Converting my little canoe for duck hunting only

J

Jon Zuccolo

Active member
So I decided to get my little 11 footer converted for duck hunting. It paddle well with a kayak paddle, but does circles with a canoe paddle (even with a good J stroke).

Moved the rear thwart back a bit, took out the seat, so I have room, and I am going to build a rest from the thwart to the floor so I can get cozy.

Here's what I got done today:



Scuffed it up to accept paint:



Painted flat army green (this looks lighter in the photo for some reason)



Anyways, I ordered some denier fabric to make a deck, and also got some quarter inch bungee to attach the deck and also for making grass rails.

Heres a question for the more experienced.

How can I attach the bungee to the boat? Pop rivets backed with washers? Screws? Do I need to seal the holes with anything special?

Stay tuned for some sewing photos when the denier arrives :)
 
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How can I attach the bungee to the boat?
Click to expand...

If you want quick, simple and easily removable, drill holes in the gunnel, and zip tie the bungee down.

Now if you wanted a more permanent deck, I'd mark the hull 4" above the water line with a full hunting load (equivalent weight of you, your dog, gun, deeks and all gear) and take a die grinder and cut the hull down. Then build a solid deck. I've been dreaming of doing this to an aluminum canoe for a while. Probably be easier to do with aluminum than fiberglass.

Chuck
 
A tempting idea...

I have exactly 1 week for duck season to start, so I think for now, it will be quick and easy, and then I can upgrade it once the season is done. Perhaps I will do the pop rivets where I MIGHT cut it down at a later date, so I can make the holes disappear.

I don't have much love for this canoe as is so cutting it down wouldn't be much of a problem. :)
 
A tempting idea...

I have exactly 1 week for duck season to start, so I think for now, it will be quick and easy, and then I can upgrade it once the season is done. Perhaps I will do the pop rivets where I MIGHT cut it down at a later date, so I can make the holes disappear.

I don't have much love for this canoe as is so cutting it down wouldn't be much of a problem. :)
Click to expand...


Pop rivets will work fine to attach stuff to the canoe. They don't leak enough to cause a problem above waterline. Yes, use washers on the back.
 
Closed end sealing pop rivets are available if your concerned about leakage.

From McMaster-Carr

"Also known as closed-end sealing rivets, they prevent water and air from passing through or around them. Because most of the mandrel is retained, they have higher shear and tensile strengths than standard blind rivets of the same size and material.
Aluminum rivets and mandrels are corrosion resistant and nonmagnetic.
Domed with plastic seal rivets have a sealant bonded underneath the head to reduce leaks. The sealant withstands temperatures of -60° to 250° F. Rivets and mandrels are aluminum, which is corrosion resistant and nonmagnetic."
Scott
 
Here is my canoe story. I have a small 11' canoe I have hunted out of with my dog. Although I usually use it for transportation only and shoot from a shore blind I have shot out of it with no problems. And I always assumed it had some flotation in both ends. Last year my two buddies took the canoe on opening day. A little after dark one of them came to my house and my first clue that something was up was his attire. He didn't have his camo, he had bermuda shorts and a tee. I asked him what was up and he said they both shot from the side and the canoe became "unstable". When it was over, they both were standing in the canoe, however, the canoe was 5' underwater on the bottom of the marsh. Along with their gear and guns. They decided that canoe hunting was not for them.
 

I'm pretty sure I've made this rant here before, but some of the "sportsman's" canoes on the market are criminal. Their manufacturers convince hunters and anglers that a short, flat-bottomed, wide canoe is "stable". Hunters and anglers then overload said canoe, which indeed feels stable due to the flat bottom right up until the point that something goes wrong--a big wave; crosswise in the current; dog shifting his weight; hunter trying to get shells out of a bag behind him; shooting over the side; a leg cramp, etc. Spend enough time in a canoe and all of these events will occur.

At that point the canoe's initial stability is overcome as the canoe starts to lean, and that flat, wide bottom reveals that it has very little secondary stability. Over you go.

Not every small canoe falls into this category; there are some very well designed small boats out there. But if you have a short, wide canoe, I'd recommend putting the load in it you intend to carry in hunting season, and spending some time deliberately dumping it in warm water where you can recover easily to understand how it will behave when stressed.

The canoe shown in the photo actually appears (from far away via the internet and a photo) to be pretty well designed, but I still wouldn't put more than 1 person in any canoe shorter than 14 feet.

Off the soapbox.

Now, as to the original question, I've mounted bungee on Royalex canoes and plastic and aluminum gunwales using black plastic "pad eyes". I drilled small holes and mounted the pad eyes with stainless 1/4 inch bolts.
 
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Thanks for the tips regarding stability. I am quite comfortable in a canoe and I am certain that I will not be pushing the limits on my little pond :) In fact I shot a goose from my canoe the other day, Hurrah!

The fact still remains, that me an my canoes can get into some pretty good duck spots that I can't walk to, and I don't own a fancy mudboat so call me cap'n nemo the coot whisperer.

I'll post picks when I get some progress. I think I will put some flotation in it as well.

Cheers,

Jon
 
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