We really should build you up a custom boat. Call it the McGlamper
I have a McGlamper or two. 16 foot tandems customized to my specifics. A soloized Explorer and Malecite, but my favorite of those is a plebian RX Old Town Penobscot, aka the Inspector Gadget Boat. Customized with a contour seat on truss drops installed well back of center, back band and seat pad
P2160535 by
Mike McCrea, on Flickr
Strap yoke through sturdy SS D-rings and massive custom carved knee braces
P2160534 by
Mike McCrea, on Flickr
Custom two piece partial spray covers, including a storage cover for the open center “cockpit”, so I can leave all the paddling gear dry and protected inside the hull while in camp
P2160518 by
Mike McCrea, on Flickr
P2160542 by
Mike McCrea, on Flickr
Utility thwart with sail mount, compass mount and open cleat to keep the bowline in easy reach
P2160525 by
Mike McCrea, on Flickr
P2160528 by
Mike McCrea, on Flickr
Foot brace and minicel pads everywhere, including a minicel wedge to keep the blue barrel locked in place
P2160530 by
Mike McCrea, on Flickr
P2170546 by
Mike McCrea, on Flickr
I recently refinished all of the brightwork on that canoe and it should be good for another 20 years.
P3200675 by
Mike McCrea, on Flickr
As a big boy big load tripper I love everything about the Penobscot. Except the weight; my back and knees are not as strong as they were in ’03 when I first soloized that canoe.
There are some current and past composite tandems of nearly the same dimensions; a Bell NorthStar or (kinda short) MorningStar would drop 15 – 20 lbs right off the bat. Or the current canoe of my fantasies, a Swift Keewaydin 16 with a single center-ish seat, and aluminum gunwales so I can replicate every bit of that outfitting in a lighter weight package.
http://www.swiftcanoe.com/keewaydin-16
I’ll never get rid of the Penobscot, it fits me and my usual tripping load like a glove, and the Royalex with skid plates is still going strong after 15 years of abuse. But for lake and tidal trips a 20 lb lighter composite of the same dimensions and outfitting would see a lot of action.