I want to buy a light weight car topper canoe that I can put a 2.5HP outboard motor on. I want stability too. Not adverse to putting on spontoons(s)aka outriggers? Two people and gear about 425lbs
previous discussion
There was a string on this 4 years ago:
http://www.paddling.net/message/showThread.html?fid=fishing&tid=1513446
You might want to define what you consider “light”. Have you considered an aluminum skiff or bass boat instead?
usage
– Last Updated: Apr-05-16 11:24 AM EST –
You are probably not going to get a lot of responses here because this is a paddle sports forum. Most people on here are not interested in motor propulsion. You might have better luck on a fishing forum than this one.
I am aware (because I used to own one) of one canoe model that is made to have a small trolling motor mounted -- the molded plastic Mad River Adventure 16. It has plenty of capacity for two guys and gear and a squared off stern for a motor mount. Ours came with a little MinnKota 30 watt electric motor and battery. The Adventure 16 is not exactly light, but at 84 pounds can be readily carried by two people, or one with a two-wheeled cart. I actually used to load the one we had on my Subaru single handed (i'm a 5'5" average sized middle aged woman).
I often see them for sale used for under $500 -- got ours for $400 in perfect condition. Since the model has fairly low sides and narrow gunwales due to a bit of tumblehome, we used to paddle it using double-bladed kayak paddles, a 240 in the stern and a 230 in the bow. Some of the older 14' versions (the Adventure 14) which are a little lighter, had the squared stern as well but the current version does not.
For illustration purposes, here is one set up for fishing for sale on Ebay (a bit overpriced but lots of closeups showing the features of the canoe). Looks like somebody had a motor on it at some point -- not sure why they hacked away part of the lip over the motor mount.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mad-River-Adventure-16-Square-Stern-Canoe-with-ATC-Cart-Sabilizer-And-2-paddles-/152033887311?hash=item2365ed044f:g:1u8AAOSwYlJW6Dxy
Wenonah Backwater
This canoe was designed as a square stern and for use with a motor. It is very stable, decent to paddle and about the lightest square stern you will find. In Ultra-lite Kevlar it weighs 52# and comes with web seats and a portage yoke.
The other lightweight square stern canoe is the Sportspal. the 15’weighs 59# and is aluminum. No where as rugged as a Grumman, but much, much lighter.
Compared to a Discovery Sport at over 105# these are both able to be cartopped by a single person of average strength.
Bill