Question regarding canoe stabilizers?

[Avalon]

Dear nighthawk,

This is just an idea, and maybe it's an awful idea, but have you considered gluing some of those foam cylinders that kids play with in the pool along the waterline of your canoe?

I was looking at them last night at BPS and they are about 4 inches in diameter. If you carefully cut about 1 or 1 1/2 inches off of them longitudinally and glued them just above the natural waterline of your loaded canoe you would essentially make your own sponsons.

Radisson/Meyers Sportspal canoes get rave reviews for the stability that their foam sponsons provide so maybe it would work?

Regards,
Avalon - Tim Murphy

[Gnu Bee Flyer]

Found this with the link from bonefishwhisperer

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uwI_1Xz8P-4

I wonder if that would work on a toon to get you down the lake easily?

[leakywaders]

I just came back to this thread becouse I thought of the same thing. There used to be a canoe (SPORTPAL, I think) that did this. I just don't want to be the first to try it. We're talking about drilling holes, and adhesive here, messy if it dosn't work. Glad I came back, don't want to loose manuverability, or make it harder to get thru the weeds.

OK, if noone else has done it, I'll try it in a couple weeks.

[nighthawk]

I just came back to this thread becouse I thought of the same thing. There used to be a canoe (SPORTPAL, I think) that did this. I just don't want to be the first to try it. We're talking about drilling holes, and adhesive here, messy if it dosn't work. Glad I came back, don't want to loose manuverability, or make it harder to get thru the weeds.

OK, if noone else has done it, I'll try it in a couple weeks.

I have some of the same reservations. I do not doubt my abilities to design and build a great set of stabilizers however, being a former Crew Chief, helicopter mechanic and Co-Pilot/AeroScout, I have a tendency to err toward the safest and best designed solution. That would have cost me way more than anyone of these:

http://sailboatstogo.com/v_page.php?...noe_outriggers

Since stability while in motion is not an issue for me and most of my fishing is done while anchored I bought the Ethafoam floats. I can always switch them for the hydrodynamic floats later on if I wish to. It only took about three days for me to receive my order, if I recall correctly.

I will be installing them tomorrow for the first time. I will update you all on how well they work and hope to get some pictures too.

Meanwhile, turn on your audio and enjoy their youtube demo here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T0uhsg3U1c

For some folks, like me, buying a second or different watercraft is just not possible. May not be practical either.

[jkilroy]

I have a sportspal 12' canoe and I can stand up in it and flycast without tipping it, at least not yet. It rocks alittle if I get crazy with the casting. I don't get to use it much.

[nighthawk]

I have had a few setbacks that have kept me off of the water lately folks. Sorry that I haven't been able to get this done. I am hoping to do so this week sometime.