Thread: Plans for a power canoe

Jeff,

I don't know anything about the Selway Fisher plans but had a look at the site and the canoe designed to take an outboard is 44" wide! For that beam I'm thinking you might as well get a small dinghy.

I can suggest a couple of other options worth looking at -

- Michael Storer Boat Plans (Boatmik on here) has a version of his quick canoe designed for an electric outboard (and there is also the possibility of his Eureka canoe with the outriggers)

- Jem Watercraft has a square backed canoe called the Stalker.

You will get good support from either of these sources.

Presumably you are thinking of the outrigger for mounting the motor but if you get something with a transom you should not need it - unless you are very unstable .

I'm not too bad , but the better half has a s/steel knee and it makes movement a bit awkward.

Some of the places I will be fishing can get ROUGH when the tide changes, and the fuller beam is better for stability.
Also I will be looking at experimenting with a sail rig for the canoe .

Unfortunately I have a dual cab ute and although the MANGROVE JACK only weights 65Kg, I cannot carry it on the car , as they do not make a suitable RACK .

However I could carry a canoe weighing 30Kg's.

Jeff
vk4

Originally Posted by vk4

Hi All,

I have been thinking of building a power canoe with 1 outrigger, I have looked at the Selway Fisher Plans, I was wondering if anyone on the forum had built one of his designs ,?? and if so how did it perform??

I need a hull to carry 2 adults and fishing gear, and would look at 3 hp 2 stroke to power , mainly for creeks and lake fishing, I would have liked to have taken the MANGROVEJACK , but am not allowed to become a min"B"double with the caravan on the car(DUAL-CAB UTE)

Length 4.2 mt would be about right.

Cheers,

Jeff
vk4

I built a pirogue.17ft long by 42" wide and 15" deep.A side mounted engine is what i use.My pirogue is big enough to hold 4 large adults,drawing bout 5" with that load.I can and do paddle her standing(good for fishing)I'm using a Honda2hp and one outrigger on motor side.Excluding the motor my canoe weighs 50Kg's and i do cartop her.

Originally Posted by vk4

I'm not too bad , but the better half has a s/steel knee and it makes movement a bit awkward.

Some of the places I will be fishing can get ROUGH when the tide changes, and the fuller beam is better for stability.
Also I will be looking at experimenting with a sail rig for the canoe .

Unfortunately I have a dual cab ute and although the MANGROVE JACK only weights 65Kg, I cannot carry it on the car , as they do not make a suitable RACK .

However I could carry a canoe weighing 30Kg's.

Jeff
vk4

Version three of Stormbringer is having a just aquired windsurfer mast and sail fitted.But with twin outriggers.Cheers,and good luck.

Originally Posted by vk4

I'm not too bad , but the better half has a s/steel knee and it makes movement a bit awkward.

Some of the places I will be fishing can get ROUGH when the tide changes, and the fuller beam is better for stability.
Also I will be looking at experimenting with a sail rig for the canoe .

Unfortunately I have a dual cab ute and although the MANGROVE JACK only weights 65Kg, I cannot carry it on the car , as they do not make a suitable RACK .

However I could carry a canoe weighing 30Kg's.

Jeff
vk4

Rough water in a canoe.... hmmmm... A mate & I once paddled a 14ft Rosco
from Nudgee Beach to Bishop Island (now a container terminal) and back in
chop that turned back power boats. It was fun for a pair of fit 20 year-olds.
We stayed dry too. But no way could we have fished as well. Having either of
our mothers with their gammy knees would have been bad karma indeed.

The Selway Fisher boats would be more roomy & buoyant than most canoes.
They are more of a rowing boat really - more comparable with Ross Lillistone's
Flint than with Duck Flat's Coorong Traveller or JEM's Flatback. Another
contender might be the motor canoe in Phil Bolger's "Boats with an Open Mind".
Looks deeper than Traveller or Flatback, & might stay drier.

Choosing a Sea Kayak design to fit your paddling style, size and skill
has a good take on canoes in rough water.
Scroll down to advanced paddling. Wider isn't necessarily better.

What is it about your racks that precludes Mangrove Jack ?
cheers
AJ

HI AJ,

As the car is a DUAL CAB Ute, the body and tray are separate units,.

As a result there is twisting(racking) between the cab roof and the Canopy on the Tray area, I have spoken to RHINO RACKS who make boat racks for most vehicles, and they have said don't do it as the twisting would tear a hull apart.

Also my brother-in law tried it with a Canoe out west and had the issue as well, on a similar vehicle, .

I believe that if I put racks on the Cab and 1 from the bull bar I will be right , however I only have 50% movement in my right shoulder and the Boat would be too much to lift that high , hence a Canoe at half the weight.

Jeff

Ok... so it's the weight rather than the racks.
I've seen a few single & dual-cabs around with tinnies on roof-bar / front bar
set-ups, caravan on the back. Hence the question. As you say, they don't and
can't attach to the tray. I guess the winch/slide roof-loaders aren't compatible
with a painted boat, and tilt loaders like Trak Shak Camper Trailers
design for their campers are more expensive than a second, smaller boat.

The Selway Fisher should give you enough beam to fish from, and buoyancy to
handle a bit of chop. Slowly. Build one & see how it works out?
Look forward to seeing it.
regards
Alan J

there's a few ways of getting a yak/canoe onto the to of the ute without the need to be Mr Universe, have a look at one of the yak fishing sites to see some of the home made and commercial solutions. both Vyak (where I'm an active member) & AKFF (where I poke my head in from time to time) have threads with loaders to get some good ideas. I think it's necessity as theres a few cranky old buggers who need all the help they can getting there boats of choice onto their vehicles of choice...

I've built 3 Jemwatercraft boats and the support on there is second to none both from fellow builders and Matt the designer and they have recently released a flat back canoe. If you think you need more stability I'm sure Matt would be able to suggest something and if it's something a few people ask for will come up with a new design. Sign in and add it to the wish list section...

I also like Selway Fisher designs but have been put off by the suggestion that the plans are difficult to follow and there is little support.

hope you find something...

Originally Posted by Tor

I also like Selway Fisher designs but have been put off by the suggestion that the plans are difficult to follow and there is little support.

I have no idea where this suggestion would have come from. I am building my third Selway Fisher design. I have also built from another designer's plans. There is absolutely nothing difficult about following Selway Fisher plans.

On the question of support, there is an excellent and very active builders / owners forum on Yahoo Groups and Paul Fisher regularly responds to questions. I have also emailed Paul directly on several occasions and he normally responds within 24 hours. On one occasion I had my answer within one hour. I call that brilliant support!

Cheers, Cameron.

Check out this site/forum.They have some really good ideas.This link should take you to their Boat on car photos.
Cars and Canoes - a visual guide..

I have a set of plans for a canoe , but I will not be looking at building for at least 4-6 months, and I am still looking at designs.

The method of cartage , looks like Racks on the cabin, and a bar above the bullbar, this should allow for up to a 4.2Mt canoe.

The Brits are inventive with how they carry canoe's and the size of the canoe verses the car.

Originally Posted by vk4

I have a set of plans for a canoe , but I will not be looking at building for at least 4-6 months, and I am still looking at designs.

The method of cartage , looks like Racks on the cabin, and a bar above the bullbar, this should allow for up to a 4.2Mt canoe.

The Brits are inventive with how they carry canoe's and the size of the canoe verses the car.

The whole group is worth alook,see as well.Some great photos there.

Have spoken to the Treasurer , and we will look at doing a build next year, it would have been sooner , but we discovered White Ants in the back door and it cost to have them treated , so no builds for a while.


Jeff