Canoe Stabilizers

[bucknduck]

I have a 10ft canoe and am thinking about adding stabilizers this year. Anyone use them or have suggestions as to what brand would work? I use my canoe for late season duck hunting on rivers and like the idea of not tipping over when setting out/picking up decoys or bird etc...

Are single bar stabilizes better than single bar etc?

How about drag created by stabilizers?

Can I make my own stabilizers and if so any suggestions on plans available?

FYI...I don't ever stand up in my canoe, so that is not my intention by adding stabilizers.

Thanks for any help.

[Zofchak]

You can make your own using a RAM mount, a piece of PVC pipe and 2 crab trap markers (heavy duty Styrofoam floats). The RAM mounts allow you to adjust the stabilizers as well as put them up and out of the way when not needed. I'll look for some pics to post.

[flyfishinchristian]

I've been wanting to do the same thing, and still don't know if I've found the best solution for my canoe. There was a guy selling what looked like a really good setup locally on Craigslist. He called them Canoodles, but when I decided I would buy them, I could no longer find the ad.

But here are several links that I've found useful for putting together something on the cheap, if you want something that is DIY:

http://www.akff.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=13177

http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/drupal/content/diy-kayak-outriggers

http://www.lakeeyreyc.com/Technical/Canoe/CanoeOutrigger.html

[old professor]

Try springcreekoutfitters.com for commercially made stabilizers. I bought a stabilizer for a Sport Canoe that I own because I wanted to waterfowl hunt out of it and have witnessed what can happen when you shoot a 12 ga out of a canoe! In use, the stabilizers should be just off the surface of the water when the canoe is sitting level. The ones I have adjust vertically from the horizontal bar attached to the gunnels of the canoe. I have them high enough above the water that there is no drag unless the canoe is really leaning to the side. I am looking at stabilizers for my kayak for the same reason(waterfowl hunting).

[Zofchak]

Here's a link to the Ram based stabilizers I mentioned.

http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/drupal/content/diy-kayak-outriggers