I’m wondering if a 17’ Grumman canoe is suitable for solo paddling.
I want to buy a canoe for some lake fishing, a little exploring, and some river trips, fishing and touring the Delaware, Lehigh, and whatever smaller streams in the Poconos are navigable.
I have only a little canoeing experience from decades ago. I have a little sea kayaking experience from a decade ago. I still have my Perception Carolina, but it’s a little awkward for fishing, and since I’ve ballooned up to 260 lbs on my 5’ 10" frame at my current age of 61, I’m not sure I’d be that comfortable in it right off anyway.
From a little research I’ve just done, including reviews from this site, I like the Grummans for their reported durability and low maintenance. I prefer to store outside.
I know of a 1990 17’ Grumman from the original owner, reported to have been only lightly used on a lake and not used at all for some years. It comes with a small electric trolling motor, a battery which is probably no good anymore, Grumman sponsons, and a wood paddle, all for $450. I saw the sponsons alone are $355 suggested retail in Grumman’s catalog (which seemed overpriced to me.) The sponsons might come in handy at times. I might lash them onto the kayak until I get my bearings in that again. I think it’s a good deal cost wise, but I’m not sure it this is the right canoe for me.
Although I expect to have friends come along sometimes, mostly I expect to be paddling solo. Along with preferring to hoist a lighter canoe on to the top of my van, I’m wondering if a 17 footer would be unwieldy for solo paddling. What do you think?
I’d also be interested in hooking up some kind of sail system sometime, and maybe even a kite system someday.
Well it’s been done by many. Typically people will paddle from the bow seat (closer to the center) and weight the other end. Widn can be a concern as well as manuvering in current. I’m thinking that New Englanders would stand up in the center and pole one of these.
Good price. Good for expedition tripping with a partner(although COLD in winter). I started in one on the Delaware, way back in the late 20th Century day. Wouldn’t want to negotiate rapids solo with one unless I had to/or had no other boat to use(don’t do the Lehigh solo with one, okay :# ) Should make for a good sailor providing bottom is flat without a keel, that is if you want to go to the trouble of attaching mast step, lee board, etc.
But loading in/out and car-topping(on a van?)will be a bear though. For just a little fishing and some solo exploring, I’d seriously shop around for something a little less of a cumbersome hassle to get to and from the water, like maybe a good used Royalex canoe or even a 12-14 foot Sit On Top kayak. Remember, every pound you have to lift starts to weigh two more with each passing year–And it will feel even heavier taking-out at the end of a paddling day.
The boat one uses most, is the boat that’s easiest to get to the water.
I soloed and fished out of a 16 ft Grumman many times. It was what we had at our family lake house, so I have about 45 years experience with them. There are some issues paddling them solo, especially one that is 17 ft. First you can’t flip it around and paddle from the front seat because there is a thwart right behind the front seat, that will be in front of you if you paddle it backwards. That means you need to install center sea, or paddle from the rear seat, with lots of weight in the front to balance yours.
Second, the things are murder in any kind of wind when paddling solo. I’m an experienced paddler and had trouble keeping the boat straight in the wind. The Grummans are like sails in the wind, which also makes them a pain for fishing.
I much prefer fishing out of a canoe than a kayak, but not from a Grumman. I was slightly glad when Grumman was stolen a few years ago. It was incentetive to get a decent solo canoe
I’ll keep it for tandem paddling and shop around for a solo boat.
In my much younger days, I spent quite a bit of time solo paddling 17 foot Grummans, and Osagians.
That’s what I had…
I dealt with it fine; never dumped one of them.
But I have no plans whatsoever to ever paddle another one, for anything, anywhere, any time.
BOB
