It’s nothing I’d paddle & therefore admit to my prejudice but party I “met” online was considering buying one new. I advised they could acquire a much better used canoe for same $$$ on classifieds here than that 13’6" 38inch wide “barge”
Believe they’re new paddlers & into fishing.
Did I give bad advice ?
What’s your opinion of new Sportspal 14 ?
Don’t know about the “new” ones, but
you can’t help admire a canoe with built-in foam sponsons.
My feeling is, if they buy the Sportspal, they will be safe enough and happy enough, and they won’t have spent so much money that they can’t buy something better. If they get on the used canoe market now, they may make a mistake, at least relative to their purposes.
Sportspal 14
Sportspal canoes are really good as fishing canoes. Though aluminum, the foam floatation is spread out like a carpet over the canoe interior and it dampens sound very well. The sponsons and hull width make the canoe very forgiving of paddler movements and about as hard to capsize as anything with pointed ends. The 12 is a challenge to paddle straight or for any distance over a mile. The 14’ is decent, not fast, but as good as most 14 foot flatbottomed canoes. The 16’ is much better. the sponsons are up out of the water and do not carry alongside the paddling stations like in the shorter models. The flat topped seats are covered with closed cell foam and are easier on your butt than an unpadded cane or webb seat.
The Meyers Sportspal is better built than the Raddison Sportspal. Different construction, different hull.
Not a canoe that is in my collection, but models that i have spend time in, paddled, and carried. For some folks they are the ideal canoe; stable, well equipped, quiet, comfortable. Just not a long distance or rough water canoe.
Bill
I don’t like em!
Slow, handle poorly, only fit for small ponds: BUT
it you want a canoe for a small pond, have kids that will be paddling it and don’t mind butt-ugly they are fine.
Old Town, Nova and a bunch of others make fairly good canoes. Marathon AKA Grummon has some nice boats if you like aluminiun.
There is no care involved in a Sports Pal.
Just as well.
I would look for used.
I have an Old Town Disco 169, a barge but a work horse. Some time ago I owned a wood canvas boat that was marvelous but required more care than I had to give it. I built a stripper that served me for 15 years.
Our family had 3 fibre glass boats, two Great Canadians (good boats) and one 12 foot death trap.
The Sports Pall is a canoe and may be ideal for the purpose.