Carrying a canoe. Or two.

Stray Round said:
Codger that is a great job on the canoe trailer. I need something like that for a couple of kayaks and would like to reproduce you work.

Love the Falcon. I got to shuttle one of the Falcon stationwagons about 30yrs ago because no one out of about 30 people knew how to drive a car with a manuel transmission with the shifter on the column. For a young fellow with a physical job on a really hot day it was like a mini vacaton to spend the day driving on a pretty stretch of road.
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A kayak rack should be pretty easy, but I understand that they are best stored and carried on their sides because of the hull strength there. I highly recommend converting a jet ski trailer like this though instead of using a cheap utility trailer or buying an expensive aluminum trailer. All told when done, I will have less invested in this one than the cost of a new bare-bones small utility trailer.

And as far as car-topping or carrying in or on a truck, I have done that for many years, so I know it works well enough. I worked off and on today, did laundry and cleaned house, so Jake and I will go to the river in the morning. And when we get home, I can just unhitch the trailer and park it, still loaded for the next trip. Well, I could if I didn't need to unload it to get my welding done.
 
I used the trailer Sunday for a trip to the river. It pulled as well loaded as unloaded. The cargo box had plenty of room for loose gear and the wire bed basket made it easy to bungee the ice chest, drybox and paddles. Getting the canoe back on the trailer after the trip was easier than expected. The tiedown eyes on the off side acted like a stop to keep the canoe from sliding off while loading and centering it. And once the ratchet straps were on, the canoe was held quite securely to the poly covered crossmembers. I am going to add two fore and two aft chain link tiedowns though, just for extra security.

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Makes goin paddlin more often ,more funner:D
Just got an old Bell boat for nothing from a friend; needs new trim, but I think I got that.
Just gotta be ready for the BWCA in July:thumbup:

Glad you got a trailer Codger!!
 
A free Bell to restore? Nice friend! I am looking for a good deal on a used, slightly larger solo canoe to add to the stable. To give myself more of a choice in craft size and also to make it possible to invite friends along without having to rent a canoe. So far all of my customers who have canoes stashed refuse to sell them. Or they are Sportspals or beater bauxite boats. And everything I find on Craigslist and eBay is too expensive (for my budget) or too far away. Sometimes the 16' Old Town is just too big for me and Jake. You will note the ballast stones and bucket of rocks in the above picture. And this is with the canoe reversed. Water is geting lower now and the turns tighter. I guess you could say I am doing the "Goldilocks & three bears" with my canoes. The Dagger Tupelo is often too small, the Old Town Guide sometimes too big. I believe the trailer will carry a third canoe with the Dagger hanging off the driver side if need be.

I hope you enjoy the BWCA trip in July. Hopefully you will take more (and better) pictures than I do of my little excursions. I will definately be with you there in spirit. :thumbup:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-hiking-anything-Outdoorsy-Pic-Thread!/page40
 
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I just bought a used solo canoe locally from Craigslist at a good price, an Old Town Discovery 119K with the ash and cane seat I prefer. This is the Old Town version of the rebadged ones being sold at Dick's under the Guide 119 name. The current Old Town and Dick's versions both use the molded plastic seats I dislike.

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Hopefully it will be more well-mannered than my Dagger. Now I'll see if either the 119K or the Dagger will ride hanging off the side of my trailer (or both will nest on top of the cargo basket). I got the cargo box brackets welded last week and will hopefully finish welding the paddle locker today, and take all three to the river this weekend. I'll snap some pictures of the rig complete and loaded up.
 
Whats wrong with the manners of the dagger? Too twitchy or unstable?


Great looking build so far. That solution would be short enough for me to fit in the garage. Right now, my canoe sits on saw horses.

With a trailer, I could leave it loaded, and save my self 15 minutes load time.
 
Yes, the Dagger is very twitchy. It has a rounded hull (except for a small flat area under the seat) and little freeboard, Initial stability is OK, but there is very little secondary. When she tilts, she goes. This means avoiding standing waves and being cautious entering and leaving eddys. To help with this, the seat is mounted flush to the floor for a low center of gravity. But there is little rise in the ends and little volume. Take it over a moderate drop and you will see why I dubbed it "the green submarine".

I had my canoes sitting on sawhorses too. But this lets me keep them and all the river gear loaded. Hitch up and run after filling the coolers. I only have to sort out and load camping gear according to who is going with me if I am going to camp. It is hard to believe young folks don't own tents or sleeping bags.

I don't have a garage, so it will be covered by a surplus military vinyl canvas Deuce cover in the off season. The carport is next year's project.

I just got home with the 119K and stuffed it under the Guide on the trailer for the night. We'll see tomorrow whether or not the Dagger will mount on the side opposite the paddle locker. I don't want to add a third carry bar on top.
 
Finished. For now anyway. The Dagger will have to ride piggyback on top of the 16' Guide, if at all. Mounted on the side it only clears the wheel by three inches. The paddle locker works as planned.

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Codger , I want one now. I lay my canoe in the back of the truck. My brothers have kayaks and they stuff them in a mini van.We need a trailer like yours.
 
I also want a small one man canoe like yours. My 14 foot old town is getting harder to drag up the river bank each time I use it.
 
Haunt a marina or boat repair place or Craigslist for a trailer (assuming you want a jetski trailer). Mine would very easily accomodate a canoe and four or five kayaks if less room was consumed by the cargo basket or the top bars were made a bit higher. Mine is sitting loaded to go this weekend (minus all the extra paddles tossed in to check the basket capacity) but with forecasts of 105+ I don't think I'll go. Unless I can convince myself to do a moonlight night trip. I haven't done that in years on a pool-drop river. And I don't have a canoing buddy besides Jake so if I get into trouble... I'll just be in trouble.

I like the 119K so far, but my experience with it is very limited. In the picture of it and the Dagger, you can see the differences in depth and hull shape. I actually feel confident in carrying a small ice chest and drybox/tackle box in the 119K. Best deal I have seen on them new is Dick's Sporting Goods if you can stand the blowmolded plastic seat. Of couse you can always replace it with the ash and cane seat from Essex like I did on the Guide. That is a $50 or so fix including shipping, mount kit and wood drops. Mine is an older Discovery 119K and Old Town is now using the plastic seats on them as well. Dick's deal with Old Town is that they have call them "Guide" and not Discovery. But they do come in subdued olive green as well as red like mine. And both versions weigh sub-50#.

Here are the specs from Old Town...
http://www.oldtowncanoe.com/canoes/generalfamily/discovery_119.html

The Old Town Pack is lighter (33#) but more expensive:
http://www.oldtowncanoe.com/canoes/generalFamily/pack.html

[video=youtube;MRge0RCBWSk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRge0RCBWSk&feature=relmfu[/video]
 
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