Boats: Grumman Sports Boat

Grumman Sports Boat

A review by a product user:

I used to be a canoe guide in Canada in the 1970's. We used 15 foot and 17-foot Grummans and Aero-Craft aluminum canoes. The 17 -foot Grumman was the superior craft for numerous reasons. It tracked well on big lakes thanks to the keel. But it was a decent river canoe as well. Amazingly, the 17 foot Grumman weighs only 75 lbs. Flip it over onto your shoulders and the broad thwarts are quite comfortable even without a yoke. And it is PERFECTLY balanced for portaging. The equivalent Aero-craft was 95 pounds (a decent boat but a pig to portage). Based on my recollections, I just bought a 1974, Grumman 17 footer from a lady in Ann Arbor who kissed it goodbye. She had never swamped it in the 32 years she owned it. It was in mint condition and it reminded me why I loved this boat. I've seen these canoes get destroyed by going over waterfalls but the average smashup into a rock in a moderate rapids will only leave a dent and a scrape. An amazinly sea-worthy craft. The 17 footer holds three people AND cargo and still has a decent amount of freeboard. The extra two feet adds a compartment, more cargo capacity, and makes it a more stable craft in big lakes. Aluminum seats won't break out when people put their knees on the seats like cane or web seats. A classic machine. Can't recommend it highly enough.

I have owned Grumman 13', 15' and 17' standard & lightweight canoes since 1972 (now, also the solo 12'9" for fishing) because they give the safest and best all around service for fishing, camping and hunting. A big plus is they have a keel which ensures predictable handling in stiff winds, which is definitely not true of modern composite canoes no matter what they advertise about their "minimal bow/stern rockers". Noise can be subdued with some split hose on the Gunwales and a little carpet or pad on the bottom. I have also owned finely made composite cruisers from well respected manufacturers so I understand that for the aesthetic-minded, Grumman canoes won't get you to the zen level of paddling. But their practical attributes outweigh zen for most realistic outdoor experiences.