# Square Back Canoe



## uptracker (Jul 27, 2004)

Thanks a lot!


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## hornet007 (Feb 11, 2006)

uptracker 

If you're going to be heading back into a remote area with your canoe for deer hunting, presumably you'll be taking a bit of gear as well.

I have an Old Town Discovery Canoe 17 ft., flat back that can handle a 5hp motor. They don't make these anymore (their newest iteration is called the Predator, same thing more or less, different name). 

I've been running it with a 5hp motor, and it sounds like it would be great for your desired application. It could certainly get you and your gear to your spot. The 5hp motor pushes the canoe great.

I might be selling mine (to upgrade to a boat) in the coming weeks. If you're interested, let me know, I have some pictures I could send.

Hornet


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## Rupestris (Aug 25, 2000)

just ducky said:


> . By far the most durable is the Grumman, albeit a bit heavier.
> 
> try to find a used WIDE square back Grumman aluminum canoe. That's by far the most durable canoe I've ever used, and the wide Grummans can take a ton of weight and are very stable.


I'll second jd's post.

Check my gallery for pics of my Grumman SportBoat. Its 15' and can handle a 7hp. You can paddle it like a canoe, or use the oar locks to row.

Weighing in at just over 100 lbs empty and being 15' in length, its not the most car/truck-top friendly for one person to load or unload. I picked up the trailer from Harbor Freight for $300. 

Bad part about the Grummans is the fact that, 1, people that have 'em don't want to part with them. And, 2 they aren't cheap. I think they fetch about $1500 MSRP.

HTH,

Chris


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Rupestris said:


> ...Bad part about the Grummans is the fact that, 1, people that have 'em don't want to part with them. And, 2 they aren't cheap. I think they fetch about $1500 MSRP.
> 
> HTH,
> 
> Chris



...And the weight...don't know the specifics, but I know they're a lot heavier than a Radisson/Sportspal. But as I said before, more durable (or beatable as I like to say :evilsmile ).


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## Rupestris (Aug 25, 2000)

just ducky said:


> ...And the weight...don't know the specifics, but I know they're a lot heavier than a Radisson/Sportspal. But as I said before, more durable (or beatable as I like to say :evilsmile ).


Just checked the Marathon Boats website. The 15' Sportboat weighs in at 112# but the 16' square stearn (without the middle seat, foam filled gunnels, bow, and rear seat) only weighs 64# and is made of the same .040 aluminum.
Definately lighter and almost as tough as the SportBoat (5 ribs compared to 10 in the SB).

Man I wish it would warm up! This thread has got me jonesing to get the ol' boat back in the water.


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## hornet007 (Feb 11, 2006)

WinMag 

I tried to send you a pm but your inbox is full....



Hornet


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## john warren (Jan 25, 2005)

ogre, two ways to fix that. first you can put a keel on it. takes some skill.
the second, the cheapest and easiest is to put dager boards on the gunnel. a clamp on board that sticks down into the water . placed midway in the canoe. id make it out of plywood and grind a foil shape like a rudder would have make it maybe 10 inches wide, have it stick into the water about a foot. this will act much as a centerboard in a sailboat and help you hold a straight course.


Ogre said:


> I have one of those square back canoes and have several things to say about them. First, I run mine almost exclusively with my electric trolling motor and it works great with one exception. The exception is the other thing that I have to say and that is the fact that the canoe has no keel. It is flat bottomed and it's virtually impossible to keep it in a straight line with any wind. The canoe has an equal chance of going sideways as it does going straight with a motor. The square back is nice but make sure there is a keel (no completely flat bottom).


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