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[RG]

Looking to get a used canoe and trying to decide between square stern or a traditional canoe.  Will be used mostly for fishing, mounted with an electric motor, however, occasionally I will just go for a paddle.  Anybody have suggestions or tips? Anything important to consider?  Appreciate the help.

RG

[CYR]

I have owned a square end Clipper for almost 15 years now and loving it; because of the wider end, it is stabler, has more room than a conventional one. There are days that I would not even hesitate to stand up and cast. The square end usually has bigger capacity as well, my 15 footer surprisingly carries up to 800lb. There are however the draw back, they are usually heavier and not as nice to paddle. One thing to keep in mind, if you usually fish alone on the canoe; with yours, battery and the motor weight at the rear; the front end will be off the water and you won't be able to go anywhere. You would want to seat in the middle and use a side motor mount just right behind you to get it balance.

Hope it helps

Ted

[ChakaRaka]

Good points there.  I am thinking of constructing a bow ballast tank for my square back so I can use my 2HP gas motor when the g/f doesn't want to come out and I am fishing solo.  I just wish my motor had a 12v out or I would rig up a bilge pump to fill/empty this possible future project.
 

[canuckjgc]

I had an 18' Clipper square stern for a few years.  I sold it.  They do not paddle well at all - you get a vortex happening at the stern and the drag is incredible.  I had both electric and gas.  The electric motor was better in the sense that the weight was down below, but the gas when titled up put the weight above the gunnels and made it unstable.  I did fish out of it but not the best for that, very hard to move around and stay upright. 

The biggest issue is the kind of water we have around here.  Think about it - big lakes (Alouette, Harrison, Stave, Pitt), big rivers (Fraser, Harrison) and big inlets (Indian Arm, Howe Sound).  All of these bodies of water can have significant chop and any canoe is dangerous in them as I know from personal experience with 3ft waves in the Harrison River on a windy afternoon.  Even boat wakes are treacherous, especially the jet boats that don't care you are in a canoe.

If I was going to keep it I would have added Nielsen's Outriggers for fishing. 

Instead I now have a Lund 16 with a 40hp.  Much better for water around here.