Pics of duck hunting with the freighter

[mainer_in_ak]

Went down rabbit slough for some fast action duck hunting. It was cold and quite a long boat ride but the canoe was great for manuevering the creek. I was bouncing the river runner prop protector of logs and mud at full speed (about 15mph.). I'm going to coat the lower unit and prop protector with some truck bed liner to help soften the blow against rocks and logs.

[bobw]

Nice pics. What type of freighter? HP? Load?Speed? I am running a grumman 19 square here in Illinois and am waiting shipment of a lift from Pete at Universal welding. Mine is a duck rig too. Bob

[mainer_in_ak]

It's an Old Town Discovery Sport. It measures about 44" wide 15" deep, 24" deep at the bow, and is about 17.5ft. long. It weighs about 125 pounds. I'm running a 2001 suzuki 6horse. and it does about 11mph. top speed with a moose. 60 miles of rough water burnt about 5 gallons. 18 mph. is my top speed with an aggresive pitch prop. It's made out of polylink3. kinda like royalex. It's got some flex but seems to be tough. I have two of them now. The other one is going to get a 9.8 four stroke tohatsu motor this spring so that I can run the Kenai legally. Having two identical boats will be good for two hunters, two moose, a cabin tent, and enough supplies for a couple weeks.

[bobw]

nice rig looks like it works for you. When you hunt ducks do you shoot out of the canoe or use it for transport only?

[mainer_in_ak]

both my buddy and I shoot out of the canoe. We pull the canoe onto an island of grassy stuff and it settles into it pretty well. we have camo netting that roles apart. the netting has 5 foot tall figerglass poles sewed into little pockets about every 3 ft. we push the rods down into the marshy stuff around the outside of the perimeter of the canoe. I have a homemade spary skirt the we sometimes put up when we run a coulple propane heaters to help keep the heat in.

[knifemaker]

Where do you get a canoe like that, it looks like probably the most versatile one I've seen. And big enough for my whole family.

[FamilyMan]

Alaskacanoe

I'd suggest contacting our local member Alaskacanoe - its looking like he'll be representing them soon here in Alaska. Contact him.

[knifemaker]

FaminlyMan, thanks for the advice. That looks like a pretty small one there by the boat in your pic, how old? My oldest girl is 5, then the boys are 3 and 2 and the youngest girl is 4 months.

[mainer_in_ak]

Hello Knifemaker,

To answer your question.....You prob. wont be able to pick up a 17.5 footer old town discovery because they don't make them anymore. I find it to be an ignorant move on behalf of old town canoe company. They are short changing the freighter guys. The only explanation is the whole supply and demand thing. There prob. isnt much truth to that agruement either because they still make the 15 foot sqaure stern. Sportsman's Warehouse is an old town dealer as is cabelas and rei. I recomend that all of you contact old town and tell them to bring back the 17.5 ft. discovery and a slightly larger model too. I'm going to contact old town too, and let them know that they could have more business if the brought this model back due to the demand and interest. They already carry canoes all over anchorage so why not extend their line of canoe models?

[GaryD]

Mainer, nice setup. I have the Penobscot 16footer. I like the Penobsoct for jump shooting. I use it here on the North branch of the Penobscot. Great canoe. I'm still a Mainer living in Maine.

[knifemaker]

Will have to send them a note, for now I'll probably look at their 15footer and see if it can take care of my needs.

[mainer_in_ak]

Gary,
you said the north fork huh? I'm from Millinocket, I'd assume you're prob. from somewhere close by.

[GaryD]

Mainer: I live in Milford, right next to Old Town.

[FamilyMan]

little camper

FaminlyMan, thanks for the advice. That looks like a pretty small one there by the boat in your pic, how old? My oldest girl is 5, then the boys are 3 and 2 and the youngest girl is 4 months.

My 3 year old is a tough outdoors little guy. Loves camping, fishing, hunting, and the outdoors. Camped 30% or more of his first 6 months in this world. And lots more since.

My 18' Scott is stable as can be so no worries about kids all looking at the same thing and capsizing. I love it, though if I could change anything about it I'd probably grow it a few feet longer.

[Alaskacanoe]

Old Town canoes

As you may know, Old Town sold out to Johnson outdoor equipment.
Although the canoes seem to be coming out pretty good, the attitude of Johnson is more directed at profits and moving towards the leading selling canoes. When smaller companies like Old town get bought up, they sell all the different model molds etc. but that does not mean the new owners will use them all.... It is unfortunate that they are discontinuing such a good boat, the freighter line is not going to sell in numbers like the lighter double enders like the Penobscot and the camper, and the double end Discovery.. .. This is the same reason that the demand and price for an old Gruman still fetch's so much and is in demand in our part of the world..
we are a nitch market here with lower numbers....

To answer your question.....You prob. wont be able to pick up a 17.5 footer old town discovery because they don't make them anymore. I find it to be an ignorant move on behalf of old town canoe company. They are short changing the freighter guys.

Scott canoes is the Number one manufacture of canoes in Canada, but.. have remained small enough and flexible enough to continue creating speciality canoes and these great frieghter boats.
In the next few weeks we will have some better idea as to what these boats will be selling for this season here in Alaska..
It is all depending on freight and our border tariff.. my original order should be in the 12 to 16 boat range and I plan on getting at least one of each of the frieghters, and then some of the double enders for our paddling friends..
once we get these details worked out,, we will have some boats here in Alaska ... Thanks so much all ..
and just email me if you are interested in one of there boats... It will make it more of an incentive for us...
Max