so the canoe came down from the basement rafters the other day. i was out on the river putzing/trolling around and i started to wonder what all you guys have done to your canoes that i havent thought of yet that i should incorporate. even things that arent for canada but are useful for everyday type dealings.

so far ive...
1. rebuilt the yoke for comfort/ease of portaging (the guys actually argue about who gets to carry my canoe)
2. rod holders, i have a permanent mount in the front and back plus a velcroable extra rear holder (for me to have 2 rods in back when im alone)
3. upgraded plastic "bucket" type seats with drain holes
4. *transducer/fish locator mounts in the front and rear
5. velcro in rod storage tubes for easy portages
6. velcro fasteners for paddles for portaging
7. velcro tackle tray mounts for silent/spill free tackle storage
8. *velcro in LED rope lights mounted under the gunnel to prevent night blindness for night fishing with a switch
9. new 1"x3" rear thwart for velcro attachments(pliers, measuring tape, net, tackle trays, flashlight)
10. para-cord stringer with metal fish clips for silent operation

*runs on a 12V rechargeable battery the size of 1/2 of a brick

on the list of things possibly to do would be...
1. a rear operable front deploying anchor device
2. mounts for night moving lights( i know im not a motor operated vessel, but id rather not get run over)
3. some sort of adjustable camera holder that threads into my cameras tripod mount
4. anything else you guys suggest!

Use some contact cement to glue some closed cell foam to your tractor style seats.

Cement in some "D" ring pads (where ever) to clip loose stuff to.

Lots of velcro in there Jax...good stuff, it is. 

I've found using some bungee cord equally well or better for securing stuff like fishing poles and paddles to the thwats and seats and tons of other uses.  I use some 1/8 inch shock cord (bungee) cut to the length desired (6, 12, 18 inch finished length), make a loop, tie an overhand knot in the two loose ends, then feed it through a cord lock.  Call it a poor man's Bungee Dealee Bob (sold by Piragis and others) without the little plastic cross bit.  At $3 a pop, I can make a handful for the same money.  Just loop it around your stuff, slip the loop over the cord lock and pull the knotted end till tight.  They are also great for bunching up poles, paddles and stuff to carry across a portage, securing a painter to the hand thwart, and just about anything you need to tie up tightly, quickly and securely.  I carry a fist full of the buggers on any canoe trip for anyone to use - as handy and useful as they are.

pd

Cliff Jacobson has written extensively about modifying canoes.  Here's what I've done:
- Replaced the stock curved cane seat with a wide-cane seat in my Mad River Independence.  I usually sit off-center and the wider cane is much more comfy.
- Moved the seat back 8 inches to counterbalance my main pack on BWCA trips.  This meant getting a different seat because the boat is narrower behind the stock seat position.  I'll be doing this mod to my Blackhawk Ariel this spring.
- Removed the stock tractor seat from my Wenonah Prism and install an adjustable cane seat.
- Installed 2-inch longer thwarts in my Bell Royalex Wildfire (now called the Yellowstone Solo) to improve both primary and secondary stability.  Move the main thwarts 5 inches toward the center and installed two additional thwarts between the main thwarts and the carry thwarts.  This made the hull fairly rigid, since the stock vinyl gunwales are pretty soft, more like willowy.  Also installed kneeling pads, thigh straps and flotation bags for up to Class II+ whitewater.
- Installed parachute cord lashing points in my Wenonah Sundowner for carrying paddles and other stuff.
- Installed skid plates on Rx Wildfire and Prism.

I've probably done more stuff but I can't remember all the details.

I think I'm on the opposite end of the specturm.  I have pulled off all but one of the decals off of my Bell Northstar and Bell Merlin II - useless weight. Only left the model name decal on one side of each boat in case I ever want to sell one.  Otherwise, I just tie gear in with a few strings when needed.

only thing I've added is a Tugeye on the Merlin, so I could lock the canoe up with a thru-the-hull cable.  still need to do that to the Northstar, but that'l be it for modifications

whitewater boats are a different animal, of course, and are rigged with bag cages, D-ring patches, knee pads (and thigh straps on one boat)

Jax, have you considered installing rope lighting under the gunnels? Nice mood lighting for that midnight paddle.........maybe a few plastic palm trees for good measure  ;)

Which of course might lead to this >
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On second thought scratch that.......have you heard about the two foot toe tap?

@mt, yep, already have the under the gunnel led rope light, #8 on the list :)

jaximus wrote on Mar 12^th, 2013 at 7:54pm:

@mt, yep, already have the under the gunnel led rope light, #8 on the list :)

OH MY GARSH! I thought I was being over the top.......get out of town. Nobody has rope lighting under their gunnels. That is crazy town. You sir, are an original. (I suppose the palm trees don't have to be plastic, inflatables would probably work well and go nicely with an MT Enterprises inflatable "Paddling Buddy".........the newest model is out in early 2014 with eyepatch and skull and crossbones bandanna......pre order yours today) 

pics to follow, after i charge the camera battery.

the retractable dog leash drag chain anchor is complete. velcro removable cup holders are installed. rear white lantern velcro installed. the fish locator battery/fuse/plug assembly has now been installed into an old dremel tool box that mounts under the seat and weighs hardly anything. it provides a hard cover carrying case as well as a waterproof plastic housing to protect the sensitive stuff. the transducer slips nicely into a soft foam cushion area for transport.

still left to do..
mount the compass on the thwart
create some sort of drift sock
and the camera mount

jaximus wrote on Mar 23^rd, 2013 at 3:25am:

create some sort of drift sock

:-[ I my head it was a great idea.

Ended up not so good  :thumbdown

I think I'm better off with the KISS system.

Let us know how your mods workout for you.

here are some pics
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you can also just use the arrows to navigate through the album on photobucket

Wow Jax.......nice job. Looks like a boat I would like to fish out of. (after we drive to the launch)..........Now what boat do you take to canoe country to go tripping in  ;) ?

Nice pics Jax :thumbup
How much does your canoe weigh now?
Best pic was of your dog.
I think that canine expression translates to WTF ;D ;D

with the battery box, paddles, rods, everything loaded in (even the anchor) the scale said 74.5 lbs

empty around 65

Now if you can just find a couple of Portage Monkeys to haul it in, you'll be all set. ;D ;D
Nice set-up for a multi-purpose rig.