Sportspal canoes

G

GaryRI

Active member
Anyone hunting out of a Sportspal & transporting a dog?

My 35 pound Boykin makes me nervous in a canoe.
 
Gary I have an original sportspal 14'. They are incredibely stable boats and perfect for hunting and fishing. You would probably fall out of it before you tipped it over. Just yesterday I was duckhunting a swamp and standing while paddling/poling with my 85# chessie with me. Mine has the removeable foam seats which I dont use but instead kneel on a boat cushion while paddling. When I'm fishing with the electric motor I sit up on the end of the canoe with a cushion . I would'nt recommend doing any of these things in a regular canoe. I have the old style sportspal which is like the current Radisson model made with a one piece hull of lightweight aluminum. The current sportspal made by Meyers is made with stronger but heavier aluminum. You pay for that with almost a 10 pound penalty though. I have had no problems at all with my hull and at 35 pounds or so I can easily handle it myself or hunt/fish with another person and a dog. It could easily take 3 people and is rated for such but is a little crowded fishing 3 in the 14' lenth.
 
I also have a 14' model. My black lab at 60 lbs can jump into the water from the boat without tipping it. And I can help her climb back in without tipping it. A can sit on the gunnel in waders with my feet in the water and it wont tip. A buddy and I emptied our guns on a flock of geese shooting broadside from the cane and it didn't tip. I can stand up and flyfish in it. I can stand up and pushpole in it.

It will roll until the sponsoons hit the water but then it stops. Its an incredibly stable boat.
 
My 110 lb Chessie can jump out and climb in without tipping me.
It is the only canoe for duck hunting as far as I am concerned.

It does not necessarily track well or break any speed records but you wont end up in the drink.
 
I'm looking at what is advertised as a sportspal 17 this afternoon. I'll bring a measuring tape as I can't find anything googling Sportspal 17. The pictures show it with the rub rail/sponsons so it has to be a Sportspal. Sounds like it doesn't matter if it is a 14.
 
I have seen folks add spnsoons to regular canoes.

I know that they made a 16 ft version.
 
Bought it for $200.

The plackard says it is a Meyers 16 Sportspal. Not many dents. Came with 3 good wood paddles & 2 original foam seats. Ha obviously been upside down for a long time. The sponsons are sun beaten. The inside foam is fine. I'll fix it up next summer. Will be using it around here before the wood ducks leave.

I have wood oars I was using with a jon boat.

No motor mount but I'll figure that out later. I got the bill of sale notarized so I can put numbers on it later.
 
Gary ,

I purchased a 14 foot Great Canadian canoe , it is about 43 inches wide and stable as anything !! I love it , the dog does real well in it as well . You are more then welcome to come to this side of the bay to check it out , Good Luck


Dave M
 
My Dad bought us a new sportspal 14 in 1978. We took it to Presque Isle the first summer and did a tip test. We both fell out of the boat before we could tip it. I still hunt that canoe today. Dented, scratched, a missing rib or two but it is the most functional, safe canoe ever!
 
That was a great buy. like I said earlier the meyers boats are heavier but just as stable . I was originally looking for a 17' to replace my coleman that weighed a ton, and was going to get a pack canoe for when it was just me and the dog. With my lightweight 14' it does double duty for both but I wish for more lenth if I would want to fish 3 people (can handle the weight no problem). If I saw a Myers 17' at that price I would own 3 canoes right now so good find. I saw in the brochure that their double enders have a swing out motor mount so you might want to look for that. By the way my old coleman has not moved since I got the sportspal.
 
You'll be fine. I don't have a dog, but I have a 14" Sportspal and a couple kids. They can stand up and move around and the boat hardly moves.
I have the motor mount for mine but have only used it once or twice. You could make or have made something that works just as good pretty easily.
 
Went out this AM. We only picked up one mallard but the Sportspal is the best buy I've made in a long time.

The dog can charge around all she wants and it doesn't matter. Incredibly stable.

Also VERY light. I can get it on the car as easy as my pack canoe.
 
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