Carrying Place Canoes - Designs not available anymore

[Thestripper]

I just got off the phone with Carrying Place Canoes. The kind woman I spoke with said that although the website is still up, the company is not in business anymore and that they are fully retired.

They never digitized canoe plans, at least not for consumer use, so although there might still be some printed plans in stock it is not possible to purchase any of them.

They are hoping that someone will buy the company and carry on the legacy. Only then will the plans be available again.

I don't know the full story of Joe Ziemba but I do know that he spent the greater part of his life paddling and designing canoes. Many, if not all of the designs from Carrying Place Canoes were unique and only available directly from them.

I am especially interested in plans for the symetrical solo - Soul Mate 15. If you have them please contact me.

Carrying Place Canoe - Plans

 

[JohnSand]

Good luck. I hope the plans aren't lost.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Thanks for the info, Thestripper.

Another loss to the wooden canoe lifestyle, marketplace and collective memory.

 

[Travis]

advice on the paddling characteristics please.
I'm an novice-intermediate paddler looking for my first wood/canvas canoe. im a lightweight male 5'10 x 155 lbs /70 kgs. plan to solo mostly on local lakes. If I paddle it tandem, wife is 125 lbs and novice who does not appreciate "tippy canoes"

This cedar & canvas canoe the "15 ft Jack's Special" specially handbuilt by The Carrying Place Canoe Works,
the website list this at 45-50 lbs, Canoe was repainted & revarnished in 2019 (55lbs?)

your input is appreciated and valued
Travis

 

[dogbrain]

This looks like a nice canoe, and in really good condition, but I can't give any advice on the model. The only thing I see in the pictures is some tack heads showing through the canvas in the third picture. The two most obvious ones are near the stem band, but if you look further back there are a few more visible. I think this can be remedied, but just thought I'd point out what I see.

Mark

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

advice on the paddling characteristics please

I've never seen or paddled a Jack's Special. @memaquay and @Robin have. The website description for the stripper version this 15'x32" hull says:

"Expert and experienced canoeists will appreciate the Jack's Special highly rockered, narrow at the beam, round bottomed hull. This model is a highly responsive solo canoe that can be paddled by 2 persons."

My interpretation of these specs and description is that it could be a nice solo hull for an experienced paddler, but it would definitely fall into the "tippy" category as a tandem.

Whether you would like this canoe right away, or whether you would "grow into it" as can often happen, no one can really say. Try to paddle it first, if at all possible. If you do buy it and don't like it, you can always resell it.

 

[Patrick Corry]

I have a wood/canvas canoe built as a Jack's Special. I agree that the canoe you're considering appears to be a very nice example.

As a novice-intermediate paddler you may have a period of adjustment in becoming accustomed to this design. I love mine, but it's quite tender (read: tippy) and is sensitive to weight distribution. You'll note in your pictures that it doesn't have a flat bottom, and while this contributes to a responsive handling canoe, it doesn't lend itself to tandem paddling with a secure feel for the bow paddler. Note the comments on the design drawing, "round-bottomed canoe", "highly sensitive solo".

Please do not let this dissuade you from buying this canoe! You will get accustomed to it, and I guarantee you will appreciate the beauty and function of this canoe. Perhaps a second, flat-bottomed and longer canoe, will fill the bill for tandem paddling. Nothing wrong with having two canoes for two different purposes! Go for it.

Here's mine: It's a joy to paddle solo.

 

[Travis]

Glenn and Patrick, given the weight of the W/C model of 60 lbs. and the cost $1,500 I decided not to purchase the 'Jack's Special'. If it was the Cedar Strip model I would have perhaps found a way.
The seller is very accommodating, (delivering from Ottawa Ontario to me in Missouri on his way to Colorado.)

If anyone is interested it is available
https://www.facebook.com/groups/midwestcanoe/permalink/983754913047935/

 

[Patrick Corry]

My canoe weighs 62 lbs. I don't find it an unreasonable weight to carry on portages. I have carried it on portages well in excess of 1 mile on a number of occasions; I simply leapfrog my canoe and gear when the discomfort on my shoulders becomes too much! Just for reference, I weigh 150# and am 5'10' as well- and 70 years old.

Cost of $1500 isn't unreasonable for a wood/canvas canoe in good shape, and a canoe of this type shouldn't be hard to re-sell if you're not happy with it. I'm unclear as to why a cedar strip version would be more acceptable?

 

[memaquay]

That is a good price for that canoe, and it is one I would probably buy. However, I think you made the right decision. Your wife would probably not be comfortable in that canoe. I built a Jack's Special, I couldn't imagine putting two people in it.

 

[Travis]

I found a canoe reported to have been made around 1919-24ish hanging in a barn for $100, It is Probably OT Otca. definitely stable enough. perhaps ill take him up on it and do the restoration this winter,

 

[Benson Gray]

I found a canoe...

What is the serial number? See the link below if you aren't sure where to look.

Benson

How do I find a serial number on an old wooden canoe or boat?

Many old wooden canoes and boats have a serial number on both inside stems and a decal or tag with the manufacturer's logo on the bow deck. The number is usually stamped on the top of the lower part of the stems. The inside stems are the long curved pieces of wood that form the ends of the...

forums.wcha.org

 

[Travis]

What is the serial number? See the link below if you aren't sure where to look.

Benson

How do I find a serial number on an old wooden canoe or boat?

Many old wooden canoes and boats have a serial number on both inside stems and a decal or tag with the manufacturer's logo on the bow deck. The number is usually stamped on the top of the lower part of the stems. The inside stems are the long curved pieces of wood that form the ends of the...

forums.wcha.org

I haven't taken possession as of yet, from where it hangs, I found no numbers despite my best efforts on the 2nd look. this will come in handy when I do though, thanks Benson

 

[memaquay]

Wow, you should buy that immediately. Looks to be in pretty good shape.

 

[Travis]

Wow, you should buy that immediately. Looks to be in pretty good shape.

thanks for allowing this conversation (i didn't mean to hijack the original thread subject and can move it if admin prefer)

This bow stem area concern me... going to take some work.
Will this be easily doable for a retired trim carpenter? (with no canoe experience)
I have seen that a particular book will get me on my way and that pehaps a dacron fabric might be a nice update.

I am willing to put in say 100 hours on the project. but i have put off securing it, afreaid it willbe a 300 hour project. Not looking for muesem level but usable and lasting

 

[Benson Gray]

This bow stem area concern me... going to take some work.

The like below has some detailed information about rebuilding rotted stems and tips like that. Good luck,

Benson

Rebuild rotted tips

Rebuilding tips of canoes seems necessary so often simply because otherwise well meaning people find it easy to set a canoe on the ground, overturn it, and leave it there. True, the seats and ribs/interior are protected, and dry for when next you use it. But leaving the tips on the ground means...

forums.wcha.org

 

[Robin]

I see the seller of the Jacks Special dropped the price to $1200/bo USD. That canoe is basically 15' Chestnut Chum without a keel, which has been a great paddling/tripping solo for me.
A Chestnut Chum will weigh over 60lbs, but the Jacks Special might be lighter since it's a custom build,idk. That Old Town OCTA will be quite a bit more in weight and you will no doubt come close to the price of the Jacks Special restoring it plus labor.
If you want a nice paddling 16' tandem look for Chestnut Pal or Chestnut Cruiser, both less weight than an OCTA with better solo capabilities imho.
A Chestnut Bobs is another 15'er that can be a decent tandem, it's wider than the Jack's but built lightweight, maybe a realistic mid 50lbs. When leaned it makes a great solo.
An Old Town 50 pounder might be a good option, but I have never paddled one.

 

[dogbrain]

The fiberglass is the biggest issue with attempting to restore that Old Town. Much of the rot is probably related to that and with the picture of the rotted stem I think it may be too far gone to make it worth your time. Not that it can't be done, I restored one in similar but better shape. Either way, the value of that canoe is exactly $0 in my opinion. From the pictures it looks like it needs stems (inner and outer?), inwales, outwales, decks and probably a number of ribs and probably a bunch of planking. A huge project.

Mark

 

[Patrick Corry]

A huge project.

Yeah, I second that. That Jack's Special is looking better and better. Especially if now offered at 1200!

 

[dogbrain]

That Jack's Special is looking better and better.

Right. If it were here I would buy it just to try it out. That canoe is worth every penny and then some. Could easily be resold for much more than that price.

Mark