rowing 17’ canoes
get a rigid back stadium chair. Mount a two by four to the front under side. Then mount two axils and four six inch diameter lawn mower whells to the axils. The rolling seat faces the stern with center thwart removed and re-mouted behind bow seat. Place feet against stern seat and bend legs. Place 7’ oars on gunnels. Mount oar locks on outside of gunnels in best place for pulling. Seat rolls, low center of gravity and turns around for sailing, using oars as tillers. This works good.
rowing a canoe
I have had a Coleman Ram-X 15 ft. equipped with their factory center seat and oar locks since appx. 1975. It is easy to row either forwards or backwards. I can thus stand in the center and fish and even adjust direction etc. while in an upright position. I highly recommend the addition.
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Fit a rowing rig into the canoe or kayak. https://www.rowingrigs.com/
With the oarlocks further apart you can use long oars for better leverage.
The sliding seat lets you use your legs for power.
I’m in the process of choosing oarlocks and oars for my Northern Paddler canoe. Its 15’6" and has a 52" beam. Yes, a 52" beam. I would appreciate any advice from people who have done this conversion.
Thank you
Mac 55
Rowing a canoe in the conventional way means you can’t see where you are going.
Rowing a canoe facing forward means you have to portagee and use the relatively weak muscles in your triceps.
Neither one are desirable.
Look up Ellen Magellan, ellanmagellanexpeditions.com. She converted a 17’ Grumman for rowing, and has rowed it thousands of miles. Her Instagram has pictures of her set up. I would check out what she does.