? on Ranger Otter Canoe

Advice
#1

I have this 88’ Ranger canoe that I am rehabing. My question is I believe it is F/G and it has two thwarts in it with no carry thwart. At 16’1" I just don’t see the need for a second thwart which is placed in from of the stern seat. So If I say to hell with that second thwart and put in a carry thwart am I going to mess with the hull? I don’t think so but being an older hull maybe the design and make of the hull calls for it. Any thoughts?



dougd

#2

Should be fine
I would think a single center portage yoke should suffice. My Mad River Explorer a couple of inches longer and has only a center yoke and I have never felt the need for more bracing (although it is Kevlar).



The Ranger website shows an Otter with only a single center portage yoke and a couple of short carry thwarts near the stems: http://www.rangercanoe.com/canoes.htm

#3

Thwarts can weigh so little that I would
consider where they might be added. Another measure might be to put thin minicell pads between the seat hangers and the hull, so that the seats do more to stiffen the hull.



I seem to recall Ranger offering a 20 footer at one time.

#4

on mine…

– Last Updated: Mar-14-13 11:58 PM EST –

I had a newer one, 2004 I believe. It had the single carry thwart. I added a second thwart just behind the front seat to stiffen it up a bit. Helped a lot. I also added a kneeling thwart.

#5

I Had One

– Last Updated: Mar-11-13 11:07 AM EST –

No extra thwarts, just the yoke. Not a bad boat. It was plenty stiff without an additional thwart. I looked and I have no good "Inside" pictures that I can find. But, this is from the bow seat looking toward the stern. And, this IS their standard layup. He used a different color interior paint in that boat as an experiment. The seat drops and seats were different, also, as my wife didn't like the contour of the contoured seats.
http://www.pbase.com/ozarkpaddler/image/67597611

#6

In a perfect world

– Last Updated: Mar-11-13 12:11 PM EST –

All tandems would have three thwarts, the center a carry yoke, the front ~ tight to reinforce the bow seat placement and/or facilitate a slider and the third a kneeling thwart to improve solo paddling and reinforce the rail expanse between stern seat and carry yoke.