Advice on Canoe trailer

you dont need less gear , you need more. oh, and an engine..:D My Tremblay tied up to our 20' dock, sadly sold a few years ago. As long as you didnt hit a portage, could you ever camp in style
 

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Yes, and a motor. Where I was it was a chore just to pull the canoe onto the logs and turn it over. But the motor I had, a '54 Elgin 2 HP, and used when I had to. Not much good to say about motorizing except it sure covers the water and against the wind.
Andre, so how long was that square ender and what was the motor size? Good looking boat for sure. I found the canoe end very nice when I encountered swells to high to meet head on, I could turn and run with them until I found shelter in a cove. Does the square back do as well?
 
Tim, the engine was a 4hp merc, and the boat was around 18. I've got pictures of it somewhere loaded up on moose hunting trips in Thunder Bay, with a weeks worth of gear. Funny thing was it was almost dangerous with nothing in it as it sat so high on the water, but with about 800lbs in it, it settled down into the water and was very stable and the merc would drive it along briskly at about half throttle. It would handle quite a chop head on, but moving around in waves would depend on how far apart they were spaced, as turning it in swells could be lively.
 
Thank you Andre,
So I take it you were not afraid to go out on Lk Superior. I understand the dangers of motorizing empty. If empty and I expected to motor, I would load rock in the front to stabilize the boat and keep the wind from catching that high bow.
I have a destination on Lk Superior but so far I am scared to go the distance, several miles from shore, for fear of wind and sea coming up and being unable to handle it. It takes so little time for the big lakes to get rough.
That really is a good looking square back. I can see the deep sides.
 
Tim, just a thought - if i went out alone or with a passenger but no gear, I put two large rubbermaid totes in the boat, the rectangular ones, and filled them with water. If i ever had a mishap, with lifejackets strapped in under the seats to offset the engine i figured it wouldnt go straight to the bottom as with stones. Sponsons would be tremendous flotation i suppose but i always felt better with water ballast. If you kept some gear in a tote its an easy way to add 100+ lbs once empty depending on its size.
 
Andre, Thank you. I knew I had to do better if only 'cause the rocks ding up the interior. That is a really good method. I shall try it.
 
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