Sure they are big and heavy, but they can carry a load. They are very beamy and forgiving boats with full ends. They are deep. My balance is not as good as it was.
Might have to go find one.
Might have to go find one.
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Sometimes I just want to paddle an OT Tripper
- Thread starter ppine
- Start date
Best tripping canoe ever, IMHO. Wish I was still young enough to portage one like I use to. Go find one.
G.
G.
I agree, great canoes. I saw a well-used 17' OT Tripper hull out behind a rental outfit on the Farmington River in Connecticut years ago, so I asked about its future. Of course, he had big plans for it so I didn't get it. Too bad, always wanted one. (he went out of business, too many irons in the fire type guy)
I had a Tripper for many years. I carried it on many painful portages. It was unbelievable how much gear it could carry, which also was painful to carry. I found that if it didn't have enough weight in it, it could be a little tippy. If the seats are lowered the primary stability is better when not loaded. I sold it because as I aged it became to much for me. I miss that canoe, I became attached to it. I know where I can buy a pristine one. If I'm feeling young again or going on trips without portages I might buy it.
I took that canoe to Temagami, La Verendrye, all over Maine. I remember every portage.
I took that canoe to Temagami, La Verendrye, all over Maine. I remember every portage.
I got my first one in 90' it was made in 85. I learned WW in it and did some portaging too. I carried it for almost a mile and a quarter on one portage with a coffee in my hand. I bought two more from Cabelas in 2014. It was the last year of production and they must have been blems because they were just a little over 500 bucks each. I sold one last year so I'm down to two. One is a loaner if anyone wants to use it in Ak.
Lets enter as a tandem team in the geezer class in the Kenduskeag Stream race in April... 17 miles of flatwater and WW.. Don't forget your Depends and drysuit..
And a hoist and tackle system for that uphill climb that is only about 200 feet long but a sea of mud by the time I arrive.
I knew a builder in Ak. who said he used to build stripper trippers when he lived in Maine. I would have liked to see one.
I take it the operative verb in the topic title is "paddle", for hardly anyone of our average membership age is likely to want to portage one.
The OT Tripper is not only a classic wilderness tripping canoe, but was soloed by many whitewater day paddlers in the 1970's and 80's. Its flattish bottom made it more maneuverable than its length and rocker would suggest.
The OT Tripper is not only a classic wilderness tripping canoe, but was soloed by many whitewater day paddlers in the 1970's and 80's. Its flattish bottom made it more maneuverable than its length and rocker would suggest.
It's too bad they put those plastic seats in them, the later model even had cup holders.
The first thing to do is add ash seats and 3 ash thwarts.
I just remembered that my brother as an old Wenonah Cascade up in Oregon. It is a Royalex boat and 17'9" with full ends.
Time to make a phone call.
I just remembered that my brother as an old Wenonah Cascade up in Oregon. It is a Royalex boat and 17'9" with full ends.
Time to make a phone call.
Mine almost took off on me earlier this week. 
at least I got some free cedar from a neighbors fence. 
I will inherit my Dads (Pistol Pete) 17' Old Town Tripper with the white gunwales. This OT Tripper has seen the Dead, Allagash, Seboeis, St. John, Penobscot River East and West, St. Croix and Machias. The underside of the canoe definitely wears the battle scars well. The downside of a well worn hull bottom is clearly evident when paddling flat water sections of the St.John River when the rest of the canoeing party is about 3 miles ahead. Yes this happened last May. We just couldn't keep up with the other shiny hulls. The Tripper still handles the white water like a champ and is amazingly stable. I paddled the stern this past year and the bow two years ago down the St.John. Happy to have been able to experience both bow and stern operations in the Old Town Tripper. Great Canoe. Norm L'Italien comments on this tripper each time he sees it.
Those old white/cream OT vinyl gunwhales are the best. Yeah, they don't take the UV so well and they often have a few chunks missing, but so what.
We rented one of those canoes to go down the Teslin and the Yukon from Johnson's Crossing to Dawson City.. A beast of a boat. We went through Fiver Finger Rapids with nary a drop of water in the boat.
Whoa. Good time to be inside.
I love my Tripper, but last Monday, while carrying the Tripper around the house to the rack, the thought occurred to me that the time will come when I can't carry it anymore. And that time might not be far off. Two stories:
I used to paddle with Louis Matticia of Virginia. He was as old then as I am now. He solo paddled a Tripper and he always carried his Tripper by himself. At one time, Louis operated a canoe livery. Over lunch near a ledge rapid on the Cacapon River, I once asked him, "why the Tripper." He told me when he ran the livery he was once at the very same rapid eating lunch and watching a scout group he was guiding as the kids negotiated the rapid. He noticed that all the kids that made it through were paddling Trippers, and all the kids the tipped out were in other boats. He decided that was not a coincidence.
In 2018, I took the Tripper down to Terlingua, TX and paddled it on several canyon sections of the Rio Grande. Apparently, the Tripper is a favorite boat down there. Almost everywhere I stopped somebody came up to me to ask if I wanted to sell it. No way.
So, I agree, great boats.
Photo by Will Derness, 2006
I used to paddle with Louis Matticia of Virginia. He was as old then as I am now. He solo paddled a Tripper and he always carried his Tripper by himself. At one time, Louis operated a canoe livery. Over lunch near a ledge rapid on the Cacapon River, I once asked him, "why the Tripper." He told me when he ran the livery he was once at the very same rapid eating lunch and watching a scout group he was guiding as the kids negotiated the rapid. He noticed that all the kids that made it through were paddling Trippers, and all the kids the tipped out were in other boats. He decided that was not a coincidence.
In 2018, I took the Tripper down to Terlingua, TX and paddled it on several canyon sections of the Rio Grande. Apparently, the Tripper is a favorite boat down there. Almost everywhere I stopped somebody came up to me to ask if I wanted to sell it. No way.
So, I agree, great boats.
Photo by Will Derness, 2006
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I remember that trip! Nice line through Bull Falls.
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Good morning. I sent this to lowangle al. I thought it might be better to ask all of you.
Can you please tell me the location of your Trippers' seats relative to the center point or from each end or one end? Whichever is easiest for you. I have one that I am trying to get the seats right in and as of now they are not. Thanks.
Can you please tell me the location of your Trippers' seats relative to the center point or from each end or one end? Whichever is easiest for you. I have one that I am trying to get the seats right in and as of now they are not. Thanks.
Hi, ironandwood and welcome to the forum. I just saw your PM but figured I'd answer here. I'd gladly measure for you, but I don't have access to my trippers at this time. I do know OT moved the stern seat forward sometime after 1985 and before about 1990. If I were reoutfitting one today I wouldn't necessarily go with the original stock positions. It would depend on the intended use, especially for whitewater.
