Wooden Boat Guy transitioning to ? (need advice)

[Glenn MacGrady]

I suspect that a lightweight trailer like yours with a canoe can be towed by almost any car. I would encourage you to contact your local trailer hitch dealer for more details about the options.

I pull a heavier trailer than that with a 4 cylinder Corolla.

I have investigated hitches for my only functioning vehicle, a 2013 Mercedes E350 sedan.

I'd only consider a Stealth Hitch, which hides away when not being used, but the price of that hitch plus professional installation is far too much for me. I'd rather put the money toward a lightweight canoe. In addition, the ground clearance of the deployed receiver would be very low on a skirted sedan that already bottoms out on dips and bumpy roads.

The whole enterprise is not worth it to tow a heavy canoe on smooth roads a few times a year. Not when I have easily cartoppable carbon canoes. The real answer is a time machine to take me back to the greatest decade, the 1960s.

 

[Benson Gray]

The whole enterprise is not worth it to tow a heavy canoe on smooth roads a few times a year.

My experience is that once you have a hitch then it will get used for many other things too. I selected a canoe trailer that could have a plywood deck added so it has helped me move: a lawnmower, a snowblower, furniture, bark mulch, firewood, brush, and a variety of other items that would not be easy to fit in my car.

Benson

 

[Steve in Idaho]

The real answer is a time machine to take me back to the greatest decade, the 1960s.

...and a return to the Magic Bus.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

My experience is that once you have a hitch then it will get used for many other things too. I selected a canoe trailer that could have a plywood deck added so it has helped me move: a lawnmower, a snowblower, furniture, bark mulch, firewood, brush, and a variety of other items that would not be easy to fit in my car.

Benson

That's a reasonable thought. I'd have to attach a plywood floor across the cross bars. Is that woodwork? I don't do woodwork.

 

[scoutergriz]

I pull a heavier trailer than that with a 4 cylinder Corolla. No issues at all.

Alan

with proper modifications and use you can tow almost anything- I towed a 2000lb starcraft starmaster with a 4 banger Mercury Topaz for years by adding engine oil oil and trans coolers, struts for a ford wagon in the rear, and load rated pickup tires, I also had the brakes redone with dual piston calipers and larger discs, a total investment of about $1000, I also had a class 4 hitch modified with large mounting plates and square tubing from the rear subframe to the bumper, That was probably $500 with the changes
I probably put on 60,000 miles to that beast all over Canada and the northern states, but I DID get pulled over a lot because you couldn't even see the car from behind...
Edit, I forgot to mention ut usually had 1 or 2 canoes on the trailer rack and sometimes a third on the car

 

[ppine]

I have used a trailer for over 30 years. Old Town Guide 18 weighs around 90 pounds especially when wet.

The feel of a wood boat is hard to describe to people. In lumpy water mine creaks and groans like an old ship. It talks to me. It has life in it.
It looks like a canoe should look.

A canoe trailer is very useful for hauling lumber. I have hauled tipi poles on it for 500 miles.

 

[memaquay]

 

[gumpus]

Just joined the group after skimming info posted on forums for a while. Thanks to all for good info and discussions; very interesting. As profile pic suggests I am a wooden boat guy. Age is taking over slightly as is the need to get a bit lighter in a tandem boat (my solo stripper sill fine, but...) for day trips and short overnights. (1-3 days) I have not liked paddling the super-light Kevlar composites in the past. I just do not like the feel of them. Has anyone tried the new Esquif sport in T-Formex Lite? I'd like to know how it tracks and if it is a good choice for a tandem for mostly lake, occasional moving water, and short trips for the two of us. I weigh in at 250# with a partner who is about #120. We do not do much whitewater over class II any more. Mostly canoe-camping now. Want to purchase a tandem of this sort in the -60# range. I've looked at Northstar, Wenonah, Esquif, Swift, etc. mostly in the Prospector shape, but some in a shallower more contemporary as well. (Huron, Keewadin, etc.) Again, trying to transition in tandem from a wooden boat (Old Town 1959 - I restored) for weight and durability in put-in and take-out. Thanks in advance for any info and thoughts...Cheers!

T-FormeX Lite seems lIke a perfectly reasonable choice.

https://www.reddit.com/r/canoeing/comments/1jmpqmq/t_formex_vs_t_formex_lite

I have friends with an Esquif Avalon that they like very much. It's quite efficient, especially for a T-Formex boat. In terms of "feel" I think you'll find T-Formex or Royalex to be nice and quiet like wood but more "floppy"...less stiff. Just FYI if you get wood trim on a composite boat it makes it quieter and if you get any lay-up other than ultralight it also makes the boat quieter. I have a Swift Keewaydin 15 in Guide Fusion with wood trim and I don't think it gives up anything to my wood/canvas solo in terms of feel.

 

[Odyssey]

View attachment 152526

I'll take the top stripper, please and thank you, and you can drop off the stern bruiser cruiser fro me whenever my dreams come true.