Canoe project on a rainy day

[Kingcreek]

In 1972 I bought a new 17’ aluminum canoe with a cartop kit and 2 paddles. $150 for a new quality LoweLine.
I still have it. It’s still in very good condition. Used it a lot in college camping and river floats, it’s big enough l and stable enough to fish from. Plenty of leg room and space. It has a lake keel and because of its length it’s better on lakes or broad rivers than twisty fast water with rocks and obstacles.
It’s been hanging upside down in my barn for 23 years and was last wet 15 years ago when my bro in law and nephew borrowed it.
Yesterday’s canoe related welding projects were
1. a wheeled ground cart so I can strap it in the cradle and balance it and walk it to some of the state lakes without vehicle access or from a parking area to a launch area.
2. a receiver hitch mounted carrier. It’s a square tube frame that pin mounts into the hitch on my 4 door Jeep rubicon, rises vertically a little higher than my roofline, and terminates with a pivoting T cross member at the top. I haven’t tied it yet but the plan is I will be able to load one end onto the T frame, secure with a strap, then pivot the front of the canoe around and up with the foam blocks and centered on top of the Jeep. All by myself if needed. It will be longer than the Jeep but with /\ ropes front and rear, 2-4 foam blocks on the Jeep hardtop and the hitch T post it should travel well.
I loaded it and portaged by myself in my younger years but I don’t think I could do it now without my new system. Picking up one end at a time is my limit.
Looking forward to doing a little solo canoeing or with the wife if I can talk her into it. It’s still raining today. I have the newfangled paddles but I also have my original Feather brand wood paddles. I might sand a refinish them today and drink coffee in the shop.

[RoadKingLarry]

You inspired me. I'd been doing a little woodworking this weekend and I'd run out of the hardware I wanted to use. I took a break and pulled up APS and read your thread.
I've got a 14' aluminum canoe I traded for with a friend 17-18 years ago. It's a 1974 model. I used it regularly for 7-8 years and infrequently since, can't remember the last time I had it in the water. I removed the portage thwart and put in a seat closer to the middle, close to balanced for my weight and loading. My wooden Feather brand paddles have been knocking about in my shop for years and were looking sad. I refinished them this afternoon. Use a cabinet scraper and.took off the old varnish, a little bit of sanding and applied 2 coats so far of my home brew finish. I use a mix of BLO, pine tar,  turrentine and Japan Dryer. I'll eventually do 5-6 coats.

[French G.]

Went into the garaged canoe today to get a car top transport board, doggy PFD fell out. Probably go out on the river next week, no dog this time. 

[Kingcreek]

I didn’t get around to refinishing the paddles yesterday but I’ve got them set out to do this week.
If you’ve ever put 2 people in a 14 or 15’ and then in a 17’ the difference is considerable. The 17 will have more glide on the stroke. Mine is big enough that if solo I can put a stadium seat ahead of the crossbar for approx 60 fore/40 aft positon. It would be nice to replace it with a higher permanent seat for a solo option. The 17 is big enough to be used as freighter or haul a deer etc it’s 36” wide.
I always regretted not getting a shoe keel for a small motor.

[RoadKingLarry]

I made a bracket for mounting a trolling motor. It's really too far forward and makes steering with the motor ineffective but a paddle as a rudder does the trick.  Worked great for going upstream in a slow moving river.

[charby]

I have a 12' solo canoe that weighs 33#. I need to figure out a way to get water out of it between rapids, I like to shoot the local rivers at high water through the ugliest part each falls.

I wonder if I could make a underwater PVC venturi strapped to the rear of the canoe with a small hose attached to pump out the water, I can take up to 56-60 gallons of water on a couple of old blown out dams on the river.

[Kingcreek]

I have a 12' solo canoe that weighs 33#. I need to figure out a way to get water out of it between rapids, I like to shoot the local rivers at high water through the ugliest part each falls.

I wonder if I could make a underwater PVC venturi strapped to the rear of the canoe with a small hose attached to pump out the water, I can take up to 56-60 gallons of water on a couple of old blown out dams on the river.

That's a whole lot of water in a 12 footer!
Are you thinking 2" pvc?

[charby]

That's a whole lot of water in a 12 footer!
Are you thinking 2" pvc?

She handles like a wet turd with that much water sloshing around. I have a Old Town Pack Canoe.

I'm trying to figure it out what I want for a venturi, probably 1" hose from the canoe, 2" or 3" bells on the Venturi. Most of the rivers I run have some distance between the falls/rapids. If I go to something with a lot more rapids, I'll get float bags for it.

[French G.]

I want a scanoe, but I really want a cheap plastic kayak and a derelict jet ski so I can marry them together. The proper paddler around here is not amused.