Very few canoes or other small boats seem to have very substantial gunwales. Are drop-in seats/risers a viable option for fixed seat rowing? does anyone still make such a unit?

-- Michael D. Holmes (holmart@gte.net), January 11, 2002

Answers

Michael, Grumman makes a low cost unit that would work in most canoes with very little modification. See there web site accessories page at: http://www.marathonboat.com/canoe_accessories.htm It is not a perfect setup, but it is inexpensive and easy to install and remove which means that the canoe will still be servicable as a canoe. They don't have very good pictures of it on the site. I have installed one in a Grumman canoe and took pictures, but I'm don't know if I can find them. Regards, Andrew Menkart

-- Andrew Menkart (amenkart@marineengine.com), January 11, 2002.

Old Town has made (and probably still makes) a well-made white fiberglass drop-in unit. It is a satisfactory unit for reasonable/limited rowing, but probably not for racing. Original cost about $200-225. I have an extra one (and matching inexpensive-model Old Town oars) of these still in box (from a canoe I sold); if you are interested, drop me an e-mail. Unit is "UPS-able", and lightweight.

William Hahn

-- William Hahn (hahnw@SavState.edu), January 17, 2002.