I have been on the search for a smaller boat to get the dog and I into some smaller backwater and islands to concentrate more on puddlers, these areas are not accesible by outboard nor is there a ramp to launch. So i was originally set on a aquapod and i realize they are prob my best option but i just dont have the $ to dish out for one right now, i tried a 10 fter and with me and the dog i was not comfortable with it. I went to a local reputable paddling shop here and was steered toward a bigger square back canoe. I was looking at a old town saranak sportsman also called a rogue river. It is 15.5 ft long 44 inches wide has a squareback and can handle up to a 4 hp motor if needed has a max capacity of 850 lbs. plus it is in my pricerange and have 1 left in stock. Any opinions? The water im going to be using it in is bigger ponds and tidal marshes that are well protected with nothing more than a breeze chop and no deeper than 3 ft
Squareback canoes
- Thread starter Jay H
- Start date
Jeff Reardon
Well-known member
I don't have experience with that canoe, but in my experience a canoe with a rated capacity of 850 pounds is fine for one person with gear and maybe a dog, but will be overloaded with two hunters, gear and a dog.
Those "rating capacities" are max loads, not a good working load.
I paddle an Old Town Appalachian, which is rated for 1400 pounds. It's fine for two men a dog and lots of gear. Just keep in mind that the boat you're looking at is a lot smaller.
Do you need the motor?
Those "rating capacities" are max loads, not a good working load.
I paddle an Old Town Appalachian, which is rated for 1400 pounds. It's fine for two men a dog and lots of gear. Just keep in mind that the boat you're looking at is a lot smaller.
Do you need the motor?
Jeff Reardon
Well-known member
Then I'd go with a traditional canoe, price being equal.
If you've got an old town dealer nearby, look at the Discovery 16'9", the Penobscot 17, the Penobscot 16, and the Camper. All are great boats, and if I had my choice of them, I'd just pick whichever one I could get the best deal on. For bigger capacity look at the Tripper or the Appalachian. The Discovery is plastic and a little heavier; the others are all ABS. The Penobscot 16 will be a little small for 2 hunters and a dog; the others would all be fine.
Can you tell I live near the Old Town factory and I and all my buddies get to shop at their annual blemish and seconds sale?
If you've got an old town dealer nearby, look at the Discovery 16'9", the Penobscot 17, the Penobscot 16, and the Camper. All are great boats, and if I had my choice of them, I'd just pick whichever one I could get the best deal on. For bigger capacity look at the Tripper or the Appalachian. The Discovery is plastic and a little heavier; the others are all ABS. The Penobscot 16 will be a little small for 2 hunters and a dog; the others would all be fine.
Can you tell I live near the Old Town factory and I and all my buddies get to shop at their annual blemish and seconds sale?
John Van Houten
Active member
If your minds not made up, take a look at a gheenoe. They are pretty stable and range in different sizes. I think there 13 footer weighs 120 lbs. or that's what is advertised.
I'm considering one for next year to put on top of a pop up, with a 7.5 to push it.
I'm considering one for next year to put on top of a pop up, with a 7.5 to push it.
Ron Schuna
Well-known member
Scott Canoes makes a nice light square stearn. I saw them in Maine...made in Canada but they sell them in Skowhegan ME
Mike Scott
Member
I have an older Maine built square back boat made by a company called bear creek. The model is "odd duck" it is about 12'6" , very wide and stAble, fiberglass with flotation, and around 65 lbs. it has no capacity plate, but is is perfect for 1 guy, dog, and gear. I now push it with a rickshaw mud motor, about 2 hp. It paddles poorly,as I think many square stern boats do. That said, it's an awesome hunting rig, though I don't know if they are made any longer.
D.J. Hagen
Active member
I'd recommend against a square-stern if a motor is not in your plans. I own both and the SS will not track nearly as well as a double ender on flat or moving water. My old Grumman aluminum SS has oarlocks, a nice feature but it really has no advantage over a double ender unless a motor is involved. There are plenty of wide standard canoes available and it sounds like width is an important consideration for you.
Jeff Reardon
Well-known member
All of our responses point out how important it is to figure out what YOU want.
For me, capacity, the ability to portage the boat solo, and paddling well are most important. That means I need a boat that's 80 pounds or less with a capacity of around 1,000 pounds, and I prefer a double ender to a square stern.
If you can put the truck near your hunting spot, heavier boats may be an option. I think 90-100 pounds is the practical limit for a car-topped boat, especially if you want to be able to use it solo.
If you will EVER use a motor, get a square stern. Those side mount motor brackets are an accident waiting to happen on anything but a very large (18+ foot) canoe.
Those Scott square stern canoes are fantastic--so are the Grumman aluminum square sterns. I've done a lot of fishing out of both. Two anglers can stand and cast in them. The 18 and 20 foot Scott's are comfortable boats for big water, too. Almost everyone I know who uses them puts them on a trailer though. They can be car topped, but it's not fun, and you better be young and strong and have no history of back trouble if you do it solo.
I haven't used a Gheenoe, but a lot of folks seem to like their stability. The Bear Creek canoes are made near here. I see fair number of their canoes around, but not the square stern version that's mentioned.
If you hunt with a dog, a kayak is probably not an option, but if you want light, portable and easy to hide, they have canoes beat. Don't expect to carry many decoys.
Try before you buy, and buying used will save you money and probably allow you to get most of your money back if you change your mind.
For me, capacity, the ability to portage the boat solo, and paddling well are most important. That means I need a boat that's 80 pounds or less with a capacity of around 1,000 pounds, and I prefer a double ender to a square stern.
If you can put the truck near your hunting spot, heavier boats may be an option. I think 90-100 pounds is the practical limit for a car-topped boat, especially if you want to be able to use it solo.
If you will EVER use a motor, get a square stern. Those side mount motor brackets are an accident waiting to happen on anything but a very large (18+ foot) canoe.
Those Scott square stern canoes are fantastic--so are the Grumman aluminum square sterns. I've done a lot of fishing out of both. Two anglers can stand and cast in them. The 18 and 20 foot Scott's are comfortable boats for big water, too. Almost everyone I know who uses them puts them on a trailer though. They can be car topped, but it's not fun, and you better be young and strong and have no history of back trouble if you do it solo.
I haven't used a Gheenoe, but a lot of folks seem to like their stability. The Bear Creek canoes are made near here. I see fair number of their canoes around, but not the square stern version that's mentioned.
If you hunt with a dog, a kayak is probably not an option, but if you want light, portable and easy to hide, they have canoes beat. Don't expect to carry many decoys.
Try before you buy, and buying used will save you money and probably allow you to get most of your money back if you change your mind.
Thank you everybody for your responses and advice . I am still considering the square stern just for the fact now i can hunt areas that i was never able to due to draft and weight of my other boat where dragging over ankle deep sandbars. After this season i will consider using a 2-4 hp motor or a smaller mudmotor for some areas that will be accessible to me now. So i more than likely will be hunting solo with my dog and possibly pulling my pondbox behind me
noweil Mike
Well-known member
Jay,
If you are going to be paddling the boat without a motor and using it solo I would buy a double ended canoe. With a motor on a square stern you will probably need some weight in the bow of the boat. I spend lots of time fishing in canoes and kayaks this time of the year. My favorite canoe for stability is a fiberglass Golden Hawk Canoe. They paddle harder than some of my narrower canoes. They make a square stern boat that is a double ender with the square stern above the water line. I regularly see nice 17' Grumman canes for $300-400. Hard to beat a good old Grumman. With a double ended canoe if you are paddling solo it is easy to sit on the front seat and paddle the canoe backwards. With a typical square stern it is hard to paddle solo. Might be better with oars.
If you are going to be paddling the boat without a motor and using it solo I would buy a double ended canoe. With a motor on a square stern you will probably need some weight in the bow of the boat. I spend lots of time fishing in canoes and kayaks this time of the year. My favorite canoe for stability is a fiberglass Golden Hawk Canoe. They paddle harder than some of my narrower canoes. They make a square stern boat that is a double ender with the square stern above the water line. I regularly see nice 17' Grumman canes for $300-400. Hard to beat a good old Grumman. With a double ended canoe if you are paddling solo it is easy to sit on the front seat and paddle the canoe backwards. With a typical square stern it is hard to paddle solo. Might be better with oars.
I think you will be OK with the SS you described in your original post. I have hunted our club's marsh using a 3 HP Ducktwin on a Scott 14' Duckboat and on a 15'4" Gheenoe. Both are stable boats, the Gheenoe probably would paddle better than a regular SS canoe or Scott Duckboat because it is narrower towards the stern. Maybe another option if you want to paddle is a Y-stern canoe.