Hi all,
I hope this doesn’t sound too nuts. I’m in the UK and me and 2 other friends are going to canoe/kayak along a stretch of river. I’m getting an old canoe which is water tight but its length is a foot more than I can transport around. So…I’m looking for some clever way to convert it so it folds or disassembles. It appears to be moulded/formed from a continuous piece of fibre glass or some kind of plastic mix.
I’ve seen foldable canoes advertised but as this one is free I thought I’d try and do a conversion.
Thanks guys,
Kev
not viable
– Last Updated: Sep-04-15 11:10 AM EST –
Folding canoes (and kayaks) are constructed of collapsible aluminum or wood and plastic frames, similar to jointed tent poles, with rubberized fabric "skins" stretched over them. They are not rigid segmented boats as you seem to be visualizing. There are modular kayaks, like those made by Point 65, but these work because they are made of dimensional plastic moldings that connect together like legos with integrated coupling hardware.
Cutting a conventional canoe apart would simply destroy it. There is no conceivable way I can imagine you could cut it apart and make it connect to maintain the structural integrity.
I admit I am puzzled: what is the specific problem of it being "a foot too long"? Can't you car top it? Any vehicle (other than a soft-top convertible) can haul any length boat on the roof. My friend hauls a 19' surf ski on a tiny SmartCar.
Provide some details on the problem you have with the length. I think you either have to figure out a way to transport it as is, or consider selling it and investing in something of a length you can handle (or a folding or inflatable).
You are thinking of Linkanoe
It was a fiddly thing in ten sections covered in waterproof canvas. Some can be found on E bay though they were never that popular
they were sectional canoes, not folders.
Good luck
http://forums.wcha.org/knowledgebase/Manufacturers:Linkanoe
If it was me…
and I absolutely needed it a foot shorter, I would just cut a foot off the stern.
Then I would make a template and build a new transom.
Use a piece of quarter inch plywood completely glassed and epoxied.
Then epoxy it in place using strips of glass and G-flex epoxy.
I have a friend that shortened a boat a few inches just to fit the racing specs for a particular class.
If you were to see a war canoe, you would see that they are in three pieces. Each section is completely waterproof and they bolt them together
Good luck
Jack L
Transport Problem
First, I understand that canoeing is fairly popular in the U.K., so I would think that you could simply shop for a different canoe.
Second, your description of the length problem makes me think you are transporting the boat inside a vehicle. If that’s the case, much less work than shortening the canoe would be to put a roof rack on the vehicle. You’ll be able to carry a longer canoe on your roof.
what guideboatguy said
IT’s likely not a foot too long - your rack setup is a foot too short. Check this guy out:
http://www.metrocast.net/~kanscho/MrMagooKayak2.jpg
