Hello. I have an opportunity to buy an Old Town Tripper in rough condition. Pictures are not great, but it is obviously beat up with questionable repairs. I am considering getting it as a restoration project. I am not sure if this one is too far gone to be worth the effort.
Looks like the gunwales and seats need replacement and the hull needs repairs. She would never be a beauty queen, but could she be restored to a serviceable canoe again?. Current asking price is $75, which seems about $74 more than it is worth in the current condition. If it seems doable, I will try to negotiate. What do you think?
The only reason I can see to buy that canoe is if you want to practice your canoe repair skills. It needs a lot of work and the structure is compromised. You will not recover any money that you invest in it. I would not take it for free.
There are good canoes out there at bargain prices, like this one near me right now for example.
I agree. The thing looks like it nearly broke in half at one point.
I just passed on a 1965 Grumman 17’ aluminum for $150. Shouldn’t have passed on it, but there are way better deals on boats that you can find. My guess is that when you see the thing in person you won’t want anything to do with it.
" I am considering getting it as a restoration project. I am not sure if this one is too far gone to be worth the effort."
If you have the time and patience, and can get it for next to nothing, I would say go for it.
Last winter, down the Florida Keys I answered a Craigs list ad for a Royalex canoe. It listed for $300 or best offer.
When we went to see it, I couldn’t believe how terrible shape it was in. It had evidently been in Hurricane Irma and was tossed all over the place, full of sand and a lot of it was abraided. I was ready to walk away and the guy said I could have it for a hundred dollars. I looked at it some more and thought like you did that it might be a good restoration project, so I agreed to the price.
I knew it had cracks here and there, but didn’t notice until we started carrying it to the truck and my wife noticed a three foot long bad one on the hull bottom. i hadn’t pulled out my wallet yet and I told the guy that it wasn’t worth even the hundred , and I would pass on the deal. He then asked; would I take it for $25. I said oK and we both laughed. I threw an extra $25 in the deal since the guy was so agreeable and we came home with a sorry looking canoe.
I used a lot of fiberglass, G-flex epoxy, and miscellaneous other stainless bolts, wooden thwarts, etc, a lot of sanding and two coats of spray paint, and I now have a perfect canoe that I probably could sell for $600, but won’t since I was looking for one to keep at our winter keys place for salt water paddling
Thanks for the comments. I think I have been talked from the edge. I was enticed by the chance to get a classic Royalex canoe for cheap (albeit battered and broken). And I was a bit intrigued by the challenge of transforming it into something relatively nice.
Ultimately, with the help of the reasonable folks here, I decided I do not need another half-baked project languishing in the yard. Though, if it were offered for free, I would gladly make room for it.
If I bought it to restore, in addition to repairing the hull and re-railing it, I would replace those molded seats with something lighter and more comfortable. I expect the ends of that yoke are likely split and rotted and that would need to be replaced as well.
Assuming you had a source for long pieces of suitable wood to re-rail the boat, Assuming you had the tools necessary to remove the existing rails and install new ones (drill, bits, countersink, and clamps) and install new ones, the cost of installing and finishing new gunwales, installing a new yoke, seats, seat hangers, and deck plates) would likely run you several hundred dollars. Cleaning up and repairing the hull would cost at least an additional $100 and probably more. And of course, many hours of sweat equity.
The Old Town Tripper is a classic canoe and they aren’t making Royalex anymore.
@Betenbopper said:
Thanks for the comments. I think I have been talked from the edge. I was enticed by the chance to get a classic Royalex canoe for cheap (albeit battered and broken). And I was a bit intrigued by the challenge of transforming it into something relatively nice.
Ultimately, with the help of the reasonable folks here, I decided I do not need another half-baked project languishing in the yard. Though, if it were offered for free, I would gladly make room for it.
Anyway, thanks again.
It can certainly be a lot like classic car fever. (except cheaper)
Love them all, want to save them all, need a reality check sometimes.
If you take it on as a restoration project, I think you will end up with a canoe that cost more in money, and time than it will “ever” be worth.
I’m sure that having been an old rental canoe, it has been thoroughly abused, and most likely has been wrapped around a rock, tree limb or stump.
Not counting “sweat equity”, I think you’re looking at spending about 400 dollars for the canoe, for parts, and repair materials.
My advice; keep looking; don’t walk away…run away!
You can find something in much better condition for 400 bucks.
If you “go for it”; I’m sure many other besides me would like to see how it turns out.
I’m glad you backed down. The waves in the free-board don’t look like they will ever straighten out. Your pleasure in used it would never climb the scale too high.
