For Canoe Folks -- Rigging a Canoe for Fishing (Done Cheap!)

[Studsted]

I have have my battery up front and that seems to work pretty well. I also put the out riggers about 10 inches back from center to help. Took it out today but couldn't run the motor as the place I thought I could register it quit registering boats a couple months ago. Actually worked pretty well with the paddles though. Also going to redo the outrigger brace. It needs to be below the edge of the boat to slide it on and off my truck. I will just screw them in to the side like you did. Other then that it worked very well. Next time I will have a motor on it!

One other thing, I need to add some length to my outriggers. I sate the canoe on pavement, leveled it, and measured the amount of pipe I would need to rest the floats even with the bottom of the boat. I had no idea how much flotation those older canoes had as I could have easily been about 6 inches lower. It was pretty stable but lowing the floats a bit more I think would help.

[internetpilot]

Added some more mods to the Scanoe, specifically a mount for my Humminbird Fishin' Buddy 120 fishfinder. I never really cared for the stock clamp mount because it didn't work very well on such a low, thin plastic boat. It put the transceiver too low in the water, which in our local shallow waters that can be a bad thing real quick. I also changed out my very inexpensive Attwood rod holders for Scotty Rocket Launchers borrowed from my kayak. I kept the Attwood holders at the middle and front seats for the boys. I was always having problems with my reels being too low and getting overly splashed, but only my rod holders -- the boys' are fine.

I bummed the idea for the fishfinder mount from NWKA forum (http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/in ... ic=1826.15) where the guy used a Scotty flyrod holder, a piece of PVC pipe, and the original fishfinder seat ring for the new mount. I lengthened the PVC pipe for use in the canoe, as well as I'd need it longer for using it in my kayak since there really isn't a way to install a Scotty mount on the side of the kayak.

Took it out for a test run on Guana Lake on MLK day, and it worked like a charm. The new rod holders were better for trolling, and the fishfinder was excellent. One thing I really like about this fishfinder is the side scanning feature. You can rotate the the whole fishfinder around in its mount for changing the direction of the side scanning sonar, so I can check to see what's in front of me as well as what's behind me (between my trolling lines the boat) to better aim my trolling. Operates off of six AA batteries in the fishfinder base, so it's incredible portable and lasts for several long days of fishing on one set of batteries. I tested the side scanning accuracy with the local duck population because I could see them on top of the water for judging distance and the fishfinder was seeing them below the water at about the same distance. I really thought it would have more wobble than it did. Even the stock clamp mount rattles at any significant speeds (like >2 on my trolling motor), but this home-job mount actually did a better job than the OEM one and it wobbled more at low speeds than high speeds. I'm able to go full speed with the fishfinder still in the water.

Funny story -- the Fishin' Buddy 120 will only chime a big fish alert from the downward scanning sonar -- not the side scanning. So, even though it was 48°F air temp and 54°F water temp (according to the fishfinder), I ended up spooking a really big alligator (easily 9-10ft) out of the reeds on the west bank and it went right under my canoe in about 5 feet of water, and my apparently sarcastic fishfinder said, "BEEP!" (big fish). Definitely. haha.

Here's some pics of the canoe. I'll post pics of the fishfinder in the kayak in my kayak rigging thread (if I ever use it in the kayak).

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[abby]

Chris,

I see that you have the stock seats back in the Scanoe...........what happened to the Lawn Chair?

[internetpilot]

I still use it -- I just put the lawn chair either over the back bench seat or if I'm planning on doing a lot more stationary fishing I'll put it over the middle seat and thwart facing backwards.

[abby]

I didn't realize that the lawn chair went over the existing seat. I've been looking for one of those stadium high back seats for my Scanoe, but the way the bench is designed the stadium seat straps don't quite fit. Your idea of the lawn chair would be an easy fix, but how is the stability?......seems to sit up quite a bit higher than the bench seat.

[internetpilot]

That's where my stabilizers help, but even without the stabilizers, the heavy battery and rather hefty trolling motor make it surprisingly stable. I would not stand up as often without the stabilizers, but I definitely don't feel unstable using the lawn chair. I did choose that chair because it's lower than a normal lawn chair. It ends up with the seat base being about an inch over the edge of the canoe.

[azibuck]

I found this thread while researching pontoons, I hope internetpilot or anyone might still be lurking. I have a 14ft Radisson square stern canoe (with sponsons). However, it's still a canoe and my 11yo daughter is skittish after one trip. I'd like to be able to stand up and fish, and after thinking about it, I think I want to basically go overkill and build a tri-canoe, or canoemaran. I have some questions about pontoon/outrigger placement and arrangement.

In a nutshell, what is better, single long side pontoons, or 4 smaller pontoons placed nearer the front and back? Assume the total buoyancy is the same. I tried to attach a photo of my drawing but it was too large. To see what I drew, I posted it at Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxkNisK ... e=youtu.be

Fig.1 shows 4 smaller pontoons placed nearer the front and back of the canoe, Fig.2 shows two larger pontoons centered on the sides.

Also, is it better (stable-r/stronger) to stack two pontoons, or have them side-by-side? For instance, let's say I had two 4" pvc pontoons (I know there are better materials, I'm just using an example). Which is better, or makes the canoe harder to tip, Fig 3 or Fig 4?

I'm not looking to make the outriggers too far from the side of the canoe.

Other considerations: I will mostly be fishing, mostly using a trolling motor. But, I do have a custom seat that attaches to either thwart and I can paddle relaxedly, or turn it around and row (the Radisson has oarlocks). This will be used on small lakes mostly, no open water/ocean. Any advice is welcome, except telling me to buy a bigger boat. What fun is that? Besides, I still plan to cartop this.

[internetpilot]

Yep, I'm still here!

Just the two smaller stablizer style pontoons that I have on my canoe significantly improve the stability of my canoe, enough to satisfy my two boys who were also nervous about how tippy the canoe felt without them. I frequently use it for solo fishing , and have no trouble standing up and moving all around the canoe, and I'm definitely not an agile person. I didn't use the foam floats that most people use -- mine are hard plastic floats that are hollow and seem to provide more buoyancy.

Just my opinion/theory, but I suspect that if you put 4 on like in figure 1, it's not going to improve the stability much, if any, more than having just the two. I think the design of figure 2 will interfere with paddling.

Just keep in mind that the pontoons can make utilizing a dock a little difficult, so you want to put that in your design at least on one side -- either having them lift out of the water like mine do or design them to slide in and out door and further from the canoe.

[JohnYaksJax]

Hey Chris....More good canoe/scanoe rigging info from you...WTG!!!

You provide really good stuff, and this thread has had 16,927 views in only 1.5 years.....so it has drawn LOTS of attention...Congrats!!
JYJ

[kayakdoctor]

Great rigging. Nice fit and finish for all your add ons. I may have to use your innovation for outriggers. Nicely executed.

[internetpilot]

Thanks, guys. I bought and rigged the Scanoe originally to go fishing with my two youngest boys. They don't fish with me as much as they used to, but it's nice to still have the Scanoe around for the now rare times that they do go with me. It's also a great solo boat for those times that this old man's body just can't deal with paddling all day.

Wow, I hadn't even noticed the # of views on this thread! Unlike my signature jokingly claims ("Coleman Amateur Team"), at almost 17k views, Coleman and/or Dick's should put me on their pro team!

[Jim McC]

Thanks, guys. I bought and rigged the Scanoe originally to go fishing with my two youngest boys. They don't fish with me as much as they used to, but it's nice to still have the Scanoe around for the now rare times that they do go with me. It's also a great solo boat for those times that this old man's body just can't deal with paddling all day.

Wow, I hadn't even noticed the # of views on this thread! Unlike my signature jokingly claims ("Coleman Amateur Team"), at almost 17k views, Coleman and/or Dick's should put me on their pro team!

Very nice canoe. Do you have any close-up pics of how the outriggers attach to the rod holders?

Also, under your rear seat, are the PVC pipe/cutting board/seat attached to each other in any way?

Thanks.

[internetpilot]

Very nice canoe. Do you have any close-up pics of how the outriggers attach to the rod holders?

Thanks, Jim! I used a Scotty Rodmaster II rod holder with a standard Scotty surface mount and then use a round head wire lock pin (I think it was the 2" size) from Home Depot to hold the stabilizer arms in there. I kept the gimbal pin in the bottom of the rod holder, but you could also remove it and one or both could still be used as rod holders (through the upward angled "bottom") even with the stabilizers installed.

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Also, under your rear seat, are the PVC pipe/cutting board/seat attached to each other in any way?

First of all, I don't have that seat installed anymore. It was really nice, comfortable, and very stable, but it added a LOT of weight to an already rather heavy (85lb) canoe, and I don't have the most health back as it is. Even though I trailer this canoe, it's not a real boat trailer so I'm still hefting this thing around a bit at the launch (as well as the heavy trolling motor, VERY heavy marine battery, etc.).

Anyway, that being said, that "sewer pipe pedestal" was really just a very temporary support solution that was handy at the time. I noticed that the sides of the canoe would flex quite a bit when I sat in the seat, so I felt some extra support in the middle was needed (similar to the stock seats). I did use four 2" bolts up through the cutting board (that are inside the pipe), and then there was already a square opening for the seat swivel pin that was big enough for the PVC sewer pipe to fit in it, so it didn't move around that much, and especially not when I was actually sitting in the seat. I hope that makes sense.

if I ever add a swivel seat again, I'm going to completely commit and just attach the wooden bench part on top of the gunnel, and then I don't think it will flex the canoe so much like it did when it was attached to the sides through original four bolt holes. I just didn't know for sure if I was going to keep that seat installed, so I designed the mod completely around the existing four bolt holes from the OEM seat.

[Jim McC]

Thanks Chris, for the pics and info. Did you ever try the Old Town Saranac square stern canoe at Dick's? I was looking at that one and the Scanoe, and was wondering how the stability and build quality compare.

[internetpilot]

Thanks Chris, for the pics and info. Did you ever try the Old Town Saranac square stern canoe at Dick's? I was looking at that one and the Scanoe, and was wondering how the stability and build quality compare.

I personally steered clear of the Saranac for two reasons:

(1) Weight - It's quite hefty at 118lbs unrigged, while only providing about 100lbs more capacity than the Coleman Scanoe at 85lbs.

(2) Price - At $800 it's more than twice the price of the Scanoe at $399 (more often than not on sale for $350).

But I think the Saranac is a significantly superior boat when it comes to design and build quality. The Saranac has a true squared stern, almost Gheenoe style with a wood rather than plastic transom, and can therefore better handle a gas engine (i think it's rated for up to 4HP). The Coleman Scanoe is actually more of a "hybrid" squareback, because the stern still goes to the usual "point" like a regular canoe. This makes it behave more like a canoe on the water and less like a boat, which is nice for when you want to paddle instead of motor, but again it means that it really can't handle the motor options that the Saranac can. Back when I bought the Scanoe two years ago, it was actually rated for a 3.5hp motor, but several lawsuits later and now it's only recommended that you use a trolling motor.

If you're leaning toward getting the Coleman Scanoe, you should probably do it quick! Judging by Dick's website, they seem to have replaced the Coleman Scanoe with an identical but rebadged Sun Dolphin Scout 14 version that's $100 more than the literally identical canoe badged under the Coleman brand. Both are made by KL Industries, and I don't see any difference in the two other than the brand decal on the side.