splashhopper Posted September 13, 2009 Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 (edited) wooo hooo..... Kijiji has been berry berry good 2 meeeeee lately.. In the last two weeks I have bought: 1) Motor-guide 36lb thrust trolling motor .. barely used 2) 12v Energizer deep cycle battery... had to clean up the terminals 3) Schumacher 2-10 V charger.. Sub-total: $140.00 Today I bought an 11ft Sportspal canoe Paid $50.00 Grand total... $190.00 ! I didn't realize how small an 11 foot canoe really is until I went to strap it on the roof of my Grand Caravan.... holy crap... thank goodness I had some long bungee cords in the van already from work... We took the little canoe out to the local pond for a test run before we take it up to "Spinnerbait country" tomorrow am. After a bit of fiddling and farting around.... I got the electric motor rigged up and my buddy in the front.. Off we went... he has never fished top-water before and definitely not "the slop".... lol I headed straight to it and rigged him up with my favorite: a Black Scum frog I was having a bit of a challenge getting used to the side mount for the motor and he was learning how to fish top-water... As we got closer to the slop, I headed us toward shore and some overhanging trees He tossed hi frog in and within a few casts.. he was getting some action... he was excited... I told him I thought the big frogs were chasing his frog And that he would "KNOW" when a large-mouth bass hit his top-water frog ... I finally got a chance to fish and about 10 casts in..... KAPOW... HUUUGE HIT.... AND i SET THE HOOK My PB largemouth >>> All that we had was a camera phone.... but hey.... it's a pretty good photo for the pressure we were under...lol We estimated the fish at or near 5 lbs based on its length of 21" and girth the same size as my PB smallie from last weekend.... i really need to get a digital scale... it's getting kinda nuts lately with some of the fish I have been VERY FORTUNATE to catch the last 2-3 weeks. Tomorrow morning we are headed back out with the little canoe.... gonna test it out on a larger conservation area. The canoe has a very small leak in it... no biggie... I will check it over next week and re-seal the joints.... maybe even add a bolt or two to it for easier tie downs...and secure a short piece of 2x4 to the side to mount the motor... All in all... I am one very happy consumer of stuff from Kijiji so far... Now If I could just get rid of some of my own stuff on there,... my wife would be happy too Splashhopper Edited September 13, 2009 by splashhopper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRT8 smoker craft Posted September 13, 2009 Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 Nice bucket splash and good deal on the new ride !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Posted September 13, 2009 Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 Fifty bucks and only a small leak? You done good, man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splashhopper Posted September 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 Fifty bucks and only a small leak? You done good, man! Yep.... and my buddy that has a 14 Sportspal just called and is gonna help me find the leak and fix it like he did with his 5 years ago and it has never leaked since.... Lucky me...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Posted September 13, 2009 Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 I had a 14 ft square-stern Sportspal for many years. I bought it new but it eventually developed a small leak in it that I never did find. It would ship maybe a couple of quarts in a morning's duck hunting. Never did bother us much. For certain boating/access conditions there's nothing better than a Sportspal --- light and very stable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scugpg Posted September 13, 2009 Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 Nice score! I was thinking of a jon boat but want to check out a transom sportspal to put an electric on. Maybe we'll see you on the water sometime around here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Posted September 13, 2009 Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 Nice score! I was thinking of a jon boat but want to check out a transom sportspal to put an electric on. Maybe we'll see you on the water sometime around here! Just a word of advice - don't pass up a V-stern like Splash got. With the kind of wood mount he's talking about, an electric will mount just fine on a Vee. Actually it can be a little easier because you don't have to reach directly behind you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJQ Posted September 13, 2009 Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 tHOSE ARE GREAT SCORES... NICE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snag Posted September 13, 2009 Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 Sweet score. I bought one years ago that is stashed at lake X. It has a bunch of holes that a flashlight and silicon has a date with one day. Nice reward too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutchy Posted September 13, 2009 Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 Nice fish Splashy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leecher Posted September 13, 2009 Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 Right on splashhopper Congratulations on your PB... Beauty... and it just doesn't get any better than that Leechman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dabluz Posted September 13, 2009 Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 I've been fishing from Sportspals for close to 50 years now. Those 11 foot ones are a bit like a bath tub but they only weigh about 20 lbs. I bought a 14 foot (pointed at both ends) over 30 years ago and have used it on an average of 60 times a year for fishing and hunting. I paid about 300 for it. It no longer has any foam on each side (too many portages through spruce forests) but I still have one good foam seat with a back and a couple of foam seats with no backs. It weighs less than 30 lbs. I prefer the pointed Sportspals because the side mount makes using a small outboard or an electric motor much easier. It's also easier to paddle. I had a Minn Kota 15 electric motor for a good 25 years. This motor developped about 9 lbs of thrust and I could clip along at close to 5 km/h at top speed yet at low speed, it was perfect for trolling walleye (slow). At low speed, the little electric motor consumed about 4 amps. This means that a 200 reserve minute battery was good for 30 hours of constant trolling. 50 dollars is a crime. The canoe is worth 4 times that amount. It's real easy to make a side mount for the canoe. You can even add an extension on the other side to mount a sonar transducer. I used suction mount transducer. You can even make a double side mount with an electric motor on one side and a small gas engine on the other side. You can't beat a Sportspal for silent fishing. The foam interior is great.< Ok, the Sportspal is not streamlined but it's wide and stable. If you ever run into waves, shift the weight towards the middle of the canoe. This will enable the ends of the canoe to lift at ever wave. All Sportspals leak a bit. It's due to the stuff they use at the joints. It's junk. One day about 20 years ago, I lent my Sportspal to a friend. He punctured it with a branch. Anyway, I patched the hole with adhesive metal tape that is used to repair mufflers. The repair still holds today. I have painted my old Sportspal. It was once birch bark coloured and is now spray painted dark green with black and brown to make a camouflage colour. Did you notice the hole in the front of the canoe? This was to convert the canoe into a sailboat. The original side mount was used with the tiller unit. I think the oar locks were also used when a sail was mounted. Your low profile and a silent approach will allow you to almost get on top of the fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greencoachdog Posted September 13, 2009 Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 That fish looks like a real nice... 3 pounder! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smally21 Posted September 13, 2009 Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 good for you - i love kijiji! too many cheapos out there when you sell stuff (find a 50$ canoe and offer the guy 40$ ) but for buying stuff it cant be beat. whole house full of appliances and a dynamite wood shop to boot off kijiji for about 30 cents on the dollar. nice to cap it off with great fish too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splashhopper Posted September 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 (edited) I was actually thinking of knocking him down $10.000 too! lol At that price... let him have a case and half of beer for it...lol ... I went out on it today and caught a half dozen fish.... 4 decent smallies and two good sized crappies... i get back to the van and discover I have lost one of the foam pads to put under it on the roof of the van. ( the ones i borrowed from my friend last night ) As the fishing gods would have it.... the guy that came in to shore right behind me with his canoe offered me one for free,,, I said: "how about I give you $10.00 for all four" ? I got those too.. Now I just need to buy my own life jackets for my daughter and i..... good for you - i love kijiji! too many cheapos out there when you sell stuff (find a 50$ canoe and offer the guy 40$ ) but for buying stuff it cant be beat. whole house full of appliances and a dynamite wood shop to boot off kijiji for about 30 cents on the dollar. nice to cap it off with great fish too! Edited September 13, 2009 by splashhopper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splashhopper Posted September 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 Took a pic of my "new canoe" this morning.... It is definitely small when loaded ( 11 ft).... ( that's my buddy in the front with his SUITCASE ) lol But hey... I have already caught 7 fish in it in less than 18 hours.... lol The canoe has a leak or two in it.... big whoopie... Now I just need to find out where it is and learn how to seal em up from my other buddy that owns an old Sporstpal too .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splashhopper Posted September 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 (edited) Hi Dubluz: By any chance have you got a pic of the side mount for your Sportspal.... I too think it will be a helluva lot easier to use the trolling motor at the side than behind my back.... How far out did you put the mount from the side of the canoe ? I am using the battery box as a seat right now... works great so far... and all my body parts are still intact I was wondering what that hole up front was for...( My buddy has eye-bolts in his and uses it to for his tie-downs.) I just discovered that putting the straps criss-crossed over the middle of canoe on my van's roof rack works WAY BETTER than securing the ends down . I still put a bungee chord at each end though I think I will put a roll of that muffler tape in the back of my van for emergency repairs while I am away. Any particular method of washing the built up grunge off? I was thinking of some TSP and a good scrub brush. How much weight can the canoe hold... one of my buddies is built the size of Shrek... and kinda talks like him too! Thanks for the heads up on the " wave control"... so far I haven't had that worry, but I know that will come soon enough. Splashhopper I've been fishing from Sportspals for close to 50 years now. Those 11 foot ones are a bit like a bath tub but they only weigh about 20 lbs. I bought a 14 foot (pointed at both ends) over 30 years ago and have used it on an average of 60 times a year for fishing and hunting. I paid about 300 for it. It no longer has any foam on each side (too many portages through spruce forests) but I still have one good foam seat with a back and a couple of foam seats with no backs. It weighs less than 30 lbs. I prefer the pointed Sportspals because the side mount makes using a small outboard or an electric motor much easier. It's also easier to paddle. I had a Minn Kota 15 electric motor for a good 25 years. This motor developped about 9 lbs of thrust and I could clip along at close to 5 km/h at top speed yet at low speed, it was perfect for trolling walleye (slow). At low speed, the little electric motor consumed about 4 amps. This means that a 200 reserve minute battery was good for 30 hours of constant trolling. 50 dollars is a crime. The canoe is worth 4 times that amount. It's real easy to make a side mount for the canoe. You can even add an extension on the other side to mount a sonar transducer. I used suction mount transducer. You can even make a double side mount with an electric motor on one side and a small gas engine on the other side. You can't beat a Sportspal for silent fishing. The foam interior is great.< Ok, the Sportspal is not streamlined but it's wide and stable. If you ever run into waves, shift the weight towards the middle of the canoe. This will enable the ends of the canoe to lift at ever wave. All Sportspals leak a bit. It's due to the stuff they use at the joints. It's junk. One day about 20 years ago, I lent my Sportspal to a friend. He punctured it with a branch. Anyway, I patched the hole with adhesive metal tape that is used to repair mufflers. The repair still holds today. I have painted my old Sportspal. It was once birch bark coloured and is now spray painted dark green with black and brown to make a camouflage colour. Did you notice the hole in the front of the canoe? This was to convert the canoe into a sailboat. The original side mount was used with the tiller unit. I think the oar locks were also used when a sail was mounted. Your low profile and a silent approach will allow you to almost get on top of the fish. Edited September 13, 2009 by splashhopper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splashhopper Posted September 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 Looking forward to it.... or we can go for a tour on my new ride! ... lol u better not be too big though Nice score! I was thinking of a jon boat but want to check out a transom sportspal to put an electric on. Maybe we'll see you on the water sometime around here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeds Posted September 13, 2009 Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 Nice score; I got mine for 50 bucks too, I think it's the same size as yours although mine is not as nice looking as yours. I don't have the foam on the side although mine didn't leak. It does now, not enough to worry about though, probably a couple cups an hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scugpg Posted September 13, 2009 Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 Just a word of advice - don't pass up a V-stern like Splash got. With the kind of wood mount he's talking about, an electric will mount just fine on a Vee. Actually it can be a little easier because you don't have to reach directly behind you. I totally agree, but was looking at a Minnkota Maxxum motor for it, they're 30lbs so it's quite a bit over the side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splashhopper Posted September 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 I totally agree, but was looking at a Minnkota Maxxum motor for it, they're 30lbs so it's quite a bit over the side. I hooked up my Motorguide 36 lb thrust on the side of it...creates quite the wake.... the only problem is that it sits too close to the canoe the way I had it rigged... I need to sort out an arm off the side of some sorts.... Hoping Dabluz has a photo or some one else does that has a side mounted trolling motor on their canoe... We were a little pressed for space this am on it so we decided to paddle i sure wished i had the trolling motor on it in the wind on the way back... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splashhopper Posted September 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 Nice score; I got mine for 50 bucks too, I think it's the same size as yours although mine is not as nice looking as yours. I don't have the foam on the side although mine didn't leak. It does now, not enough to worry about though, probably a couple cups an hour. How low does yours sit in the water with two guys and their gear in it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickingfrog Posted September 14, 2009 Report Share Posted September 14, 2009 How much weight can the canoe hold... one of my buddies is built the size of Shrek... and kinda talks like him too! Splashhopper In a lot of cases it's not so much how much he weighs but what he does with it. I'd rather have a 300lb bag of nails in my canoe then some 120lb gunwale grabber. The state of the foam would play a large role in the ability of the boat to give you free board. I would think you could find some info on the net to give you some ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeds Posted September 14, 2009 Report Share Posted September 14, 2009 It's been awhile since I've had 2 people in it but If I remember correctly it didn't sit alarmingly low or anything. I guess it probably depends on the size of the two guys and how much gear we are talking about. According to this website capacity is 500 pounds. http://www.bwmarineproducts.com/sportspal.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbouck Posted September 14, 2009 Report Share Posted September 14, 2009 Shrek and Donkey will be fine in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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