What kind of small craft would fit this need?
Can anyone advise on small craft?I regularly need to cross what is to all intents and purposes, a lake
of about 4 miles in each direction. I also need to venture along
inshore waters of the sea coast, in calm weather. I need something that I can lift onto the top of my car,
single-handed, and portage single-handed from my car to the water. I
can usually park within 30 yards of the water. I guess the maximum
length of boat I can carry on my small car is about 16ft, and the
maximum beam about 36". I've tried using a 14-foot 60-lb Canadian-style flat-bottom canoe,
which serves well in calm conditions. I like it because I can stow a
lot of gear in it, or take another person along. Unfortunately, the canoe feels unsafe when encountering the waves
higher than about 18", even when encountered head-on. The waves caused
by power boats are a particular hazard. I haven't been swamped yet,
but I feel it's been a close call on several occasions. A sea kayak would be another option. However, I'm not keen on kayaks.
The storage space is much more limited, and I'd really like a boat
that I can attach a small outboard motor to. I find kayaks
uncomfortable too. I'm no youngster, so getting in and out of them is
a chore for me, and I like a boat that allows me to shift postition on
a long trip. And, unless it's a two-seater, I can't take another
person on board. Is there any other kind of small boat that might serve my needs? Thank you, Al Deveron |
Al
Jul 3
2006
|
| Al, if you're comfortable in your canoe, see if
you can't make or have made a spray skirt for the
thing. Attach it with snaps, you'll be surprised
what you can just plow through and keep on going. DT |
dt
Jul 5
|
| A Porta-bote would exceed your needs in every respect. Even the smallest model
(8 foot) will handle pretty nasty chop. With one person aboard, a 3.5 hp engine
will be enough to make it plane. They make them up to 14 feet long. These are
seriously tough boats, and you can drag them on rocks all you want without
damage. They fold up to resemble the general shape of a surfboard, and the 8
foot model weighs about 50-60pounds. Your canoe is probably heavier. They cost
less than half what a comparable inflatable would run you, and they preform with
a much smaller, lighter, cheaper motor. Mine is pushed easily with a fuel
efficient 3.5 hp motor that weighs 29 pounds, and cost $700 new. An inflatable
will need a big, heavy, expensive motor of 8-15 hp. CWM |
Charlie
Jul 4
|
| >canoeing, and they are fast as hell (of couse that depends on how
>strong you are but since you are canoeing, kayaking seems a natural
>fit). You can also get some really lightweight kayaks. Thanks for the suggestion. Don't you get kind of uncomfortable after
30 minutes or so? I do have a kayak, but only ever used it once. I
seem to remember not being able to get out of the thing because my leg
muscles had gone to sleep. The lateral instability is what scared me
the most. I couldn't help but be worried about the idea of capsizing
and not being able to get free of the boat in time to avoid drowning,
etc. Al D |
Al
Jul 4
|
| there's even a Hobie version that peddles like a bike. |
Don
Jul 4
|
| How about a 10 ft inflatable with up to 8 hp engine.
Jim "Al Deveron" <wmth2581@aol.com> wrote in message |
Jim
Jul 3
|
| I'd get a trailer with rollers, and a small aluminum boat (14' or so)
and outboard (9.9 or so maybe). My experience ... it was way more work
to cartop my canoe than to trailer my 19' I/O. |
bowgus
Jul 3
|
| Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately, I don't have anywhere to
keep a trailer. Hence the need for car-top transportation. Al D |
Al
Jul 3
|
| >How about a 10 ft inflatable with up to 8 hp engine. Hi Jim, What kind of inflatable boat? I did consider an inflatable canoe at one time, but the beaches where
I need to drag the boat ashore mostly consist of sharp stones, so I
was concerned about getting punctures at inconvenient moments. Cheers, Al D |
Al
Jul 3
|
| I agree, I don't feel safe in an inflatable either. I have a 14 ft
aluminum, with a 9.9 outboard, and it's heavier than I'd like. Dad
used to have a 2 or 3 horse on his 14" aluminum, and he'd load it in
the back of his truck if he wanted. I have a small fiberglass that's
about 4" long, hand made. Perhaps someone could make you a dingy to
fit.
Adrianne |
Adrianne
Jul 3
|
| I have a 2hp outboar motor which I use on my canoe. It would be nice
if I can use the same motor on the next boat. The main problem with the canoe (as far as I can tell) is the flat
bottom and the low gunwales. Those features seem to make it unsuited
to the choppy waters I frequently encounter. I'd like to get something that my 2hp motor will be adequate for. I
was thinking perhaps a sailing dinghy hull (without the mast and
sails...) Al Deveron |
Al
Jul 3
|
| On second thoughts, that would be unsuitable, because of the keel. I
need something with a very shallow draught, for *very* shallow waters. Al Deveron |
Al
Jul 3
|
| What happened to your canoe? Dan |
Dan
Jul 3
|
| You aren't looking to fish from this rig, right? |
Dan
Jul 3
|
| Here, check this out. it only weighs 150 lb. it has some sides on it
unlike the little pond fisherman pontoons, and you could probably put a
3 or 4 horse engine on it. http://www.boatingchannel.com/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/00568.1.2596878975235180261/bcs/product_display.html? |
tschnautz
Jul 3
|
| This one might be better, and it takes an engine.
only 110 lb. http://www.boatingchannel.com/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/00568.5.4484366188635180261? |
tschnautz
Jul 3
|
| No. Al D |
Al
Jul 4
|
| I still have it. It's what I'm using right now. Al D |
Al
Jul 4
|
| Thanks for the suggestion, but 110 lbs is just too heavy for me to get
on the roof of my car and portage single-handed. The stowage space
looks tight too, especially with two people on board. The 12 ft LOA
would limit its top speed too. I'm thinking that one option would be to get a different design of
canoe: one with higher gunwales and maybe a V or U shaped hull.
Something like this shape, perhaps: http://www.jollyroger.eclipse.co.uk/images/iow_single_canoe_1.JPG ....but built of modern lightweight materials. Comments appreciated. Al D |
Al
Jul 4
|
| I am laughing (out loud, but not quite rolling on the floor) -I just
came across one wonderful and very cute craft that you might want to
check out on uk.rec.sailing, the post is 'Is this the ugliest dinghy?'
I suggest ignore all the jovial bantering, it's just fun, I think the
boat has a lot of merits -horses for causes. The more I think of it the
more I want one -reckon I'd be grinning non-stop playing about,
probably name her Puff the Magic Dragon now, or maybe Toy Boy, or Play
Thing. She is wider than your spec but you might figure out how to make
things work for car-top and compact trolley-wheels (like for kayaks).
Also you may be in a different country but then again... Let us know what you end up with... Solo Thesailor
http://sailingstoriesandtips.blogspot.com |
Solo
Jul 4
|
| You might want to look into kayaks. Personally I enjoy kayaking over
canoeing, and they are fast as hell (of couse that depends on how
strong you are but since you are canoeing, kayaking seems a natural
fit). You can also get some really lightweight kayaks. J |
c0d3phr3ak
Jul 4
|
