Well that was a busy weekend.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vks-OUIeqps&t=3s
My Sons first Moose and the tale of Two Freighters.
Well that was a busy weekend.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vks-OUIeqps&t=3s
Very Nice ! Congrats
Thanks...the lads 14 and the Freighter canoes can get us back there where the moose live.
I just use my HB for fishing...it will never see a moose....But they are a true work horse. It's nice to see them at work !!
What impresses me is how they manage to still float in very shallow water when filled with 650 pounds of moose! and 150 pounds of gear. I thought we were going to have to portage a bunch of our contents but the big Freighter floated back down the connecter streams in very shallow water with just a bit of dragging.
Well done Greg!
Great memories for you and your son....very well done!
What size motors were y'all using on each canoe?Originally Posted by North61
AWESOME Video!!
Thanks Vern, maybe next one will be with my 1 remaining 250 Silvertip in the .348!
Cornelius, I had a 14HP, Copperhead on the Hudson Bay and a 2.5 HP Suzuki on the aluminum. I was very impressed how fast the 2.5 can move a 17 foot Freighter with 400 pounds aboard! Hard to keep ahead of him.
Really? I have a 2.5 Suzuki for my kaboat and planned on taking it out on its maiden voyage this weekend. I'm optimistic that I'll get 10 mph.
The 36" wide aluminum freighter really moves with a bit of push! For me 12mph is pretty high speed as we are used to paddling on these small lake chains.
12 mph is moving in a canoe. I can't wait to see how mine does. I bought it before I picked up a flat bottom skiff with the 35 hp go-devil. I already had a 7.5, that was just loud and proud. I wanted something a little quieter and lighter and a little more fuel efficient.
Then I discovered surface drives...and now my desire is to mount a small long tail kit on the kaboat. I am also looking for a freighter canoe locally, but no such luck as of now.
I am glad you guys had a successful hunt. Much respect to you for getting him out there.
nice memories to be had at 14. Great way to hunt moose, hunting and catching some pike. Makes me want to buy another freighter.... might have to go see Scott today
I love mine but I think I might build a 19 foot 45" stripper that can be car-topped and portaged.
Light and portable is handy to get into some little lakes and creeks for sure , I found the esquif cargo canoe handy for that . Something Special about moose hunting from a canoe , especially now A Days in the yukon where its very hard to get away from other atv traffic using a quad ...now I have to go down to kanoe people Tomorrow lol
Still thinking about the trip...It was so much more fun than going to work!
The big Scott is a good platform to haul a smaller canoe to portage into smaller lakes..here we are hauling an Old Town Tripper
Of course what we ended up using is our new to us, 250.00 Aluminum Freighter with a 2.5 Suzuki
The 17 foot Freighter is a bit squirly with a light load but stables up with moose meat on the floor. The aluminum also acts as a great heat sink for meat cooling.
Congrats. Looks like a memory making hunt.
Greg,
Congrats to you and your son! Very true my friend, the smaller canoes sure do steady up, loaded down with moose.
Looks like a great hunt, first of many.
What is the definition of a freighter canoe and where do you find them here in AK?
Definitions vary. Some people call any really big canoe a freighter, for example the 20 foot Mackenzie from Clipper which can haul 1500 pounds but is pointed on both ends and needs a side mount if you take a motor. Many people call any Y or Flat sterned canoe designed to carry a motor a freighter. However, the smallest of these don't haul much. What you want is a big, flat stern or y stern that can carry over 1000 pounds. The smallest of these can be car-topped and portaged, the biggest are ocean going monsters that carry 5000 pounds or more and weigh up to 800 pounds. In between are lots of great sweet spots.
I like the 18 foot Mackenzie Sport, the 19 foot aluminum Grummans and the Esquif Cargo in the car-top category. They will carry two people and a moose without killing you. The Esquif in T-Formex is the way to go for a white water choice. I bought a 17 foot 2nd hand aluminum freighter for 200 American here in Whitehorse and an aluminum canoe is a fun little boat..they occasionally are sold cheap 2nd hand.
Bigger I have a Hudson Bay from Scott. It will carry my whole family and a moose or two but weighs 270 pounds and the fiberglass can get damaged in rough white water travel. Our own Mainer makes some great designs right in Alaska with UHMW armor on the bottom. Pricey and takes some wait time but they look really great, as in best thing out there . He also deals the Copperhead mud-motors.
Where to buy in Alaska? Contact Mainer (above) if you want to look at a home grown product. You can get the Scott and Clipper in Whitehorse, good dollar exchange but long drive. Not sure about Grumman but you must have a dealer.
Just went to the Grumann site. They sell direct to Alaskans. You'd need to ck freight costs.
1-607-849-3211 ext. 25.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
