This post is different enough to be separated. For a Jeep Cherokee or short bed Tacoma, would a square stern freighter canoe or an inflatable be a better rig for pretty easy water? Let’s say the motor will be the Backwater SWOMP GX 200 or something in that weight class. I need to be able to load/unload it by my lonesome. If the inflatable must be inflated upon arrival, I can live with that. I guess a johnboat would work if light enough. Will a long-shaft rig work well with a canoe? Thanks!
I do not entertain hypotheticals. The world itself is vexing enough. -- Col. Stonehill
Gruman Sport boat would be ideal for what you want launch wheels that bolt to transom for loading unloading. A cargo rack for your motor with a motor bracket. Inflatable with your sun will be an issue over time. Ran a Gruman Sport boat for 15 plus years bought a Saturn Kaboat for easier storage only inflatable that performed the same as the Sport Boat. The G Sport boat is wider than most square sterned canoes and more of a planing hull.
kk alaska
Alaska 7 months of winter then 5 months of tourists
A good inflatable will be heavier than a canoe, but extremely stable, unsinkable, capable of very shallow draft while safely carrying enormous weight, but does not track well with motor, paddle or oars. Best material is Hypalon, far superior to PVC. Deflated, it is way easier to transport and store securely. Also they can be much faster, handle waves far better and will handle a much larger range of horsepower than a canoe.
"There's more to optics than meets the eye."--anon
"...most of us would be better off losing half a pound around the waist than half a pound on our rifle."--dhg
I've lashed more square stern canoes on various 4wd's than most anyone. At least a dozen different styles, and at least a dozen different 4wd's.
The kaboat is garbage for many reasons, and id rather have a square stern.
Anything shorter than 17 ft is too limiting from a sportsman's perspective.
One of the best square stern canoes I've used, was the old town discovery 17 ft. They stopped offering the 17 ft some years ago, so look for one used. They have a flat bottom, so good initial stability and better with a motor. They are made of polyethylene, so are as slick as uhmw when the dragging gets shallow.
Round bottoms or wineglass sterns on some square stern canoes don't do well with the 55 lb Back Water/gx 200 ultralight.
I've spent quite a bit of time in a Grumman Sport boat, I believe it was 17-18 footer that one of my hunting buddies use to own. He had it setup with a lift and ran an 8 horse Yamaha and we never had any trouble going where we wanted. We've ran the Tanana, Salchaket Slough, the Chatanika into Minto Flats, Hess Creek, and several of the smaller rivers/creeks along the Haul road, it did it all.
Yeah. I see the 10HP SWOMP from backwater is slightly over 100 lbs. Speed isn't happening with the aforementioned parameters. But better than a paddle.
I do not entertain hypotheticals. The world itself is vexing enough. -- Col. Stonehill