On Nov 30, 10:17 pm, mdk77 wrote:
On Nov 29, 5:28 pm, daytripper wrote:





On Thu, 29 Nov 2007 14:15:31 -0800 (PST), mdk77
wrote:

I just came across the Old Town Osprey Angler 155 canoe. It's Royalex
(heavier at 68 pounds) but it sure looks like a stable canoe. It even
comes with oar locks in case you'd use them, and anchors. Here's a
link:

http://www.oldtowncanoe.com/canoes/h...y_ang_155.html

Anyone fish our of one of these?

That's a pretty good looking rig for a fishing canoe. The specs sure suggest
it's very stable, and it's clearly loaded with fishin' goodies.

But yikes! I know it's been awhile since I bought my last canoe (a sweet li'l
12' glass Katahdin) but jeeze that's a lot of money for a plastic canoe!

/daytripper (I've seen the future - and it's wicked expensive! ;-)

You're 100% right about the prices. Seems like everything is a lot
more expensive nowadays. Canoes are pretty pricey now, but what
isn't? One nice thing is that I don't have to buy gasoline for a boat
motor. I used to always have a BIG boat, and gas seemed expensive
then. I can't imagine what it would be like now. All I need with
that canoe is a paddle & PFD. I have two lakes within 1/2 mile of my
home, so I don't even need to burn much car gas to get to the lakes.
BTW, one thing I like about a canoe is that I don't need to dink
around with a boat ramp either. I can just car-top to anything from a
farm pond, creek or river - on up to the bigger lakes around here -
and just pop the canoe off the car rack and plop it in anywhere I
want. I like the idea of no-hassle and no motor do dink with.

I'm definitely still looking around and haven't made up my mind.
Royalex seems to be a bit heavy (70 pounds or so for a fishing canoe)
and a composite gets that weight down to 40 or 50 pounds. As I get
older, the lighter canoe may be a blessing in my older years. I'm
hoping this will be a purchase that pays off for many many years.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You're right that a 70lb boat gets heavy as you get older. I used to
toss a 70lb BlueHole on the roof of my van easily when I was younger
(of course, there was a technique to it), but now I worry that I'm
going to explode a disk each time I have to hoist a boat that heavy.

If you get a boat that gets harder to manage as the years go by,
you'll find yourself less and less apt to toss it on the roof and use
it. Even at the extra cost, unless you're under 35 or Jack La Lanne, I
think you should seriously consider a lighter hull...kevlar is crazy
expensive but incredibly light. A thin fiberglass layup would work,
too, but the boat probably wouldn't last into your old age years.

Another thing to watch for...it seems that many car roofs tend to
accept boats with 34-35" beams easily, but once you get into the
36-37" width boats, they start to get wide enough to require roof
racks. If your fishing/floating waters are close to home, you might
want to ensure that whatever boat you get can be tossed on the roof
with some pads rather than a roof rack, as many folks get lazy and
leave the racks on all summer. This makes a rather significant and
surprising impact on your gas mileage...which is another hidden cost.

Avoid those seats with backrests...they never are set at an angle that
is comfortable, they interfere with casting and landing fish, and they
make putting the boat on the car a real pain. If they are connected to
the seats, they flap around and make noise (and catch wind), if they
are removable, they are one more PITA to keep track of.

Oarlocks (or 'Rowlocks' in Europe) can get in the way if you are
paddling also...give them a close inspection and be sure that they are
the type that can be tucked out of the way when not in use, or when
the locks are removed the socket is not in the way of paddling or
fishing.

Remember, pretty much ANY recreational boat will be fine...marketers
(and elitists) like to split hairs about the tiniest details, but in
reality if you are not using it for some competitive racing, or for
some activity that pushes the envelope, then any general purpose canoe
without extremes (extreme rocker, extreme length or shortness, extreme
tumblehome, etc) will be more than adequate. Specialized boats are not
worth the extra money, IMNSHO.

--riverman