Submitted: 08-10-2007 by NJD
My rating for Grumman canoes is off the charts. Can you really call anything else a Canoe if it doesn’t have a Grumman sticker on it?
I was practically born in a Grumman canoe and have been cabrewing, camping, fishing, gunwale pumping, hunting, motoring, paddling, picnicking, poling, portaging, racing, roof racking, sailing, submerging, surfing, swamping, trailering, towing, white watering and wooeing women, in my 1966 red 17’ double ender for the last 41 years. My parents owned and sold Grumman canoes since before I was born (1958). This was our family’s 2nd generation Grumman and it, and its blue painted twin has survived and protected my 3 brothers and all our crazy friends, my 6 children and theirs, as well as Boy Scouts through many, many adventures. It has sailed Lake Erie, Lake Huron and Lake Michigan in 6 to 8 ft swells, and dozens of smaller lakes in the blazing sun, high winds, rain, hail, lighting and even a water spout.
We have paddled more rivers in it than I can remember; the AuSable, Auglaize, Black Fork, Clear Fork, Hocking, Kokosing, Mad River, Maumee, Mohican, Muskingum, Mahoning, Ottawa, Ohio, Scioto, Olentangy, Big and Little Darby, Great Miami, Little Miami, Sturgeon, Indian River, Tuscarawas, Walhonding Rivers to name a few.
Maintenance? It don’t need no stinkin maintenance! No patching, painting, or cleaning.
I have no doubt that these two canoes will be passed down through the next 2, 3 or 4 generations of my family none the worse for wear. |