Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Good morning, All~
I have a bunch of canoes - not sure how many...somewhere around a dozen?
As much as I love traditional gunning vessels - especially Great South Bay Scooters and Barnegat Bay Sneakboxes - the small craft best suited for hunting ducks here in the dairy country of Upstate New York is a canoe. But - as with other gunning situations - all the many permutations of pursuing ducks and geese require specialized gear - and thus a "fleet".
So, for many years, I have been on the lookout for suitable canoes. Size, shape and material are key. Condition is not too important - but price is. Never having paid more than $100 for any boat (although, yes, I have spent many thousand$ working on my various fleets), I am clearly in the "used" market. (I did buy one new vessel from a retailer - a kayak for my wife.) So, I keep a weather eye on craigslist and the local free papers - and keep both a length of line and sufficient cash in my Element for "rapid response" - to advertisements or roadside finds.
Here is one I came across on my way to Champlain one Spring. Of course it needs some work - but all readily within the capacity of Pencil Brook Boatworks. My roof rack was already occupied - so I purchased it and continued on my way.
View attachment A IMG_8558.JPG
I retrieved it on the return trip.
View attachment B Profile on Element.jpg
The subject of this rehab is another Indian River Canoe - maybe the same model. They were built in Florida - and the company is still in business. I think I paid $80 for this one. Although my on-the-spot assessment was mostly complete, I did not notice until I got back the the farm that it had been peppered with shot - maybe 7 1/2s ? - at least once in its lifetime. Thickened epoxy in the 20 or so perforations solved that problem. I then nstalled new factory-made seats and a carrying yoke and used it on Lake Champlain for a couple of Summers. This past Fall, it was pressed into service for hunting ducks and geese on a nearby beaver pond.
View attachment E Goose 02 - JCW and Boo in Canoe brighter.JPG
My partner and I - and a Certain Retrieving Dog - gave the vessel high marks from late September into early December. It earned its keep and so warranted special treatment. BTW: We used the canoe for handling the decoys and retrieving birds. It was always hauled up beneath a closed tree canopy whilst gunning - so its bright tones were not problematic.
On New Year's Morning, I hauled it out of the woods. You can see here that she has the lines I prefer - a bit of tumblehome in her topsides, a gentle, sweeping sheer, and a bit of punkin' (reverse curve) in her stems. She does have a keel - which is not perfect in beaver ponds. Smooth bottoms can get over submerged logs more readily that keeled bottoms. Nevertheless, she handles beautifully and is nice and light.
View attachment IRC 02 - stbd side.JPG
With no handles or decks at either end, I rigged loops of half-inch manila so we could drag her in and out of the woods.
View attachment IRC 05 Bow.JPG
Here you can see the new seats and yoke. I think I bought them from a Canadian firm - at reasonable prices. All the floor stiffeners are intact - and so the floor is indeed stiff.
View attachment IRC 04 New thwarts.JPG
The recessed decks enclose flotation chambers at each end.
View attachment IRC 07 - Recessed deck.JPG
So, up on the rack she went. I secure my canoes with a single length of 5/16" nylon - and plenty of cleats.
View attachment IRC 08 - On Element.JPG
In just a few minutes she was back at the Boatworks.
View attachment IRC 09 - Back at shop.JPG
Stay tuned....
SJS
I have a bunch of canoes - not sure how many...somewhere around a dozen?
As much as I love traditional gunning vessels - especially Great South Bay Scooters and Barnegat Bay Sneakboxes - the small craft best suited for hunting ducks here in the dairy country of Upstate New York is a canoe. But - as with other gunning situations - all the many permutations of pursuing ducks and geese require specialized gear - and thus a "fleet".
So, for many years, I have been on the lookout for suitable canoes. Size, shape and material are key. Condition is not too important - but price is. Never having paid more than $100 for any boat (although, yes, I have spent many thousand$ working on my various fleets), I am clearly in the "used" market. (I did buy one new vessel from a retailer - a kayak for my wife.) So, I keep a weather eye on craigslist and the local free papers - and keep both a length of line and sufficient cash in my Element for "rapid response" - to advertisements or roadside finds.
Here is one I came across on my way to Champlain one Spring. Of course it needs some work - but all readily within the capacity of Pencil Brook Boatworks. My roof rack was already occupied - so I purchased it and continued on my way.
View attachment A IMG_8558.JPG
I retrieved it on the return trip.
View attachment B Profile on Element.jpg
The subject of this rehab is another Indian River Canoe - maybe the same model. They were built in Florida - and the company is still in business. I think I paid $80 for this one. Although my on-the-spot assessment was mostly complete, I did not notice until I got back the the farm that it had been peppered with shot - maybe 7 1/2s ? - at least once in its lifetime. Thickened epoxy in the 20 or so perforations solved that problem. I then nstalled new factory-made seats and a carrying yoke and used it on Lake Champlain for a couple of Summers. This past Fall, it was pressed into service for hunting ducks and geese on a nearby beaver pond.
View attachment E Goose 02 - JCW and Boo in Canoe brighter.JPG
My partner and I - and a Certain Retrieving Dog - gave the vessel high marks from late September into early December. It earned its keep and so warranted special treatment. BTW: We used the canoe for handling the decoys and retrieving birds. It was always hauled up beneath a closed tree canopy whilst gunning - so its bright tones were not problematic.
On New Year's Morning, I hauled it out of the woods. You can see here that she has the lines I prefer - a bit of tumblehome in her topsides, a gentle, sweeping sheer, and a bit of punkin' (reverse curve) in her stems. She does have a keel - which is not perfect in beaver ponds. Smooth bottoms can get over submerged logs more readily that keeled bottoms. Nevertheless, she handles beautifully and is nice and light.
View attachment IRC 02 - stbd side.JPG
With no handles or decks at either end, I rigged loops of half-inch manila so we could drag her in and out of the woods.
View attachment IRC 05 Bow.JPG
Here you can see the new seats and yoke. I think I bought them from a Canadian firm - at reasonable prices. All the floor stiffeners are intact - and so the floor is indeed stiff.
View attachment IRC 04 New thwarts.JPG
The recessed decks enclose flotation chambers at each end.
View attachment IRC 07 - Recessed deck.JPG
So, up on the rack she went. I secure my canoes with a single length of 5/16" nylon - and plenty of cleats.
View attachment IRC 08 - On Element.JPG
In just a few minutes she was back at the Boatworks.
View attachment IRC 09 - Back at shop.JPG
Stay tuned....
SJS