Rod Caster Posted March 29, 2012 Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 Within the next two weeks I'm bringing my 14ft Sportspal to BWmarine in North Bay for some upgrades: A few patches, permanent seats, a yoke, new foam. So far my impression of the crew at BW is great. Very accomodating and willing to take on any challenge...with confidence! Looking through their website, I see a sail option for this canoe...intriguing http://www.bwmarineproducts.com/sail_kit.htm Has anyone tried this with their sportspal? In some situations this would be an easy way to cross a couple lakes...in other situations it might be a pain in the butt and cumbersome... if it's just used for leisure, it could be a fun thing to do with the gf! Any thought? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dabluz Posted March 29, 2012 Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 Within the next two weeks I'm bringing my 14ft Sportspal to BWmarine in North Bay for some upgrades: A few patches, permanent seats, a yoke, new foam. So far my impression of the crew at BW is great. Very accomodating and willing to take on any challenge...with confidence! Looking through their website, I see a sail option for this canoe...intriguing http://www.bwmarineproducts.com/sail_kit.htm Has anyone tried this with their sportspal? In some situations this would be an easy way to cross a couple lakes...in other situations it might be a pain in the butt and cumbersome... if it's just used for leisure, it could be a fun thing to do with the gf! Any thought? You will need the side motor mount so that you can put the paddle into it for steering. I've been using my 14 foot pointed Sportspal for over 30 years and I still love it. I lent it out once a couple of years after buying it and the guy punctured a hole in it. I don't lend it anymore. I fixed the hole with aluminum sticky tape and it has held for close to 30 years. Yes....my old Sportspal now lets water seep in a bit. I will have to seal it up with some Lepage PL Premium glue. I paid 279 dollars for it and I guess if I total how much it cost per day of use, I would say about 25 cents per day on the water. I prefer the foam seats. I just double the bottom of the foam seats so I'm a bit taller in the saddle....lol. Sitting a bit lower is more stable and when you have a lower profile, the fish do not see you as well. I do a lot of fly fishing for brook trout and my casts don't have to be long. The higher you sit, the further away you have to cast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jer Posted March 29, 2012 Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 You mean like this... My dad bought the canoe with the sail kit decades ago. The pic is my brothers taking it for a sail a few years ago. Works quite well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Caster Posted March 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 Yes, that's the one. What's with paddle on the side of the canoe? Is that how its supposed to be setup? Do you think it could be used for serious travel across a lake, or mostly for leisure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Caster Posted March 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 You will need the side motor mount so that you can put the paddle into it for steering. I prefer the foam seats. I just double the bottom of the foam seats so I'm a bit taller in the saddle....lol. Sitting a bit lower is more stable and when you have a lower profile, the fish do not see you as well. I do a lot of fly fishing for brook trout and my casts don't have to be long. The higher you sit, the further away you have to cast. That mount came with the canoe when I bought it, so I should be ok for steering. I hate the foam seats to be honest. What I do now, is I take the bottom part of the foam seat (rip off the backrest) and put a comfy/padded boat seat on top of it. Captain's chair!! I sit a little higher, but it's still stable enough to navigate waves. I should mention, for funny sake, that I found my captains chair on the side of the hwy one early morning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyb Posted March 29, 2012 Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 Not a paddle on the side...it's more like a yoke that hangs over the canoe, with blades like that on both sides. I HAVE THAT SAIL!! Somehow, the rest of the kit got misplaced or disappeared....I blame my dad on one of his cleaning binges. Well, I don't BLAME him....but I hold him responsible. Any how....I'm 99% sure that I have the sail, so if you want it, I'd be happy to work something out. Trade for gear, beer, the locations of certain back lakes.... Fire me a PM if I can help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Caster Posted March 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 Right on Johnny. I'll shoot you a pm tonight to hash things out. With the Manufacturer being in NBay, I could easily get the hardware, so if I can save on a sail itself that would be great. Joey is gonna have a beech of time casting with that sail in his face Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyb Posted March 29, 2012 Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 Yeah but now you can learn all the sailing jargon to shout commands at him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Caster Posted March 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 Argh, don't cast in my mast you stern humper. That's not a jib that's a mainsail...your a jib. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyb Posted March 29, 2012 Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 Yeah you are a natural sailor for sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted March 29, 2012 Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 quit that kind of talk seamen and fishermen just don't mix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jer Posted March 29, 2012 Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 Yes, that's the one. What's with paddle on the side of the canoe? Is that how its supposed to be setup? Do you think it could be used for serious travel across a lake, or mostly for leisure? Those are stabilizers, one goes down each side. It takes the place of a keel on a sailboat, otherwise the sail will pull you right over. I sailed the thing plenty of times as a kid, with a good wind it gets going pretty good. Not really set-up well for fishing though, with the mast and the boom and the stabilizers, there's not alot of room for casting or your gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Caster Posted March 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 Thanks Jer, it would be a fun gadget to bring on camping trips. I can't wait to "pimp" my canoe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Caster Posted March 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 quit that kind of talk seamen and fishermen just don't mix Some would say the same about garden tillers and fishermen haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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