No fool like an ,,,,,

[Sceptic]

Greetings. My first boat was a PBK 12, towed home behind my Hercules 3SA scholarship (!) bike and launched on the Sankey canal. Seventy years later, a dozen various boats paddled, sailed or motored, and I'm looking for my sunset craft. I started with kayak but fancy a stable inflatable canoe with option of electrical assistance to get me home when elderly energy flags. I've spotted a boat which looks promising a Sun Sport 3.5 'crossover' - any thoughts? I do need a very stable boat, fairly light, for inland waterways and lakes. Thoughts, and wisdom please!

[Pete Starr]

I'm afraid I can't help with your boat choice but I do wish you the very best of luck in your search and much boating happiness for many more years to come!

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[Chris_B]

That Sun Sport looks a bit heavy, if you want something fairly light. How about a Packraft?

http://www.alpackaraft.com/

I don't know if you could fit an electric motor, but if you can get ashore, you can fold it up and walk, or even carry a folding bike.

Are you still in the same area as the Sankey canal?

[Mal Grey]

Hello and Welcome!

Never come across the Sun Sport, but I'd say you'll be using that motor a lot as it looks wide and heavy and will likely be slow to paddle. There's no reason that you couldn't fit a small electric "trolling" motor to a smaller, lighter inflatable canoe with a bit of ingenuity, by having it out to one side off a "plank" type thing. You could also save some money...

[dtalbot]

Something like my Sevylor Colorado with a motor attached would be a good stable option, have had mine out in some interesting sea conditions (couple of foot of long swell and short chops) and even with a 12 year old trying her best to tip it over never has felt the slightest bit unstable.

[Mal Grey]

That's pretty much what I was thinking, having owned one a few years back. You could probably attach a cross piece "plank" to the back bit where the gear netting thing can go. Certainly very stable.

[dtalbot]

Or on the earlier model Colorados there were a couple of loops to hook a trolling motor to on the side near the stern, wouldn't be hard to add some to a newer model (from what I've seen a second hand blue or green model is better made than the current yellow ones) with a bit of webbing and some decent glue.

[dtalbot]

This video gives some ideas! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXW83vOz0ZI

[Sceptic]

Thanks to all for ideas and advice. I have a feeling that a boat makes one part of the picture, no matter how small the boat or how near the shore - and on canals the pubs are closer than when you're at sea! The Colorado does seem to receive great write ups.

[dtalbot]

Yep, me and the kids love our Colorado, think it is its 10th birthday this year and still going strong. It is just as happy on the canals as it is on sea and only takes around 10 min to set it up and get under way.

[JonnyCalcutta]

I'd also vouch for a Sevylor. I have the Hudson (3 seats) and its pretty much bomb proof - you would have to be going some to tip it. I've also seen a few Sevylors with electric outboards attached via a home made fittings. If you search on Google you'll find some.

Cheers
Richard

[Brody76]

I can vouch for Gumotex boats. Really, really tough and can be towel/air dried. I really have nothing bad to say about them. I never attached a motor to mine but know that others have. A quick Google will show you. Good luck with the search.

[Nick TQP]

Hello Septic,

Just thought I would throw this into the mix. I too was first introduced to canoeing in my youth (it was a generic term in those days) with PBK kayaks. Last year, when I turned 70 and decided to go back to basics and do a bit of quiet paddling again, my choice of craft was a Neris Valkure-1 single seat folding kayak. The vast open cockpit (so easy to get in and out of) was appealing and I didn't want the bother of car topping. I've found this kayak very easy to paddle, so easy in fact that I can't imagine ever wanting/needing to put an outboard on it. However, it could be easily done by fitting a cross-beam behind the seat which extended out over the side. There is a description, and plenty of photos, of my Valkure-1 on my Quiet Kayaking blog: www.nickayaker.blogspot.com

Good luck in your search for the right craft for you,

Nick TQP

[Sceptic]

Hello Septic,

Just thought I would throw this into the mix. I too was first introduced to canoeing in my youth (it was a generic term in those days) with PBK kayaks. Last year, when I turned 70 and decided to go back to basics and do a bit of quiet paddling again, my choice of craft was a Neris Valkure-1 single seat folding kayak. The vast open cockpit (so easy to get in and out of) was appealing and I didn't want the bother of car topping. I've found this kayak very easy to paddle, so easy in fact that I can't imagine ever wanting/needing to put an outboard on it. However, it could be easily done by fitting a cross-beam behind the seat which extended out over the side. There is a description, and plenty of photos, of my Valkure-1 on my Quiet Kayaking blog: www.nickayaker.blogspot.com

Good luck in your search for the right craft for you,

Nick TQP

to Song






Thank you, Nick. It seems that a variety of solutions is available - the task is to decode on one of the many which will place me where every boater wants to be - at least a few yards out from the shore or bank! Many thanks for your response, Tom.

[Nick TQP]

Hello again Tom,

You might be interested in taking a look at www.zelgear.co.uk which has a range of inflatable kayaks little known in the U.K. as yet. It's the same manufacturer as my folding kayak. Might be something there that suits you.

Nick TQP

[Nick TQP]

Oops! I've just noticed that my posting of 20th. April is a bit ambiguous. Teaches me a lesson for placing a post late at night! The generic term I was referring to is 'canoeing'. When I was a youth everyone went 'canoeing' - some in kayaks and others in Canadian type canoes. It was still a generic term 40 years ago when our two children did a 'canoeing' course, in kayaks, at a summer activities centre. Presumably it was sometime after that when we got so precious about terminology!

This has nothing to do with the original posting - I just wanted to clarify my post.

Nick TQP

[dtalbot]

Had my Colorado out today to check it over before the season (will be a few weeks till I'm OK to drive again after a trashed leg in a bit of an accident), mine (a blue one) has motor mounts on both sides, so if you can find a second hand well looked after one could be just what you need

[Hoopdriver]

Sceptic, I've just seen this thread and as it happens I have been thinking about selling my Sevylor Colorado. It is the "premium" version and I've only used it once! I bought it about four years ago to use as the tender for my sailing boat but ended up using a conventional dinghy. It was cheap and taking up space so I'm not looking for a fortune. I'm in Ayrshire but have family in Lancs so delivery could be arranged. PM me if you want more info.

[Hoopdriver]

I've seen your PM Sceptic but can't reply because I haven't made three posts...

[Hoopdriver]

...yet.