Posted By: Brad R
Sportspal canoe review - 04/28/15 11:56 AM
I have had my 15'3" Sportspal canoe for a couple of months now and I have collected some thoughts on it, things I'd already set up differently.
First, as I did, I'd recommend the longest canoe offered by Meyers. I have the S-15 and, while all of their canoes are 38" at the gunwales and 44" to the outside of the sponsons (boat collar), the longer a canoe is, the more stable it is. At age 62, 6'3" and 250 lbs. I can stand in front of the stern seat or preferably in the mid-ships area, and fish all day and paddle standing, even crossing deep water on windy days. I don't wobble the slightest. But, if I ordered again, I'd get a traditional double pointed canoe, the S-16. Why? Well, really when you mount a small outboard or a trolling motor (I did the latter) on the square stern, the throttle arm sticks out right where your back is. It would be much easier to mount either of these on an available side mount where the throttle would be off to the side for operation.
But, even the power is totally unnecessary for most canoeing where we generally spend time on either smaller water/rivers/creeks . . . or circumnavigating large lake perimeters staying in the shallows and coves. We stay out of boat lanes for the large part. My Optima battery weighs in at a whopping solid 53+ pounds, then the trolling motor itself is another 20+ pounds. These are the heaviest things, other than me, in the canoe.
What I prefer to do is use paddle power and, in certain conditions, I'd rather have a 30 lbs. Honda 2.3 HP outboard to move me around longer distances, this lighter and better than a trolling motor. Much, much lighter.
Seating: I found that when I want to sit down to, say, tie on a lure, all I needed to buy was a blade footed lawn chair. Mine fits easily in my canoe. It is at a more comfortable height than the factory bench seat and I lodge the back "blade" of the unfolded chair between a mid-ships factory bench seat and the rear thwart just behind it. If needed, these chairs are so light, I can literally stand up, reach back and pick it up with one hand and fold it up and toss it out of the way. I could even tether it and hang it over the side for a moment to get it totally out of the way since it is just an aluminum frame with that webbing material. I love the back support when I sit in it at times and kick my feet up on the bow thwart.
Anchoring: One needs a good anchor to fish effectively from a canoe because they are like leaves blowing across water. Find a spot, drop an anchor. I set up an anchor trolley where I can drop an 8 lbs. mushroom anchor overboard (it sits just behind me off to the side) and then use the trolley to position it in the more desirable bow or stern area where the canoe then swings out on its long end to one or the other ends. Too, I bought a fiberglass stake-out pole that can be jammed down in the mud in some cases. Very effective. I had an extra section spliced in that I can add to the stake-out pole to use as a push pole for pushing around in the shallows up to around 6 or so feet in depth. Mine extends to 12 feet.
Paddles: The Sportspals come with two 5' paddles, pretty nice wooden ones. But, if you are going to solo, I'd get an 8' double ended paddle like kaykers often use. You can keep to a straight line better. And, I like paddling standing up and they have two bladed paddles for the SUPs (stand up paddle boards) and actually, as I think about it, a Sportspal is really sort of a very stable SUP in a manner of speaking . . . just with lots of storage and carrying capacity.
Equipment:
I'd recommend a nice large ice chest to be set forward of your mid-ships seating and behind any passenger in the bow of the boat. It can be rather large since the boat is so wide and stable. Two rods is about right to carry along, just the tackle you need for the day and it can be dangled in a pack from a thwart, plenty of water, for sure, a dry bag, and I carry some crotch high waders. Customize as you like using regular and less expensive consumer products, not so much the super high marked up accessories common to kayaks.
Advantages over other small craft:
1) Compared to a kayak, well the major advantage is you can stand and move around the vessel so much easier. For the few kayaks where standing is even possible, your standing area is still very limited. And, in a canoe you can carry passengers. I have fishing buddies, kids and grandkids. Only a few kayaks are set up for multiple passengers. You can carry more gear, too. My chair, if I stick with this simple solution, cost $15 and I think it is likely much more comfortable than most kayak seats, especially the low ones. A canoe is generally lighter, mine comes in at 67 lbs. so top-mounting is good on the right vehicle. I built a Harbor Freight trailer but it wasn't necessary.
2) Compared to bass buster sorts of small plastic crafts? A large Sportspal generally has more carrying capacity, I would suppose, and is easier to manually (and under power) move across water, even deep water for a canoe is a snap. I know less about these boats and I have seen some really nice ones. I still think the right canoe has more positives.
Anyway, a canoe will get you off the bank. I like bank fishing but you'll do much better fishing off the bank where you can cast parallel to it but just outside of any vegetation lines where bass lie waiting for easy prey to grab. And, you can float up to submerged trees and lay-downs and more accurately get on the fish.
I'll try to get some pics and/or video soon. I could spend all day on my canoe. I hope to get back down to Wheeler Branch on Friday since it is supposed to be a low wind day, nice temps. If so, I won't even bother packing the trolling motor.
Brad
First, as I did, I'd recommend the longest canoe offered by Meyers. I have the S-15 and, while all of their canoes are 38" at the gunwales and 44" to the outside of the sponsons (boat collar), the longer a canoe is, the more stable it is. At age 62, 6'3" and 250 lbs. I can stand in front of the stern seat or preferably in the mid-ships area, and fish all day and paddle standing, even crossing deep water on windy days. I don't wobble the slightest. But, if I ordered again, I'd get a traditional double pointed canoe, the S-16. Why? Well, really when you mount a small outboard or a trolling motor (I did the latter) on the square stern, the throttle arm sticks out right where your back is. It would be much easier to mount either of these on an available side mount where the throttle would be off to the side for operation.
But, even the power is totally unnecessary for most canoeing where we generally spend time on either smaller water/rivers/creeks . . . or circumnavigating large lake perimeters staying in the shallows and coves. We stay out of boat lanes for the large part. My Optima battery weighs in at a whopping solid 53+ pounds, then the trolling motor itself is another 20+ pounds. These are the heaviest things, other than me, in the canoe.
What I prefer to do is use paddle power and, in certain conditions, I'd rather have a 30 lbs. Honda 2.3 HP outboard to move me around longer distances, this lighter and better than a trolling motor. Much, much lighter.
Seating: I found that when I want to sit down to, say, tie on a lure, all I needed to buy was a blade footed lawn chair. Mine fits easily in my canoe. It is at a more comfortable height than the factory bench seat and I lodge the back "blade" of the unfolded chair between a mid-ships factory bench seat and the rear thwart just behind it. If needed, these chairs are so light, I can literally stand up, reach back and pick it up with one hand and fold it up and toss it out of the way. I could even tether it and hang it over the side for a moment to get it totally out of the way since it is just an aluminum frame with that webbing material. I love the back support when I sit in it at times and kick my feet up on the bow thwart.
Anchoring: One needs a good anchor to fish effectively from a canoe because they are like leaves blowing across water. Find a spot, drop an anchor. I set up an anchor trolley where I can drop an 8 lbs. mushroom anchor overboard (it sits just behind me off to the side) and then use the trolley to position it in the more desirable bow or stern area where the canoe then swings out on its long end to one or the other ends. Too, I bought a fiberglass stake-out pole that can be jammed down in the mud in some cases. Very effective. I had an extra section spliced in that I can add to the stake-out pole to use as a push pole for pushing around in the shallows up to around 6 or so feet in depth. Mine extends to 12 feet.
Paddles: The Sportspals come with two 5' paddles, pretty nice wooden ones. But, if you are going to solo, I'd get an 8' double ended paddle like kaykers often use. You can keep to a straight line better. And, I like paddling standing up and they have two bladed paddles for the SUPs (stand up paddle boards) and actually, as I think about it, a Sportspal is really sort of a very stable SUP in a manner of speaking . . . just with lots of storage and carrying capacity.
Equipment:
I'd recommend a nice large ice chest to be set forward of your mid-ships seating and behind any passenger in the bow of the boat. It can be rather large since the boat is so wide and stable. Two rods is about right to carry along, just the tackle you need for the day and it can be dangled in a pack from a thwart, plenty of water, for sure, a dry bag, and I carry some crotch high waders. Customize as you like using regular and less expensive consumer products, not so much the super high marked up accessories common to kayaks.
Advantages over other small craft:
1) Compared to a kayak, well the major advantage is you can stand and move around the vessel so much easier. For the few kayaks where standing is even possible, your standing area is still very limited. And, in a canoe you can carry passengers. I have fishing buddies, kids and grandkids. Only a few kayaks are set up for multiple passengers. You can carry more gear, too. My chair, if I stick with this simple solution, cost $15 and I think it is likely much more comfortable than most kayak seats, especially the low ones. A canoe is generally lighter, mine comes in at 67 lbs. so top-mounting is good on the right vehicle. I built a Harbor Freight trailer but it wasn't necessary.
2) Compared to bass buster sorts of small plastic crafts? A large Sportspal generally has more carrying capacity, I would suppose, and is easier to manually (and under power) move across water, even deep water for a canoe is a snap. I know less about these boats and I have seen some really nice ones. I still think the right canoe has more positives.
Anyway, a canoe will get you off the bank. I like bank fishing but you'll do much better fishing off the bank where you can cast parallel to it but just outside of any vegetation lines where bass lie waiting for easy prey to grab. And, you can float up to submerged trees and lay-downs and more accurately get on the fish.
I'll try to get some pics and/or video soon. I could spend all day on my canoe. I hope to get back down to Wheeler Branch on Friday since it is supposed to be a low wind day, nice temps. If so, I won't even bother packing the trolling motor.
Brad