Aluminum version of Gheenoe?

Chip M.

Chip M.

Active member
Couldn't find a discussion RE this and inquiries my direct inquires to Gheenoe I've been told they won't be mfg an aluminum version due to Coast Guard Flotation requirements. (makes no sense to me?)
I have the 13' high side and I have yet to find a better handling/stable marsh boat to run standing with a 6.5hp Backwater long tail and I'm 6'4" and 250lb. As I age the 125+lb weight is a real bummer for me. I love the light weight and durability of aluminum...has anyone who has experienced the Gheenoe stability found anything that compares in aluminum? I've tried a 15'5" Grumman Sq. Stern and it is WAAAAAAAY too tippy to stand up in.
 
Chip M. said:
Couldn't find a discussion RE this and inquiries my direct inquires to Gheenoe I've been told they won't be mfg an aluminum version due to Coast Guard Flotation requirements. (makes no sense to me?)
I have the 13' high side and I have yet to find a better handling/stable marsh boat to run standing with a 6.5hp Backwater long tail and I'm 6'4" and 250lb. As I age the 125+lb weight is a real bummer for me. I love the light weight and durability of aluminum...has anyone who has experienced the Gheenoe stability found anything that compares in aluminum? I've tried a 15'5" Grumman Sq. Stern and it is WAAAAAAAY too tippy to stand up in.
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I have a 15'4" Gheenoe Hi-Sider which I used to run with a 6.5 HP Go-Devil. Very stable. Also had 14' and 16' Scott Duckboats which were basically square stern canoes with a copy of the Gheenoe bottom, also very stable.

I don't think an aluminum Gheenoe would save much weight, and I doubt that a small builder would invest in the metal forming equipment needed to produce the complex bottom curves that are the key to Gheenoe's stability. Maybe ask Gheenoe how much lighter a Kevlar-based Gheenoe would weigh? (Cost may be another issue though)
 
Was it a square stern Grumman canoe or was it a Grumman sportboat? I don’t mind standing and running a mudmotor in my sportboat but my center of gravity is a little lower.
 
No experience with Gheenoes. Lots with various square stern canoes, Scott duck boats, and Grumman Sport boats, but all with standard outboards. I would not stand to pilot a square stern canoe smaller than about 20’—but hull design matters as much as length. You could stand in a Scott duck boat. I’ve fly fished from. 16’ duck boat with 2 big standing anglers and an active lab running all over the boat—very comfortably. That’s probably also true in a Grumman Sport boat, but I have not tried it. None of those options will save much weight over whatever you already have.
 
NickR said:
Was it a square stern Grumman canoe or was it a Grumman sportboat? I don’t mind standing and running a mudmotor in my sportboat but my center of gravity is a little lower.
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Grumman made a square stern version of their normal canoe. Sportboat was considerably more boat. Stern on my 15.5 is only about 14" wide.
 
Jeff Reardon said:
No experience with Gheenoes. Lots with various square stern canoes, Scott duck boats, and Grumman Sport boats, but all with standard outboards. I would not stand to pilot a square stern canoe smaller than about 20’—but hull design matters as much as length. You could stand in a Scott duck boat. I’ve fly fished from. 16’ duck boat with 2 big standing anglers and an active lab running all over the boat—very comfortably. That’s probably also true in a Grumman Sport boat, but I have not tried it. None of those options will save much weight over whatever you already have.
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Great input. Have no experience with the Scot duck boat as the price scared the (&()* out of me. Owners of the sport boat had told me that standing might be ok every once and awhile but not advisable not to mention the price for used ones up this way are out of site.
 
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