What Seats for A Sportspal canoe

Sitting Bull · #1 08-30-2017, 07:50 PM

Hey guys, I have an older 14' square back Sportspal canoe I recently bought and it has no seats. What are you using for seats and where do I purchase them?
If I make them out of plywood, how high should they be off the floor? and best way to attach them?
I will mostly be going solo so I will also need to figure out something for the middle.
Thanks for the help,

Redfrog · #2 08-30-2017, 09:00 PM

Have you tried getting replacements from the MFG ? Those seats are styrofoam and designed to act as flotation devices in case of capsize.

jednastka · #3 08-30-2017, 09:04 PM

The seats are tucked into either end of the canoe, tied down with bungee cords to the eyebolts along the inside. Every SportsPal or WaterSport I've ever had has been like this. The seats are from the same foam as the flotation sponsons, reinforced with aluminum bracing and eyebolts. I've added dimensions to the photos.

PM me if you need more info.

Vic

They are not made anymore, out of business.

trevoroni · #4 08-31-2017, 07:55 AM

When we bought ours it had seats made out of wood and webbing that are attached between the gunwale with L- brackets.

Rock Lake-23-3 by Trevoroni, on Flickr

Yellowknife Trip PS-124 by Trevoroni, on Flickr

nsmitchell · #5 08-31-2017, 07:56 AM

I made my own seats using hockey stick shafts and aluminum over the gunnels. This made the canoe actually stronger and more comfortable for me as I did not go as low as the original seats. Either weave some 5/50 cord for a seat or use plywood and a good foam. As was stated before you will need your life jacket as the seats were for floatation

saddleup · #6 08-31-2017, 08:05 AM

I have one canoe seat I found in the Milk River years ago, its fiberglass with metal insert for bottom of seat mounting. it would be adjustable with a bracket made to mount it.. If you can figure out how to pick it up from here ... its yours if you want it.

Sitting Bull · #7 08-31-2017, 08:59 AM

I called BW marine, the people that make the canoe. They sell the webbed seat for $53.50 each + shipping.
I was staying away from the foam seats thinking they would be to low and uncomfortable to paddle. Would I be right or wrong?
I first tried a milk crate but found I was to high and flipped the canoe. I then tried a stadium seat on the floor and that was to low and very uncomfortable to paddle.

Sitting Bull · #8 08-31-2017, 09:14 AM

Trevoroni.
I had that same canoe back in the early 70's with the foam seats. Beautiful set up you have.
I missed my Sortspal so much that I finally found one from a fellow member here on AO and had to get it. He was not even thinking of selling at the time.
I will also have to figure out a way to mount my trolling motor off to the side. Having it on the smaller square transom is very uncomfortable for me as well as makes the canoe tippy when trying to reach to the back to operate or if I need to lift it when in weed beds or shallow water. I actually tipped it over at Coal lake this summer.
I have a lot to learn as I really have no real canoe experience.
So if anybody out there wants to offer advice, I am all ears.
Thanks.

trevoroni · #9 08-31-2017, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sitting Bull

14' square back Sportspal canoe

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sitting Bull

uncomfortable to paddle

I don't think you'll be very comfortable paddling no matter what. Especially if you are by yourself.

One stroke of the paddle in my canoe and it is turned 45* from where it was pointed. It's not as bad with 2 people paddling but definitely not comfortable.

Your square back might be better than my wide transom but I'd advise you to get that trolling motor mounted before trying to go too far with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWBvjiKCEvk
This looks like a pretty slick set up for a motor off to the side.

I'm not very experienced in a canoe either which is why I got the one I did. It was the most boat like and I find it to be very stable.

dwedmon · #10 08-31-2017, 09:33 AM

I have the wide transom too and the thing is a pain to paddle by yourself.
If you have to paddle by yourself, use oars. Mine came with mounts so you can use oars and that is way better than a normal canoe paddle. Best is to use an electric motor.

Quote:

Originally Posted by trevoroni

I don't think you'll be very comfortable paddling no matter what. Especially if you are by yourself.

One stroke of the paddle in my canoe and it is turned 45* from where it was pointed. It's not as bad with 2 people paddling but definitely not comfortable.

Your square back might be better than my wide transom but I'd advise you to get that trolling motor mounted before trying to go too far with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWBvjiKCEvk
This looks like a pretty slick set up for a motor off to the side.

I'm not very experienced in a canoe either which is why I got the one I did. It was the most boat like and I find it to be very stable.

Unregistered user · #11 08-31-2017, 09:44 AM

You can still buy Sportspal canoes and the foam seats at Auto Marine Specialties in Calgary. I bought a seat from them a month ago, they had more in stock.

MallardMan · #12 08-31-2017, 09:59 AM

I ghought that it was almost impossible to flip a sportspal canoe?

Redfrog · #13 08-31-2017, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sitting Bull

I called BW marine, the people that make the canoe. They sell the webbed seat for $53.50 each + shipping.
I was staying away from the foam seats thinking they would be to low and uncomfortable to paddle. Would I be right or wrong?
I first tried a milk crate but found I was to high and flipped the canoe. I then tried a stadium seat on the floor and that was to low and very uncomfortable to paddle.

The foam worked well for me

Sitting Bull · #14 08-31-2017, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MallardMan

I ghought that it was almost impossible to flip a sportspal canoe?

Ya right. I was in the water before I knew it. Thank God for my life jacket and a whistle that I blew for help. I still don't know how I really did it. I know I was trying to operate the motor. Lost the battery in the lake. My cell phone got wet and never works since as well the remote for my vehicle was fried.
I'm a little more cautious getting into a canoe again. I was told that all canoes flip. All that foam on the sports pal is so that if it fills with water it won't sink.

nsmitchell · #15 08-31-2017, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sitting Bull

Ya right. I was in the water before I knew it. Thank God for my life jacket and a whistle that I blew for help. I still don't know how I really did it. I know I was trying to operate the motor. Lost the battery in the lake. My cell phone got wet and never works since as well the remote for my vehicle was fried.
I'm a little more cautious getting into a canoe again. I was told that all canoes flip. All that foam on the sports pal is so that if it fills with water it won't sink.

We had one as kids and I have one now. Compared to other canoes the Sportspal is super stable. As kids we had to stand on the side and pull up the opposite side to tip it but we were only 90 lbs wet so that may be the difference. If you are still tipping the Sportspal them maybe a car top 12' would be better as they don't come any more stable than that. And they do not paddle very well even with two paddlers compared to a fibreglass or aluminum lake canoe but make up for it with stability. No free ride with canoes.

Sitting Bull · #16 08-31-2017, 04:17 PM

Well I phoned around all places that I could think of including the one recommended in Calgary and nothing under $120.00 . The shop in Calgary that sells the sporspal says it will be 30-45 days to get the web seats.
I decided that I will make my own out of plywood and foam. just need to figure out the brackets.

Unregistered user · #17 08-31-2017, 09:43 PM

Weird, I paid $50 for mine. These guys are a major Ontario distributor of sportspal, maybe they can help. https://www.sail.ca/