Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Canoe's in Alaska

I bought plans for a big 20' stitch-n-glue about 15 years ago. Fiberglass dust doesn't agree with me now, so I plan to convert it to aluminum. We'll see...

I called NorWest a few years ago about their 26' Chisasibi. They were years out and don't ship. Hate to hear they had a fire.

Can't get a Scott in Whitehorse anymore. I tried to contact the company with no response. I called the only distributor in Washington and got the run around. Too bad. Covid and Communism spread the same way but the later will be harder to get rid of.

I have owned quite a few had a Grumman Sport boat for probably 15 years loved it, ran 4 to 8 hp 2strokes Yamaha 8 was probably the best right weight to power, Vern has it now.

Bought a Saturn 15 ft inflatable Kaboat used it all over with a 9.8 HP 4 stroke good boat.

Had 21 ft Scott Hudson Bay canoe with a 20 hp 4 stroke Tohatsu. Used a jack ass lift with a 8 hp on the Grumman Sport Boat and the Hudson Bay Freighter. The 20 hp was too heavy for the lift.

Had several other canoes.

Bought the Solar Inflatable Jet Boats and prefer them for the Shallow rocky rivers of South Central Alaska, Fish trout in the AK lakes
in a Inflatable Kayak with electric trolling motor.

My feedback on canoes I have used here in Maine:

17' MichiCraft (doubled ender aluminum). I like it more than a 17 ft Grumman, as it has sponsons. These are bulbous areas formed into the hull just above the waterline, about 6" high x 10' long on each side. Adds significant stiffness to the hull, and increases stability, as it makes the canoe about 2" wider ( 1" /side) down low where it counts. Aluminum is 0.050" thick ("heavy duty"). Some Grummans have 0.040" or 0.050" thick aluminum, as noted in their model number("1740"= 17' with 0.040". Vs "1750" = 17' with 0.050"). I prefer the 0.050" thick models, heavier yes, but more durable.

19' Grumman square stern (aluminum) Light (0.040" thick material), hauls a lot, I use a 4 HP 2-stroke on mine. Great canoe. Hauls ~1000 lbs. Discontinued model. Get one if you see one.

20' Grumman double ender (aluminum): A true beast. Heavy gauge aluminum (0.050" thick), 40" beam, , high sides (a lot of freeboard for a canoe), weighs about 120 lbs, very stable. I use a side mounted 1980 Johnson 4 HP 2-stroke, (32 lbs), but is rated for 7.5 (?) HP. Love it. Not made anymore, and hard to find. Grab one if you can. Got mine for $450 in good shape last year. They typically are in the $800-$1200++ range.

Note, if you use a side-mounted motor on a double ender canoe, make sure you use a side-mounted counter weight up front. You want the canoe to be level, especially when making a sharp turn to the motor side (reduces chance of swamping/ water over the side). Also, if you are alone in the canoe (with a motor), bring at least two 5:gallon buckets (with lids) to fill with water and put up front to level you off. You will "squat" in a canoe, with your body weight way back, which isn't good for a lot of reasons (reduced visibility, less freeboard in the stern/unsafe, less fuel efficient, the high bow acts like a sail, and moves you around in the wind). You can use rocks too, or instead.

I had an aluminum 17" Grumman square stern (0.050" thick). Another great canoe. My brother needed it. and still has it. Handles a 2-stroke 4hp well, but it does great with a Honda 2.4 HP 4-stroke.

Old Town Canoe makes several 17' ABS/Royalex (Royalex no longer made) polyethylene canoes. A favorite for the Allagash Waterway in Maine is the 20' Tripper XL. Hard to find, and usually start at $1000+++ used. Hauls about 75 % of what a similar sized aluminum canoe hauls.

For trailered canoes , I have owned a (fiberglass) Scott Canoe 22.5' James Bay freighter. A great big water canoe, hauls 2000+ lbs (sold it, loved it, but bigger/heavier than I needed), and currently own/use a (fiberglass) Scott Canoe 21' Hudson Bay freighter canoe (8 HP). If you will be dragging over rocks, you don't want a fiberglass canoe (not durable for that).

Never have been in a 15' Grumman Sportboat. Could be a good option.

Hope you can find a 19-20" Grumman, but a good 17 footer will serve you wel, particularly a square stern model, if you can find one - if you intend to mount a motor.

My 2c.

MichiCraft: https://www.meyersboat.com/#/michicraft/models.html

Grumman: https://www.marathonboat.com/grumman-canoes

Hey buttstock, very informative post thanks. I have both the 17' Sq stern Grumman and 19' Sq stern Grumman. Mb