First post for me, great site !
I’m looking for a sq. back canoe that I can use in the local creeks & bays for flounder fishing this spring. I have a 4 hp gas OB motor I’d like to utilize…
I know Grummans are solid canoes, have paddled them in the past but any other companys out there make a stable sq. back I could compare to the grummans…
Thanks,
Alan
well
i know sombody does but cant remember. I used to have an older one, i thin Mohawk might have made it.
Mad River and Scott Canoe
both make square backs, but they are aluminum. I believe Alumacraft also makes a an aluminum squareback.
wenonah
Wenonah makes a square stern canoe, I think its called Bluegill.
Tim
correction: the Mad River and Scott
square backs are not aluminum.
Coleman and Pelican also.
At large outdoor type stores (Like Dicks Sporting goods etc). Heavy and durable.
There is a used Pelican in the P.Net classifieds:
(NY) Pellican 16 foot flat back canoe for sale. Purchased 3/2000 from Bass pro under their name. Can carry up to 5 horse motor. Condition Used. Would like $300
Here is a source for Pelican info:
http://www.paddleboatstore.com/p/Pelican_Canoes/
Here is one for Coleman:
http://www.factorydirectboats.com/cumcan16.html
Good luck!
Old Town
Old Town Canoe makes one. About 14’, I think. Pretty reasonable price and very durable, but very heavy. Probably not nearly as heavy as the Gruman, tho.
Old Town and wieght
Old Town models are a good bet, and as ‘Cuda says, they are pretty durable and not overly expensive. But on average, they are heavier than Grummans of the same or even longer length (a 15’ Old Town Discovery square-back is only three pounds lighter than Grumman’s 19’ square-back).
An advantage of Grumman is that they make at least four different models of square-back canoes, and I think Old Town only makes two. Check out their websites for the details.
Hmmmm OK!
I was just guessing about the Gruman being heavier. I had an OT 133 that actually wieghed over 100# fitted out.
All told I probably have spent more time in Gruman Canoes than any other paddlecraft.
Clipper Canoes
Clipper Canoes also makes some square back canoes.
On the other hand…
I just looked at what I copied off those web sites, and I ALSO see that one square-stern Grumman that’s 15’3" long weighs the same as the 15’ OT square-stern Discovery (Grumman = 112# , Old Town = 113#). Another Grumman square stern that’s 15’7" is only 64#. I guess it’s pretty clear that there must be other factors to consider here, such as the thickness of hull material, the number of reinforcing ribs, and the width of the boat.
Thanks for the replys & links
Lots of good info., appreciate it…
Mowhawk makes a 13 foot fibergalss
that is about 65lbs. Most square backs are heavier or more expensive as you have undoubtedly found out and so are awkward to manhandle if you want to take one out by your self. They want $542.50 plus shipping for the standard model. I emailed them about it several times about a year ago and they said it was made for a small outboard of about 1.5hp because it won’t plane. It was intended to paddle well and so they estimated it might go 5 knots tops no matter how big of a motor you put on it. (You could still put a bigger motor on it) The trouble with most square back canoes is that they paddle awful because of the drag caused by the squared off end. This one supposedly gets around that problem and would be nice in case your outboard konks out on you, which BTW I have had happen to me and then you have to PADDLE home. Since motors can take you far from the put in and if they decide to konk out it’s usually about the time you decide to go back (Mr. Murphy’s Law) it’s worth keeping in mind. I haven’t yet decided which square back I’m going to purchase when I buy one but it’s just one of the more practical ones I’ve come across in my search for a perfect one. If there is a perfect one and you find it please let me know.
Dan
Just Remembered,
indianrivercanoes.com also has some fiberglass square back canoes 14-16 feet long but their website doesn’t really have individual pics. of the canoes. The prices are like Mowhawks and they are in Raliegh, NC. The only reason I even know about them is that a guy around here sells them out of his residence. I have seen a few non squareback models on peoples docks and they look really shiny and nice but that’s all I know about them other than the measurements given on the website.
Dan
Another one
Is made by Sportspal & Radison. It’s a real nice and light square back. It also comes complete with anchor system, paddles and oar locks. It doesn’t seem it but it’s one tough boat.
Good Journey’s
Shawn
Consider your total stern weight …
Your 4 hp motor (2 cycle?) probably weighs 40-50 lbs and with your weight, you’re probably going to have to float anywhere from 225 to 275 lbs at the back end. Not all squarebacks will support both the weight and resist “squatting” under full throttle with that much weight. The Old Town Discovery’s are capable of handling 300-350 easy … and you might as well get the 17 footer as it’s only 10 lbs more than the 15 footer if you buy one of those. My friend has the 17 ft Discovery Sport and it’s been an excellent workboat for him … very durable (but a bit tippy due to it’s shallow vee hull bottom). By contrast, I have a Clipper Expedition 17.5 footer that has a much more narrow Y-stern design and it only handles about 225 lbs at the very back before it squats too low at full throttle. It’s very efficient as a rowing boat though and a sweeter boat overall than the Discovery Sport 17 … except that it’s limited to using a lighter motor (30-40 lbs 3 hp). Most short square stern aluminum canoes will have the fullness you’ll need for that 4 hp motor, but they’ll be somewhat slower when paddled or rowed. Consider using a trailer so that you can have everything set to go when you get to the water. Leaky (oily) 2-strokes aren’t a lot of fun to put on and off all the time. If you do a trailering strategy, think about getting a larger boat for more seaworthiness … because weight won’t be an issue and it will let you go into larger, rougher waters without as much concern as you would have with a short boat.
the Scott Feather
is quite beamy and can support a lot of weight at the stern. It’s not a canoe you want to paddle, but as a fishing platform it’s great.
They also have larger square-sterns, and can do them in kevlar or carbon if weight is a serious consideration. I think they’ve got a link on this site, or you can just go to scottcanoe.com.
j.
.
thanks for the scottcanoe.com link, pretty impressive vessels from first glance, gotta love a company that offere a 21 ’ canoe that handles a 40 hp OB !