Cheap Trim Options

[Richard]

I made a last minute plan change Saturday and ended up at Rockport without a bow partner. So I threw a rock in the bow. It worked but there are better options.
For one the rock was rough on the canoe.
On the positive side, when I got home and looked at the pictures, I found that I had Alfred Hitchcock riding with me.
Your thoughts.

[Canoe_Codger]

I've used rocks on quite a few occasions. But now I use a much more high tech approach. I always carry a plastic five gallon bucket. It will hold rock ballast if I am reduced to that, or water which doesn't weigh anything if I swamp for some reason. Rocks continue to add weight even when you don't want them too. But the plastic bucket at least protects the canoe hull. And makes a decent place to keep extra ropes, straps etc. And is handy to portage/transport the odd paraphenalia to and from the river like my bailing sponge, a iron anchor and rope when I take it, fishng gear and my and Jake's PFD's. It is a lot easier to carry it all on the shuttle van, down to the launch, and back to the vehicle when it is all consolidated like that and the bail handle makes it easy to carry and to tie into the canoe.

This is my current bucket of choice, a bright yellow tractor hydraulic fluid bucket (well cleaned, I assure you).

View My Video

It lives in the trailer inverted between trips with the rest of the gear in the gear box.


It also makes an excellent redneck camp stool. The iron anchor I mentioned, a 8# cotton scale pea. It doesn't tend to get hung up like mushroom or fluke anchors do.

[Canoe_Codger]

76 views and only one reply? Ok, here is another suggestion. My bow-wow-man. He is always ready to go no matter the weather and his schedule is always open. He moves fore and aft on command and he weighs 45#. I never have to carry him and he loads and unloads when told to. An added plus is that if someone catches me talking to myself, they assume I am talking to Jake. He is also my service dog, chosen by breed for "bidability", willingness to obey commands. An uncommon breed, people always inquire so he can be a conversation starter as another bonus. Drawback? He is pretty active and moves from side to side depending on what catches his eye, leaf, stick, wave, fish, turtle. We need to work on that one.

Llewellyn Setter:


Oh, and here is a better picture of my scale pea anchor.

[Richard]

I think the reason for no other comments is because paddlesports have moved away from canoes to kayaks and now SUPs. Thank you for the comments and pictures. I have the buckets. Just never use them. I may start doing that. They take up space in the car but putting my gear bag inside should take care of that.

There was a more active discussion about it here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/SoloCanoe/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
You need to page down.

[sig]

I've used a dry bag with water inside once before and it worked out pretty well. I read that hint when reading about trips to the Boundary Waters. No need to hunt rocks, no scratching the canoe up. Dump the bag at the start of the portage and fill it back up on the other side.

[Richard]

I've got a bunch of dry bags as well. I need to make sure I don't grab the one the raccoon tore into.

[Deuce]

Was it the same raccoon that ate the top of your hat?

[Canoe_Codger]

The one the coon tore into might be just the ticket for a ballast bag with a raft patch or two on it. (Coons... another reason Jake comes in handy.. they don't come around my gravel bar camps!).

That was a good discussion on solo ballasting. And I agree with the bugaboo of placing too much weight too far foreward. Even when the balance is right fore and aft, it can make the bow tend to plow rather than ride up over waves and rise as expected going over drops.

Other than buying a solo specific canoe, you can install a third seat further foreward if simply turning the canoe around doesn't do the trick. Essex and Ed's Canoes sell some really decent OEM style ash and cane (or web if you prefer) seats and drops. Louis at TBC usually has these seats in stock and they are easy to install. And there are temporary drop-in seats on the market as well. I can't vouch for their comfort though. The ones I have seen are either canvas slings or FG/plastic full width benches.

Yeah, canoes are becoming less popular it seems. But there will always be some of us throwbacks that prefer the traditional canoe over kayaks or converted C1's. It's all good. Not everyone can become proficcient with a single blade paddle. And there are a lot of folks who don't care if they can't carry a dog, a chair, big cooler and camping gear, fresh food etc. In fact, I don't always. But it's nice to have the capacity if I want to. Besides, there is a saying in Mexico, "Fewer burros, more corncobs". A better selection of good used canoes for us that do like them.

Michael

[Canoe_Codger]

Was it the same raccoon that ate the top of your hat?

He wears a top hat canoeing? THIS I gotta see!

[Deuce]

Was it the same raccoon that ate the top of your hat?

He wears a top hat canoeing? THIS I gotta see!

Mr. Richard would look good in a topper, but alas, it's a Tilly style with a big hole in the top. One of those collapsible water containers would make good ballast too.

[okieboater]

Richard,

Soon as I get rehab'ed a little better balance etc getting my solo Rendezvous on top of the truck, I may be joining you on the canoe thing. The ability to move around the legs and stretch the back in a canoe plus having room for the gear I need now to sleep comfortable, are looking a lot more like I need less kayaking and more canoeing.

So, don't give up on canoes just yet.

[Deuce]

Richard,

Soon as I get rehab'ed a little better balance etc getting my solo Rendezvous on top of the truck, I may be joining you on the canoe thing. The ability to move around the legs and stretch the back in a canoe plus having room for the gear I need now to sleep comfortable, are looking a lot more like I need less kayaking and more canoeing.

So, don't give up on canoes just yet.

Good! When are we going to the Buffalo?

[Richard]

Was it the same raccoon that ate the top of your hat?

Could have been. Both happened about the same time.

Dave, I also have mobility issues. More canoeing is clearly a step in the right direction.

In summary, I have been overlooking the obvious. Dry bags and buckets are winners.

I pulled a seat out of my Wenonah Rogue and mounted it in the Prospector to give me a seat closer to the middle but lately I have been using both boats so I need to put a dedicated middle seat in the Prospector.
The important concept for function is to concentrate the weight in the center for better control.

I put rocks in the canoe the last two times I went to Rockport. The first time, I left the rocks in when I crossed the ledge and took on a bunch of water. After that experience, the second time I unloaded the rocks on the island and not a drop of water came in the canoe. Lesson learned.

Good! When are we going to the Buffalo?

Soon I hope.

[Canoe_Codger]

Measure the width you need and contact Louis Shaw about a seat. They are less expensive that you might think and very easy to install. This is my Sunburst's new seat. I put it in on aluminum plate drops, but in many canoes, you can use the usual dowels or wooden trusses. Louis stocks these.



And this is the Bell Morningstar set up from the factory with both tandem and solo seats (not three occupants).

[AR-Nimrod]

If you've ever read any Patrick F. McManus you may recall that he always used bags of lead shot for ballast when he didn't have a "boy" for ballast. Just felt a need to throw that out there. The bag and bucket 'o' water do sound more practical. But McManus is one of my favorite authors. If you haven't read him you should. Good clean outdoor humor.