I hope some of you can help me. I am in a strange situation with regard to having a canoe.

I currently own and really enjoy a small outboard powered trawler, the Rosborough 246. I have just built a dingy using the stitch and glue technique for this boat. I would like to get back into sailing, but at the same time want to keep the boats I have.

My problem is storage. My only source of storage is the dingy/kayak/canoe rack at the marina where I keep my boat. Hence my interest in a sailing canoe.

I would like to buy a canoe, equip it with an outrigger and sail and use it on the river and coastal area where I live in Fort Myers, Fl. Money obviously is an issue. So what is your advice with regard to buying an inexpensive used canoe?

I have read the articles about what is better, but they all fail to quantify the difference, for example 100 is greater than 1, but it is also greater that 99, but not that much.

Will any old fiberglass or aluminum canoe meet my rather limited needs, or do I have to be more choosy.

I should add that I am a somewhat capable boat-builder, but definitely not on a par with the fine craftsmen that I see on this site and others. Furthermore, while I could see myself building the ama and cross-beams, glassing in decks, etc., I am not ready to undertake building the canoe.

Any guidence would be greatly appreciated.

Bob Dalton

Hi, Bob. Good question.

As you have seen in these pages, there are many types of canoes employed as sailers. Each has its reasoning behind it--cost, availability, or aesthetics and history. You have opted for cost, storage and versatility, so at least you know what your focus is.

Used canoes are easily found, you can find them in Craigslist or the newspaper, yard sales, etc. Ft.Meyers is crowded and growing, so you have a good selection.

Almost any canoe can be turned into a sailboat, and all have their pluses and minuses. I believe the most essential attribute is the stiffness of the hull--if it flexes too much, it'll never hold its form under sail. The plastic boats are frequently used so long as they are stiff, or can be stiffened by strengthening the rails. Name-brand boats are your best choice here since the off-brand types are generally thin and poorly made. I venture to say most sailing canoes are plastic, as you see in this magazine.

Aluminum boats can do very well, but they can be noisy, which may not be an issue. I first sailed an aluminum canoe, square-rigged, as a means of not having to paddle back from a Boy Scout camping trip when I was about 13 or 14. Many sailors here use Grummans and other 'tin canoes' very effectively.

Fiberglass boats are also used, as are some Kevlar boats.

Wood boats, especially the traditional wood and canvas (or fiberglass) types are common as well; that's what I sail. [Seen here] Other wood types are strippers--strips-built boats lacking frames that are encapsulated with fiberglass inside and out. Plywood boats are common as well.


Hull form is important, but not essential. The very nature of the canoe makes it slip through the water. Flat-run boats, like mine that has no rocker to speak of--are very stable, but tend to turn a little slower that those with rocker.

Load rating--basically determined by length and breadth--is important; the average boat is a 16-footer though 14's and 18's aren't uncommon.

So, bottom line--any old boat that's structurally sound can do and will do if you keep within its capability.

Hopefully others will chime in to lend a hand here! Good luck and keep in touch here and we'll get you into a boats in short order!

Ed