Canoeing for Sissies

have canoe, will travel

have canoe, will travel

It’s summer and the canoe has been placed on the roof of the car for convenience. My canoe (we all have one here in Canada) is narrow, fast and very wobbly. It was made for solo paddling, but I converted it to a two seater. At 30″ wide it’s about 6″ narrower than most canoes and it can feel quite unstable. So I did some research on homemade outriggers and the other day I ran all over town and got what I needed. It wasn’t that difficult and it has made a major improvement in the boat. We tested it last night and found the canoe to be much more stable, but with no discernible drag. The pontoons are set just above the waterline, and they dip in on one side then the other as the boat rocks, enough to create stability without ill effect.

canoe with outriggers

canoe with outriggers

detachable outrigger

detachable outrigger

adjustable rod holder

adjustable rod holder

I made a manual in case anyone here wants to make their own. Have fun and let me know how it works for you. Please note: this has not been certified, rigorously tested or engineered for safety. Use at your own risk, and be careful!

NATHANGUITARS DIY CANOE OUTRIGGER

3 Comments

Filed under Canoes

3 responses to “Canoeing for Sissies

  1. Wizz

    Thanks for this wonderful suggestion. As a canoe loving Canadian I applaud your idea.

  2. IslandMark

    I will need to give this a try for my kayak, as I have missed being able to use it since losing most of my sense of balance.

  3. Mary Louise Reilly

    I have a yellow canoe that I occasionally venture into the ocean with and now it’s time to leave the life on the ocean for a lake.
    Happy paddling!

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