Bodgy fishing rig.

Bodgy

It's not much but I've got a new fishing toy.
I just scored a cheap canadian canoe, its way too big to be roof topped on my sedan sadly so I bought a $20 furniture trolley and hacked it up to use as a dollly/hand trolley to get it to the water.
'people' make fishing un-enjoyable for me these days (my problem, not their fault) and now fishing is fun again.
Half decent exercise too which can't be a bad thing.
Caught a bream and a sand whiting for my efforts, since they were my first catch from the canoe both were returned as offerings to Poseidon/Neptune/Dave Jones. :wink:

4x4Eric

Nice one Bodgy
How cheap was cheap? It looks like it's in fairly good condition
Well done

Bodgy

It wasn't dirt cheap and knocked a hole in my budget but was about half the price of other used canoes within cooee of my place so I couldn't help myself. So far it's cost me $300 including the trolley.
Lessons learned so far -
1/ Don't use the rear seat on your own, it lifts the bow and drastically worsens 2/
2/ High sided canoes are like sails, you're pushing it uphill paddling against the breeze. I might accidentally end up at Straddie or Moreton Island one day...
3/ It's a heavy sucker, Neil from The Young Ones heavy.

Me being me, I have some silly plans for this thing. I don't work cars these days, so hopefully I'll be taking out my frustrations about that by modding this thing in a couple of strange ways.
I'm thinking a rowing rig that folds out of the way when not used, for decent speed in transit.
Also maybe converting it into a "nestling" design so I can roof top it. It's about 14' long, a 9' section and 5' section should nestle nicely as long as I keep my wits about me before cutting into it.
I'm not normal I know. :shifty:

Stuart Chignell

Bodgy wrote:

Also maybe converting it into a "nestling" design so I can roof top it. It's about 14' long, a 9' section and 5' section should nestle nicely as long as I keep my wits about me before cutting into it.
I'm not normal I know.

Yeah not normal. How are you going to fashion the join?

Bodgy

It's still only a maybe but a tempting one that'd solve a few problems. (if it doesn't create more...)

If it does happen, the plan of attack would be to first make up two permanent bulkheads that keylock into each other and/or dovetail together.
Bolt them together and fit those at a good location (behind the centre seat seems the go) and glass each one to the hull. If they dovetail, I'd install some retaining tabs over the bulkheads now.
Cut the hull where the bulkheads meet, cross my fingers and separate the hull.
Fill and fair one half then apply release agent to it. Bolt back together and fill/fair/finish the other half to fill the groove left by the cut in the hull.
I'd also probably have to cut a notch in the front seat to allow the stern section to nicely nestle into the main hull for transport/storage. Then cast the shape of the stern into that notch for appearance and to keep it snug.
Maybe extend one of the bulkheads off to the side for an electric outboard mount while I'm at it too.

So, to answer you properly :lol:

They'd be joined by full height bulkheads that keylock(?), bolt and probably dovetail together.

Pie in the sky and dreams at this stage but very much tempting me. And it's been done before so I wouldn't be reinventing the wheel. Never seen an old fibreglass one converted but the theory is the same.

blind freddie

hey Bodgy looks good mate, I ve recently moved my old rosco canadian on. Ive got a home made out rigger and outboard bracket you can have if you want it. I used to run a little electric motor when fishing on the dams.

Also found the best way to keep the bow down when travelling solo was a bucket of sand up the front.That way you can still punch into a stiff wind without getting blown off course.

Bodgy

Wish I'd seen the "new toy" thread before I started this one... :oops:

(feel free to shift it over if you feel that way inclined mods).

Thanks for the offer Freddie! Much appreciated. This forum seems to attract a lot of really decent people and you're definitely one of them. :thumbright:

Is the outrigger a PVC tube jobbie? I'll shoot you a message if I'm up for it. It'd also be a good excuse to head up to the Sunny Coast and visit some old stomping grounds and some mates I've neglected.
I'd pondered making an outrigger (or two) but thought it was plenty stable already. Mind you, if it had one I could probably stand to cast or to cast net so it's mighty tempting. Would make my first stingray hookup a bit less worrying to. I'm not looking forward to that, trying to drift mostly so I lessen my chances of getting one. The last one I hooked up from a tinny dragged us at least a kilometer against the tide up the river. :lol:

Was a big sucker though.

Cheers for the advice about weighing down the bow, if the wind blew up any stronger I had thought I'd have to bucket water into the front footwell to sink her down a bit. (okay, bodgy IS sometimes dodgy... Who else would bucket water into their tiny vessel?). :lol:

blind freddie

Yep 100mm PVC tube with ally frame, very stable on the water, I only used it with outboard motor as it adds a lot of drag to that side, you notice it when paddeling.

the outboard braket is also aliminium, very sturdy.I have no further use for either, unless I pull them appart and recycle the bits. Which I,ll do next if you dont have a use for them.

Cheers BF

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