I'm thinking about getting a boat. I'm not sure of what kind that I need. For the most part, I don't fish. I want it to access my hunt'N area. I just want to use it to get to my area to hunt...not hunt out of it. One of my former Marine buddies, for whatever the reason thought that I want to duck hunt out of it. Then, he finally got the idea that I want to use it to get to my honey-hole...correct, I want it for clandestine insertion (that he understood).
Preferably, I want to be able to go back up stream, but it could also be used to get wet (put it in the river), float down, hunt the other side of the river, and then float down to a dif spot to get out.
Also, I'd use it to float down the river, once in a blue moon. That brings us to another issue, fluctuation of flow. The thing will possibly be used in high water, to dragging on the bottom. I want be running rapids, per se, but 2-3' swells. My Marine friend says that I want to avoid a john-boat (which he has, and swore that it was what I need, until I got it through his thick head of what I wanted it for).
I'm looking at an aluminum or fiberglass boat 12-14' and probably V hull. Orrrr, a canoe. I wonder if those types could be used on the river, and how much motor it would need to go back up stream.
I talked to another guy, a canoe purist. He has done the Grand Canyon, twice and has otherwise canoed just about every navigable stretch of water w/in 300 miles of here. He is pretty much an expert (if you don't believe it, ask him) and he is even an expert on stuff that he has only done once. He says they they run the river all the time on regular boats. At first, he said that is what I should get. Then he said a standard canoe w/a motor adapter and that a 2-4 HP motor would move it just fine. He also said that I should avoid a square stern canoe (and based on what he said, I think that it is what I should be looking for) as they are a pig in the water (I want to stay dry, I've been thrown out before), are heavy (15# extra, whoop-dee-doo) and are wider (all reasons that a purists would hate one, but reasons that would make it more desirable for a goober, like me, that is using a motor). He says that plastic is the way to go (actually, the new high-tech stuff, that is a plastic-laminate-plastic sandwich). I tend to agree w/that. He also said, AL drags on rocks. Now, that is data that I can use. But, my Marine friend says Al can take a lick'n (like a Timex) and keep on going. He said that fiberglass is more fragile.
At the moment, I'm thinking of a standard plastic Old Town canoe, w/a motor attachment and out riggers to keep it from tipping. I note that Cabelas has em in their catalog for $220 (and I can't imagine why anyone would buy something of such a simple design). They would keep the thing from tipping.
So, what do yall (youse guys) think? V-hull, or canoe? AL, fiberglass, plastic? Square stern.
As a side note...how is trolling motor power measured? I see them listed from 30-50# of thrust. What does that mean?
John 14:6
Preferably, I want to be able to go back up stream, but it could also be used to get wet (put it in the river), float down, hunt the other side of the river, and then float down to a dif spot to get out.
Also, I'd use it to float down the river, once in a blue moon. That brings us to another issue, fluctuation of flow. The thing will possibly be used in high water, to dragging on the bottom. I want be running rapids, per se, but 2-3' swells. My Marine friend says that I want to avoid a john-boat (which he has, and swore that it was what I need, until I got it through his thick head of what I wanted it for).
I'm looking at an aluminum or fiberglass boat 12-14' and probably V hull. Orrrr, a canoe. I wonder if those types could be used on the river, and how much motor it would need to go back up stream.
I talked to another guy, a canoe purist. He has done the Grand Canyon, twice and has otherwise canoed just about every navigable stretch of water w/in 300 miles of here. He is pretty much an expert (if you don't believe it, ask him) and he is even an expert on stuff that he has only done once. He says they they run the river all the time on regular boats. At first, he said that is what I should get. Then he said a standard canoe w/a motor adapter and that a 2-4 HP motor would move it just fine. He also said that I should avoid a square stern canoe (and based on what he said, I think that it is what I should be looking for) as they are a pig in the water (I want to stay dry, I've been thrown out before), are heavy (15# extra, whoop-dee-doo) and are wider (all reasons that a purists would hate one, but reasons that would make it more desirable for a goober, like me, that is using a motor). He says that plastic is the way to go (actually, the new high-tech stuff, that is a plastic-laminate-plastic sandwich). I tend to agree w/that. He also said, AL drags on rocks. Now, that is data that I can use. But, my Marine friend says Al can take a lick'n (like a Timex) and keep on going. He said that fiberglass is more fragile.
At the moment, I'm thinking of a standard plastic Old Town canoe, w/a motor attachment and out riggers to keep it from tipping. I note that Cabelas has em in their catalog for $220 (and I can't imagine why anyone would buy something of such a simple design). They would keep the thing from tipping.
So, what do yall (youse guys) think? V-hull, or canoe? AL, fiberglass, plastic? Square stern.
As a side note...how is trolling motor power measured? I see them listed from 30-50# of thrust. What does that mean?
John 14:6
