My New Canoe

DarkAisling · #1 08-03-2009, 09:34 AM

Here's a stock pic of my new canoe (which is still up in the rafters over at "Undercurrents" here in Calgary) . . . well, mine doesn't have the thigh pads. Other than that it is identical.

After getting completely POd trying to get a North Woods, and then a Mad River, I decided to just go out to a couple of the local stores to see what they had in stock.

I got hooked (so to speak) on a fiberglass Clipper Tripper

It isn't what I was originally looking for (and it blew my budget to smithereens), but I think we're all going to be very please with it. Even my teenager was really excited about it . . . "Mom, that's one sweet canoe!"

I'm going to have to get one of those stupid looking motor mounts for it, which kind of sucks. We're looking forward to doing some fishing in it this next weekend (just at Lake Sundance).

Denadii Cho · #2 08-03-2009, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAisling

Here's a stock pic of my new canoe (which is still up in the rafters over at "Undercurrents" here in Calgary) . . . well, mine doesn't have the thigh pads. Other than that it is identical.

After getting completely POd trying to get a North Woods, and then a Mad River, I decided to just go out to a couple of the local stores to see what they had in stock.

I got hooked (so to speak) on a fiberglass Clipper Tripper

It isn't what I was originally looking for (and it blew my budget to smithereens), but I think we're all going to be very please with it. Even my teenager was really excited about it . . . "Mom, that's one sweet canoe!"

I'm going to have to get one of those stupid looking motor mounts for it, which kind of sucks. We're looking forward to doing some fishing in it this next weekend (just at Lake Sundance).

Congrats DarkAisling I hope its a red one like the picture. The red ones taste the best. I wish you years of pleasure from it. Canoes are far better than other boats in lots of ways. Quiet, light, you can get a lot closer to wildlife etc. I love mine and I know you'll love yours.

Cal · #3 08-03-2009, 10:27 AM

Those clipper "tippers" are awesome crafts, I believe more distance padling records have been set in them than any other canoe. Just dont try to stand up in one and cast a flyrod! They are fast but tippy. Glad to see you didnt go buy one of those frankenstien looking things from Canadian tire. If that sale isnt final I would think about exchanging it, one of the very best tripping canoe designs ever invented but not a great design for fishing/hauling around children IMO. I dont mean to be a downer and I feel like a jerk saying that kind of thing but they realy are pretty tippy compaired to less specialized designs which you may or may not be aware of. If you like it however enjoy.

DarkAisling · #4 08-03-2009, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denadii Cho

Congrats DarkAisling I hope its a red one like the picture. The red ones taste the best.

LOL . . . yes, it is red with the black gunnels.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cal

Those clipper "tippers" are awesome crafts, I believe more distance paddling records have been set in them than any other canoe. Just don't try to stand up in one and cast a flyrod! They are fast but tippy. Glad to see you didn't go buy one of those frankenstien looking things from Canadian tire. If that sale isnt final I would think about exchanging it, one of the very best tripping canoe designs ever invented but not a great design for fishing/hauling around children IMO. I dont mean to be a downer and I feel like a jerk saying that kind of thing but they realy are pretty tippy compaired to less specialized designs which you may or may not be aware of. If you like it however enjoy.

There is a lot of debate regarding the secondary stability of the Trippers: some say they're very stable, others say they're very tippy. I found it very stable (when properly seated), but I certainly wouldn't stand up in it without stabilizers/pontoons. Stabilizers may be purchased in the future, and I bought this understanding that they might be required for fishing/family applications. I've got it in my head that I want to do the Bowron Lakes circuit again (did it 21 years ago, when I was 15) . . . and that was part of the decision process. I figured I'd rather have my tripping/expedition canoe, which could easily be outfitted with something to make it more family/fishing friendly.

I'll decide this weekend if a stabilizer purchase is required, after we've tested it out on Lake Sundance (stocked community lake in Calgary).

Don't feel like a jerk. You weren't privy to my thought process. Heck, my partner wasn't even privy to my thought process!

Denadii Cho · #5 08-03-2009, 12:11 PM

[QUOTE=DarkAisling;360699]LOL . . . yes, it is red with the black gunnels.

There is a lot of debate regarding the secondary stability of the Trippers: some say they're very stable,

Say. Dark if you do have trouble with stability...I built an outrigger for my 17 footer using square tubing (steel of course) and four inch PVC pipe with a 45 angle fitting at the front. There is a small 'deck' at the bow and stern of mine and I could stand up there for casting.

DarkAisling · #6 08-03-2009, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denadii Cho

I built an outrigger for my 17 footer using square tubing (steel of course) and four inch PVC pipe with a 45 angle fitting at the front. There is a small 'deck' at the bow and stern of mine and I could stand up there for casting.

Do you have any pics to post?

bigrfish · #7 08-03-2009, 12:22 PM

Hi Shelley
Just a thought.If you like a little camping along the way the stretch of the NSR from either Saunders Landing or Rocky to Drayton Valley is a great little trip.My friend and I do it every fall and it is one of my favorite trips.Browns and Rockies from Rocky to Brazeau and some nice walleye,pike and goldeye from there to Drayton.Last year we got a 13# and 19#pike from that lower stretch.Very scenic trip throughout,not a lot of tough water either,just a real nice trip.We do it in three days but we fish alot lol.I don't think you would be dissapointed that's for sure.
Anyways enjoy your new addition.

altaberg · #8 08-03-2009, 02:43 PM

good choice, beautiful canoe,

what 'd you want a motor for? That baby is fast.

bigd · #9 08-03-2009, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigrfish

Hi Shelley
Just a thought.If you like a little camping along the way the stretch of the NSR from either Saunders Landing or Rocky to Drayton Valley is a great little trip.My friend and I do it every fall and it is one of my favorite trips.Browns and Rockies from Rocky to Brazeau and some nice walleye,pike and goldeye from there to Drayton.Last year we got a 13# and 19#pike from that lower stretch.Very scenic trip throughout,not a lot of tough water either,just a real nice trip.We do it in three days but we fish alot lol.I don't think you would be dissapointed that's for sure.
Anyways enjoy your new addition.

I've done this trip many times as well, highly recommended. Would be a great first camping trip with the new ride.

bigd

goldscud · #10 08-03-2009, 06:03 PM

Fine looking boat. You should have been out on Sundance today. It was awesome...lots of 4-6lbers boated today.

WayneChristie · #11 08-03-2009, 08:05 PM

Id love to see pics of the pontoons or stabilizers, I want to build them for my canoe too.

Cal · #12 08-04-2009, 07:56 AM

Is it a fiber glass or kevlar boat? Go with a removable pontoon system or somthing. If you put those horrible rubber stabilizers that attatch on to the hull on that pretty thing I will never talk to you again!

One of the easyest ways to stabilise a canoe is to bring allong an innertube or one of those inflatible alligators, you could probably even use an empty food barrel or 5 gallon pail. Then just lash it to some saplings and tie those to your thwarts. This setup does not paddle well but is easily dissassembled and brought onboard. It is particularly handy for wilderness trips because an uninflated floaty takes up very little room in the canoe.

DarkAisling · #13 08-04-2009, 08:15 AM

Lots of great info . . . thanks guys (I think you're all "guys")

I'll have to check out that trip. Maybe next summer.

The motor would be for trolling, and for "assistance" in the event we were paddling against a current, or just getting really tired. I haven't paddled in 10 years, my oldest boy has never paddled, and I'm not sure what my partner's skills are. He says he's paddled a canoe before, but I've never seen it.

LOL Cal . . . yes, it would be a removable system. I think I've found the system I'll purchase. It is quite aesthetically pleasing, but also has really high buoyancy (http://www.nielsensoutriggercompany.com/Features.html). Shame they aren't available in red.

The canoe is fiberglass. I don't plan on doing much portaging, and the Kevlar was too expensive to even consider. Pretty much anyone can repair fiberglass, so that was something I considered. Another consideration was what items were in stock at the stores. The one I bought was in stock, and it would have taken 2 to 4 weeks to get one ordered from Clipper.

Cal · #14 08-04-2009, 08:24 AM

Ya I like fiberglass boats, my new one is royalex which is supposed to be stronger but it sure scratches easy and you cant just add more material like you can with fiberglass. I have an electric trolling motor but I never use it anymore after enough trips I quit being lazy and I dont realy mind paddling around all day anymore.

WayneChristie · #15 08-04-2009, 10:59 AM

oddly enough, I have one of those inflatable alligators I havent used for ages, thanks for the great idea! good thing I dont mind looking like a hillbilly when Im fishing LMAO

DarkAisling · #16 08-04-2009, 11:16 AM

You telling us you're going to use an inflatable alligator as a pontoon?

I'm thinkin' that's kinda cool. You'll have to post pics when you get it rigged up!

DarkAisling · #17 08-07-2009, 04:38 PM

Sweet

She's now at home.

Cal · #18 08-07-2009, 05:22 PM

A word of caution on how you've got that thing tied. I've always found that the canoe stays put better if you have the front and back straps either pulling towards eachother on a short vehical or away from eachother on a long one. Yourse are both pulling the vehical towards the front of the vehical which will allow them to get slack if that makes sense. The two over the canoe are a good idea, I once had to pull onto the shoulder to avoid a head on collision with a semi truck who was passing someone. I only had the canoe tied in by the seats (to get the straps pulling away from eachother) and the updraft from the semi tore the seats out and launched my canoe down the highway, thank god no one was behind me! With straps over the canoe its best to put them as far towards the ends as possible, this way they are holding where the canoe is narrower. Since the widest part is between the straps it is unable to either backwards or forwards.

ACM · #19 08-07-2009, 05:34 PM

Trippers are quite steady but are still canoes. If you want a great trip head to Myrtle Lake= great fishing and quiet spot. Canoes are simply the best. My old Town is a 1982 and is still great. IOltanar is nearly indestructable but the fibreglass one is still damn tough- carry duct tape for emergencies.
Thats one fine boat!!!!

Da Jimmer · #20 08-07-2009, 05:37 PM

If you get the white outriggers, they would be easier to paint red than the olive or black, like, least coats of paint right? Could probably get some sort of paint for the purpose at boating stores I imagine. Looks like one spiffy craft, hope you get years of fun out of it.

DarkAisling · #21 08-07-2009, 07:45 PM

Cal . . I understand what you're saying, but . . .

The dude who helped us strap it up said the bow and stern straps are only being used in that configuration to reduce bounce at highway speeds. He advised against having them really taut. He said the over the hull straps are more than enough to keep the canoe on top of the car. We do know that we need to spread the load bars out farther . . . we stared at them forever the other day tying to figure out how to do it, and couldn't. We figured it out today in 10 seconds in the Superstore parking lot

When we strap it up tomorrow or Sunday we'll do a much better job

The hardest part is getting the thing in and out of the yard! I think I need to take a chainsaw to a shrub (is Tree reading this

?).

WayneChristie · #22 08-07-2009, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAisling

You telling us you're going to use an inflatable alligator as a pontoon?

I'm thinkin' that's kinda cool. You'll have to post pics when you get it rigged up!

Im thinking it will either scare off all the fish, or all the birds, maybe both LOL