Square Back Canoe Build-Advice Needed

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bmh34
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Square Back Canoe Build-Advice Needed

Post by bmh34 »

I am in the beginning stages of planning a boat build. I am looking for recommendations on square back canoe plans. The goal for the canoeis 2 fold, shallow draft for marshes, and the ability to use on river trips. All advice is appreciated. And sorry for the "generic" post, but I am at a loss on where to start.-Brandon
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Light Keeper's Kid
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Re: Square Back Canoe Build-Advice Needed

Post by Light Keeper's Kid »

Why a square back,do you plan on a trolling motor? Try http://www.jemwatercraft.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mike
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gerald
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Re: Square Back Canoe Build-Advice Needed

Post by gerald »

Google small displacement hulls such as skiffs, whitehalls, wherries, square back canoes, dorries--stuff like that. Even sailboats will give you an idea about the square stern treatment. The big thing is to do a shape that turns the water loose at the end of the boat rather than drag along a couple hundred pounds. That's why planing hulls are such dogs until they get on plane. You also must register any boat with a motor...even a trolling motor.
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bmh34
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Re: Square Back Canoe Build-Advice Needed

Post by bmh34 »

I want to be able to hook up a 5hp for motoring into marshes.
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Pogo
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Re: Square Back Canoe Build-Advice Needed

Post by Pogo »

If you're sold on canoes, as opposed to skiffs or whatever, seems to me like any old design that appeals to you can easily be built as a squareback ..... just stop building at the last hull form (crossways form) and skip the stem form (the one that runs parallel to the strongback, that you shape the end on). Shouldn't be difficult to engineer a strong enough transom. I see you're in LC; you're welcome to swing by my place on old downtown to have a look at my boats any time, I think I may have a strip canoe laying around here somewhere....
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Re: Square Back Canoe Build-Advice Needed

Post by JEM »

5hp is big for typical square back canoe.

How about:

http://boatplans.dk/boat_plans.asp?id=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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bmh34
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Re: Square Back Canoe Build-Advice Needed

Post by bmh34 »

Thanks for all the input. Pogo, I will take you up on your offer. I live off 96. What times work best on your side?

I am going back and forth between a canoe and a canoe skiff hybrid.
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Re: Square Back Canoe Build-Advice Needed

Post by barditch »

:? Up north, like Vermont, there have been bazillions of what you are talking about building, and most of 'em were powered by a "mighty might" (2hp OB). Be advised that, OB's are no-no's on a lot of northern waters (the boundary waters on the MN-Canada border...a huge body of lakes of several tens of thousands of square miles of God's own special beauty, that is truly full of really dumb fish!) don't permit engines of any kind. You can use a trolling motor, but who wants to portage a deep cycle battery up a half mile hill knowing that it's gonna be dead in another two hours of use and there ain't no plug...anywhere?
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Re: Square Back Canoe Build-Advice Needed

Post by Pogo »

As a matter of fact, the Northwest Canoes Merlin, which is what my strip canoe is, was specifically designed as a Boundary Waters solo tripper. Boy, would I ever love to do some traveling up there, except I don't handle cold water or weather worth a flip. Too many generations on the Texas coast behind me, I reckon.

bmh34, one thing that's maybe worth considering is a canoe and a 2-hp motor won't require a trailer. And canoes don't even require racks, for that matter. I'm available just about any old time during the day, when it's best to be looking at a boat, just let me know when is best for you. PM for direct contact info. Name's Kurt. 8)
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bmh34
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Re: Square Back Canoe Build-Advice Needed

Post by bmh34 »

Thanks Kurt. I will shoot you a pm.-Brandon
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Re: Square Back Canoe Build-Advice Needed

Post by bowgarguide »

Before I built a square back I would do some experimenting,I owned a 36 inch wide by 16 ft frieghter canoe wit a square back ,twisting around to run the motor would kill you after a while,just my two cents.
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Re: Square Back Canoe Build-Advice Needed

Post by JEM »

bowgarguide wrote:Before I built a square back I would do some experimenting,I owned a 36 inch wide by 16 ft frieghter canoe wit a square back ,twisting around to run the motor would kill you after a while,just my two cents.
Ron
I didn't own a square stern but used one. On wider power boats, it's easier to sit sideways because there's more lateral room. Plus since it's a wider hull, the balance didn't get upset.

With the square back, you didn't want to get off center because it would begin to feel a bit tippy as it listed to one side. And keeping your body contorted while running got old after a while. A side motor mount solves all the problems and your double end (non-square back) canoe moves much more efficiently through the water than a square stern.

Image

If using a trolling motor, you could also just clamp the motor to the side of the canoe with a backing block and twist in 90 degrees. But if you hit the bottom or a rock, you'll lose the "kick-up" abilty.

Image

another alternative is use a square stern and to install some stick steering but that gets a little more complicated.
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Re: Square Back Canoe Build-Advice Needed

Post by JEM »

oh yea... isn't there some company that came out with a low HP canoe motor with rheostat throttle and rudder pedal steering?
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