I’m thinking a foremounted anchor dealybopper and some oarlock sockets and something to hold rods without tangling all up - a couple for the front seat and a couple for the back seat. I’d like some under-seat bags and maybe a thwart bag. It’s got a nice carry yoke, though I doubt that I’ll ever carry it that way (17’, over 80#). Dirty Ed, who hangs out round here from time to time, told me a trick about putting in tie-in loops every 18" or so around the inside making it easier to tie in flotation and strap stuff down on camping trips. We’ll see about that. It sounds like a great idea, but also rather ambitious.
If you’ve got any bright ideas for customizing and outfitting a brand spanking new canoe, let me have them if you’re willing to share. Thanks.
What’d you get? Seems that the details might lend well to the answers, not that I’d have much to add myself. Jerry would have had pages of advice for you. RIP.
I bought a 2.5hp gas engine, I have a 40 ft/lb thrust trolling motor (only one or the other will be used in general), and I purchased oar lock sockets, 7' oars, and other rowing whatnot.
I’m looking forward to getting it wet. I’m thinking that Guest to Karo would be a good first run in it - if I get it licensed for my trolling motor. I’m not eager to row through that long, slow pool against the wind again.
When I get the engine licenses, shoot maybe just put in at Karo, row out past the break, and then motor all around that long slow pool.
Are you considering a trailer … … for transport of this one , or do you already have one ??
Would you like to mount your motor on the center of the stern (in the back) ??
If you have anything that you want to mount to your new rig , feel free to give me a yell , I’m a whiz at super strong , light , practical and effecient desingn ideas … I could come up with some for you .
Already have a trailer Boat has a transom. Engine (or motor, depending) will be mounted on it. I’ll likely use the engine on the river, and the motor on lakes. And the oars when I feel like it.
Fantastic … … I should of known , with the 42" width and how much you like that style of boat … I’m sure I would too !! … sorry I didn’t know what the Esquif Cargo was right off .
I think I mentioned this in a thread once , but again … I once saw a square stern canoe in Loch Raven Res. many years ago , this guy had an electric on it and he was really crusin leaving a heck of a wake behind . I thought to myself what a perfect rig that set up is , gets around quick , lots a room inside , plenty of draft for rougher conditions when needed .
Was probably the quickest boat on the reservour , except for the 48v guys with their modified golf cart motors .
You are going to have some great times in this one I bet .
I hope so I started the paperwork to register it today. I’ll register it with both the gas and the electric. In Virginia, there’s no additional charge. Once you motorize, it’s motorized. Doesn’t matter what the fuel is. You do have to tell them, though. They don’t start registering the motor until I think 25hp. Mine’s 1/10 of that.
Anyway, I’m hoping to maybe head out to a reservoir or lake to test it with the trolling motor soon. Get a feel for it before going in the river. See how much ballast I’ll need in the front, and figure out how to secure it best.
I was thinking of using 5 gallon jerry cans filled with water as ballast. They’re cheap, easy to transport, weigh 40lb each when full, but can be dumped right back out at the end of the trip for light packout. Plus they’re flat and can be easily kept low and out of the way, not affecting CoG much.
Best ballast will be a friend or family member, but I can’t count on that too often.
Big_D I really like the looks of the Cargo for your planned use. I’m interested in how it works out for you, because my BIL is planning on getting a boat for similar use and has asked for my input (since I’m now the family “canoe guy”). Please keep us posted!
Hey Newt! That could work. I’ve never really found a “dry” bag, though. I have a few “mostly dry” bags. I doubt that any of them would hold water in well enough to work as ballast. Some of those collapsible water jugs for camping might work nicely though. Curious thought.
I agree that they may not all be… …waterproof when laying on the side, but if you filled it up and stood it up in the front of the boat, I doubt it’d leak enough to worry about. We’ll get your barge and mine out together soon, and test it out…
Sounds good. I’m eager to get mine wet. The oarlocks haven’t arrived yet, so I have to wait to float it solo until they come in. I don’t intend to solo paddle a 17’ x 42" canoe.
The other obvious answer to ballast is a well-stocked cooler. That should have been obvious from the start.
If you want to go all-out, Scotty has a bunch of modular rod holders, drink holders, GPS holders etc. They all bayonette into teh Scotty base, which coincidentally is the same base used by Spirit Sails. You WERE going to rig a sail, weren’t you?
Fishing Canoe Riggin I don’t know what kind of canoe you have, but except for the rod holders, I’ve done exactly what you are planning to a Mad River Explorer 16 with wood trim and cane seats.
I first installed a center seat for solo use with the oars. I measured halfway between the center and BOW seats for the oarlock position. The reason is if there is someone else in the boat, they can sit in the stern seat facing the rower, ala guide boat style. The rower then uses the bow seat, facing the stern. Boat is trimmed better this way.
I went to West Marine and found a set of low cost oar sockets with Delrin inserts for the oarhorns. I installed 2"x1"x6" oak reinforcing blocks under the inwales at the marked location using stainless screws through the inwales and the side of the boat under the outwales. I drilled holes through the inwales and oak blocks so the Delrin inserts had to be tapped lightly in. I didn’t need the metal parts of the oarlocks.
The inserts have a tapered lip at the top which sits nicely on the inwale and only sticks up about 1/8", preserving the boat’s appearance. As for an anchor whatchamajig, I accidently found one in a box of misc. canoe parts and got it cheap. It was wood except for the parts that control the anchor line. All I had to do for it was drill a 3/8" hole in each deck piece so I can move it to whichever end is best suited.
Without the anchor controller and the oars, the boat is still just a nice-looking canoe. Sometimes I prefer to paddle.
Rod holders??? In my mind, a canoe with two people is crowded enough without a bunch of things sticking above the topline. I use rod holders on shore, LOL.
New boat conversion I tried a relatively cheap Sears 3-speed trolling motor on my Mohawk Royalex 16 and it moved the boat too fast to actually troll, even on low speed. I used the big battery for ballast in the bow, using some two conductor #14 Romex (house wiring cable) to extend the battery clamps to the battery. I could explore and fish to my heart’s content all day with the rig. That was before North Carolina required registration of boats 16’ or less not using gas motors. Now any boat/any motor combination must be registered and I’m not putting a set of those ugly numbers on my Mad River.