Make an Outrigger for Your Canoe!

       Being disabled has its advantages.   It makes me think of ways to improve the things I use often to make my experience more enjoyable, accessable, and less painful.   Spinal stenosis is one of the most painful medical conditions a person can have.  I know because I have it.  I also have several other health issues including Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, and if I had the choice of getting rid of any one of them, the spinal stenosis is the one I would let go.  It stinks when you cannot walk, sleep, or enjoy life because of pain.  

One thing I have done since a teenager is canoe and kayak.  Well, the kayak days are over for good, and I thought canoeing would be shot too, but I came up with an idea that allows me a little time out on the water.  I made a set of outriggers for my canoe.  They stabilize the boat so well I was able to put a tall, swivel seat in it so I am not sitting down low on those little butt numbing squares.   It keeps the stenosis from biting into my spinal cord as bad so my legs and feet do not feel like pins and needles sticking them all over.  Also, I can stand up momentarily in calm waters to stretch or to make a little longer cast should I need to.    

Besides being helpful for disabled people, outriggers are useful for anyone.  I made a set for the canoe my wife and daughter use also when we go fishing.  They feel safer when moving around and even allows our little dog to tag along.   Instead of trying to maintain balance and keep one eye on your partner so he or she doesn't dump you over, you can relax while going through the tackle box or baiting a hook.   When I first made my outriggers I was sure people I met out on the water would make fun of me.  That has not been the case at all.  Every year there is someone who will say, "I wish I had thought of that before I sold my canoe!"  

This is something most anyone can make.  The only tools you need is a ruler, pencil, tubing cutters, a screw driver and a drill.   The material you will use for the frame of your outrigger is EMT electrical conduit and some fittings to hold it together.  You will need two (2) ten foot pieces of 3/4 inch conduit and one (1) piece of 1/2 inch conduit.   You will have some left over, but that is better than not having enough.  Conduit is relatively cheap.  It is the fittings that cost the most.  Even so, the money spent is less than what you would have in a manufactured outrigger and it will work much, much better.  

Instead of writing a whole section on how to make this thing, look at the two pictures below which will pretty much show you everything you need to know.  Every canoe brand and model varies in width, length and depth, so you will have to make the adjustments accordingly.  The included drawings are self explanatory, but there are several things you need to take into account.  First, be sure to mark the waterline on the side of your boat with you and your gear in it.  The floats need to be about an inch from the water surface when you are sitting normally balanced, and the line will give you a reference point.  Mark the water line on the side of your canoe with you and all your gear in it.  Secondly, the outrigger frame needs to be placed where it is not in the way of paddling.  In the picture above and in the plans you will see that I used 4 inch diameter PVC pipe with caps on each end for the floats.  They are approximately 2 feet long, but you can vary the length as you wish.  Also, make the conduit frame so you have 2 feet sticking out past both sides of the boat.  Check the pictures out below.  Click on them to make them bigger.  

Jeff