Hornbeck Guideboat?

[SouthernKevlar]

Although it is a rowing craft instead of a canoe, I was curious if anyone on this thread knows anything about the Hornbeck 12' Guideboat? I have a Hornbeck canoe but I did not know that he had made Guideboats until I saw one advertised. It piqued my curiosity, and knowing that a number of folks on this site live in or near the ADK area, I thought I would ask. I cannot find any real info or specs online so I guess that not many were made. Would this short Guideboat be a good intro into rowing and stable enough for fishing and trolling? I have only rowed regular metal rowboats in the past.
Thanks in advance for any info and advice on this craft.

 

[yknpdlr]

I was in the Hornbeck shop a few weeks ago and did notice one there on the rack. Interesting, I thought, but did not get any information on it.

 

[SouthernKevlar]

I was in the Hornbeck shop a few weeks ago and did notice one there on the rack. Interesting, I thought, but did not get any information on it.

Thanks,
Since you had seen one at Hornbeck I called and had a good chat with the folks. They looked up the ad and after a bit of discussion figured that the hull did look like a Hornbeck, but the gunnels and deck did not and looked more like those from Adirondack Guide Boat's factory. Possibly one that has had the wood replaced? It was also missing the famous 'Red Stripe". It is a bit of a mystery.

Apparently not many Hornbeck Guideboats were built, but they did currently have one in the shop for repair. It would also be fiberglass, not Kevlar, construction and should weigh (by guess) 60-70 lbs. It should also be 12' long with a 36" beam. It sounds like it should be car-topable and fairly stable, so I might make the drive and check it out.

 

[Boatman53]

I have an older 12’ Guideboat in Kevlar. It is an amazing boat, light, fast, three pulls on the oars and you are at hull speed. I used it as a work boat towing other customer boats around the pond delivering them to their shoreline. The only thing I don’t like is backing into new country. That’s why I bought a solo canoe.
I was at Hornbeck last fall buying the canoe and was told that they were not producing any, but I did see some around the shop and storage.
Jim
It seems all pics of the boat in the water are too large a file.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

It seems all pics of the boat in the water are too large a file

Technical note: The site software is set to accept pictures of up to 8 MB in size. When posted, those pictures will automatically be resized to a maximum of 950 pixels in width or height. If your pictures are greater than 8 MB, it's fast, easy and free to resize them with any of several online image resizing programs. Resize to less than 8 MB → download to your computer → upload to CTN.

 

[Boatman53]

Thanks Glenn, but I’m sorry all of that is above my pay grade, if you get my drift.
Jim

 

[Boatman53]

Found one with a friend at the oars.

Jim

 

[SouthernKevlar]

I have an older 12’ Guideboat in Kevlar. It is an amazing boat, light, fast, three pulls on the oars and you are at hull speed. I used it as a work boat towing other customer boats around the pond delivering them to their shoreline. The only thing I don’t like is backing into new country. That’s why I bought a solo canoe.
I was at Hornbeck last fall buying the canoe and was told that they were not producing any, but I did see some around the shop and storage.
Jim
It seems all pics of the boat in the water are too large a file.
View attachment 135482

Thanks Boatman,
That is a neat looking boat. It also looks like it would be really stable with that beam and would make a good fishing craft compared to my solo canoes.
I did not know that Hornbeck made it in Kevlar. Although the ad said fiberglass, I'm keeping fingers crossed. I've emailed the owner to see if I could set up a viewing. It is definitely not something you run into often down here in the south. Heck, I was just happy to come across my 10 foot Hornbeck canoe!
Your last picture of your friend rowing just came in. The one down here has much "stouter" gunnel and deck plates.

 

[yknpdlr]

looked more like those from Adirondack Guide Boat's factory.

If so I am just as happy that I did not investigate further when I was at Hornbeck's. I went to Vermont with a friend looking to try out their boats and I did not like them at all. Cannot recommend their guideboat. It seemed heavy and sluggish by comparson to others I have seen and rowed. I have a cedarstrip guideboat that I don't get out as often as I would llike, but I do like it very much. As Boatman says, three strokes (maybe less) and I am up to speed in my guideboat. It is very responsive and spins in place on a dime with counter oar strokes.

 

[yellowcanoe]

Thanks Glenn, but I’m sorry all of that is above my pay grade, if you get my drift.
Jim

irfanview. I am computer idiot but I could figure this out

 

[stripperguy]

For those of you that have never been in a guideboat...Get out and try one on for size, you may be surprised!
They're fast, maneuverable, extremely seaworthy and can carry large loads.
I built a 16 ft Grant pattern with plans from the Adirondack Museum. I lusted after one for years and years until I finally made one for myself in 1989.
Sadly, I didn't manage my expectations, and that guideboat and I just didn't get along, but it was fun while it lasted.
It could be a perfect big water boat, ideal for trolling or flycasting too.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I have a cedarstrip guideboat that I don't get out as often as I would llike, but I do like it very much. As Boatman says, three strokes (maybe less) and I am up to speed in my guideboat. It is very responsive and spins in place on a dime with counter oar strokes.

YP, I'm trying to figure out the seating and oarlock configuration. Can you move that bow seat to the middle and the oarlocks further astern? And what is that horizontal crossbar—a carry thwart?

 

[yknpdlr]

YP, I'm trying to figure out the seating and oarlock configuration. Can you move that bow seat to the middle and the oarlocks further astern? And what is that horizontal crossbar—a carry thwart?

Yes, there are two different oarlock positions and that is a removable carry yoke in the center. There is a removable center seat, you can see its mounting rails low on the sides near the bottom. when solo in the guideboat, you sit on the center seat - you can barely see the oarlock mounts just outside of the gunwales on each side. When carrying a passenger sitting in the stern seat (the guided client, known as the "sport" or the "sneak" who uses a single blade paddle, which is also called the "sneak"), the rower (the guide) then sits on the bow seat to trim out the weight (see the edge of that cane seat just peeking out from under the bow deck) and uses the foward oarlock mounts. In this case my wife was paddling as the sport, and I was the guide doing the rowing to get us to this very nice light sandy beach on Eighth Lake in the Adirondacks.