a hurry. We've actually got some decent white water around my parts (Cumberland River), but I've never tried it myself, and don't plan to.