Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Canoe's in Alaska

When we drive up in 10 weeks or so I will be hauling a 20 foot trailer. This gives me a opportunity to haul up a nice canoe if I want to. Never got into using one when we lived there before but this time around I would like to escape some of the crowds and get into some lake fishing for rainbows and pike. Considering a model that will accept a small outboard. Yea? Nay? Waste of time? Better choices for short fishing ventures?
It won't be my only boat if I buy one as I plan on buying a river boat next spring with a 115-150hp Yamaha jet.

Grumman Sport Boat. Good two cycle outboard. 3hp on small lakes, 4-5hp if fighting any current. Thank me later.

Randy, don't even bother. Grab a Harvester from Ben in Wasilla. Much more versatile, and purpose-built for Alaska. Easily hoisted atop the cargo rack as well.

Of all the dumb sht you've spent your money on over the years, you won't regret this one:

https://alaskacanoecompany.com/

Being a boat guy, Mainer no doubt knows the market, but dang, a 6k canoe to take the family fishing! I think I’d fill that 20ft trailer with $600 used Grummans and sell them up there. Probably fund most of a Harvester with the proceeds! 🤔

Good advice Mainer. Down here I have to pay sales tax. Then add the hassle of hauling up a generic canoe. I would prefer to support the local guys who are going to help me when I need it. If we go with a canoe the Harvester will be the first model I'll look at.

Used grumman 19 ft. Square stern. 10 hp motor. Either buy one down there or up here.

Grew up fishing one like this on the Kenai river. A great all around canoe.

Mainer and I have frequently talked canoes as we are both canoe nuts. I've enjoyed canoes for 70 years and I wish I was young enough to get out there more. As WMR says: fill the trailer with used Grummans even though they aren't as classy as some, the damned things work. There's a Facebook Group for canoes for sale and I see some screaming buys on there.

I'm down sizing, and have just what you need, Martin square stern.with 3hp Johnson water cooled. I've had the boat since the 80s and the motor in the 90s it will plane the canoe with one person, decoys and a dog. I've run it duck hunting coastal WA, trapping and duck hunting in WI and MN. I'm getting along in the years and it is to hard to get on the roof of the van. $800 in NM..
.

Must be. Mine was stolen years ago when left untended for a night. A 10 hp 2-stroke moved it right along on the Tanana and Cosna, even with a few hundred pounds of freight. Right sporty with just a Lab and survival gear up front for balance.

Kevlar is lighter, more fragile, quieter, and expensive. Hunting partner had one we used for moose hunting. I'd park my 18' Grumman on first lake, and we would take his Kevlar into 2nd and 3rd lake, from which we hunted.

My Grumman Sport Boat moves along fine on flat water or even against mild river currents. It wears a 3hp Evinrude 2 cycle. Usually I’m hauling two people, guns, decoys and my little lab. With a 6hp I think it would go pretty fast. The boat weighs about 120lb IIRC. It’s much more stable than any typical canoe. I’ve always been intrigued by those freighter canoes you guys run. I’d call that traveling in style.

Edited: My yard looks like the place duck boats go to die. I’m a small boat junkie.

Most dont want the old aluminum Grummans. I love them. Dont see the square sterns too often, but usually $500 or so

Check ouut a Gheenoe.
I
d like a grumman sportboat,but a gheenoe may be easier to buy if you are in the south east.

I've ran a canoe all over this place grew up running them - alumacraft, on the st Croix, and the kettle on the Minnesota side ...came up here a poor army guy bought a Scanoe.. ran from Dawson to the haul road bridge 1st year !.... fished about every river that flowed into the Yukon... then we dragged it in on snowgo then in the fall hunted back to the hwy.. so much time in one that standing up and fly fishing was a..OK.. had a 3.3 Johnson on it . Later the 19foot grumen 15hp Johnson early 90's.. as all I heard was ..wow greatest thing ever... nimo..slow an runs runs deep with the motor .. and no planning... then I moved to a litt flat bottom jet.... OMG

Gotta laugh wmr 6 boats and 5 canoes in my back yard. 4 of the 5 are Grumman. Only Grumman missing I want is a sport boat..mb

I second looking at a Gheenoe or variant. Go check them out at Big Franks in Maryville. More stable than a canoe and built for an outboard. Some models are light enough for a two person portage. Look at Online Outboards for the best small outboard prices in the country.

Long story fast, had two Clipper Kevlar Mac 18's with 9.8 Tohatsus. Outstanding canoes. Sold them to buy Jet Rangers. Regretted that decision, sold the Jet Rangers and order two new Kevlar Mac 18's but this time Marlin put extra S-glass on the bottom to make them even tougher. The Chyna Flu arrived and wrecked a couple moose seasons then my hunting buddy had a hip replaced and then shoulder surgery. The canoes set undercover for a few years and I finally sold one last year. I plan to sell the other and build a big a$$ freighter to replace the James Bay that I also regret selling. At this pace, we might need a wheelchair ramp for the freighter.

Moral of the story, I'm regrettably selling the second Kevlar Mac 18 and a low hour 9.8. The canoe hasn't been in the water.

The prior MAC 18s would travel 8-9 mph up the Yukon with one man and camp and 16-18 mph downstream with the same. It'll haul 1200-1500# depending on the water. We traveled 125 miles up the Yukon and 125 miles back on 15 gallons total. The canoe is 80-82# with the extra glass on bottom and the 9.8 - 4 stroke is 80#.

I’m interested. We can talk once we get settled in our new house.

Safe travels.

Mainer was over the other day and of course we had to BS about canoes for an hour.
He has plans in his head for a BIG freight canoe. I wish I was young enough to participate in the build. I'd power mine a bit different than he would but otherwise we were on the same page.
I've always admired the Nor West 24' and 28' canoes but the maintenance scared me and now I hear the factory burned.
The Canadian North is all about large freight canoes.
I'll have to get by with my 21' Scott........they are quite popular here in Delta.