Looking for a new boat

Mark W

Mark W

Well-known member
One of my duckboats is just getting too heavy for me. I have a fiberglass Hoefgen that weighs in around 65lbs. For me to load it in to the pick up bed, get it out, drag it to the water and repeat after the hunt is just too much. I love everything about it. 15' is a perfect length. I love the design as I can carry all my gear safely, and I can put on a small longtail motor if the distance to the hunt is too far to paddle.

I have been looking for the kevlar version of this boat for some time without much luck. Ron S sold one a few years back and I should have jumped on it.

Any suggestions on a similar boat that weighs closer to 40 lbs? I currently have a 22 lb Poke Boat for hunts in small places and a Lund Ducker with a 7hp longtail that gets me to far away places. Just need something in between.

Mark
 
Wish you were closer, as that Hoefgen at 65 pounds is about my speed these days, and a little more flexible for ducks than my fleet of canoes. Anything under ~60 pounds and bigger than the Poke Boat is going to be very fragile, very expensive, or both. Other than Wenonah mentioned above, the better light weight canoes I see these days are coming out of Canada, but that may just reflect that Old Town has pretty much gone full heavy plastic, and Mad River seems to be following them. Nova Craft makes some nice canoes that get down in the 40 lb range at 14-16'. Look at their Prospector line and also some of the Recreational Series. Paddling friends rave about the Bob Special, but I have no idea how it would work for hunting. When my Royalex canoes get too heavy for me, one of their Prospectors will replace them. https://www.novacraft.com/canoe/recreational/

For less money, Esquif has several ~15' Prospector type boats at around 60 lbs in T-Formex, which I think is just a new producer of what used to be Royalex. But I don't think you'll get under 60 pounds without going to fancy composites. The Royalex/T-Formex boats take a lot of abuse that composite canoes will not stand up to--and duck hunting is an abuse-rich environment . . . .
 
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