Motorised Canoe Found

Ideal For Fishing

Mr. A. L. Phillip, Police Superintendent of Western Samoa, has designed and constructed a canoe which authorities of the South Pacific Commission have found ideally suited for commercial and sport fishing. The canoe has an outboard engine almost amidships.

THE late Mr. H. van Pel, a former SPC Fisheries Officer, inspected the canoe when he visited Western Samoa in July, 1960.

Later he recommended that Pacific islanders engaged in commercial fish ing in areas where there is no shel tered anchorage, or where fishing craft must shoot breakers through reefs, when returning home, could well employ motorised canoes of this type.

Since then, testing of the craft has borne out its original description as one that is cheap to build and main tain, economical to run, easy to handle, and safe.

There are two important advan tages in having the engine almost amidships: • The propeller cannot race even in the roughest weather. This is be cause the motor can never lift out of the water. When the canoe is slid ing on a wave, Mr. Phillips reports, the stern is out of the water but amidships the propeller shaft re mains submerged. • Because the motor is well away from the stern, fishing lines are never in danger of tangling with the pro peller.

In rough weather, according to re ports, the canoe outperforms any con ventional type craft up to 18 feet in length, while its economy in running and maintenance is well below that of

any other type of boat. It can be operated by one or two persons and in calm weather can safely carry a total of 800 lb.

A mast step has been provided five feet from the bow. Mr. Philipp re ports that the canoe sails very well without a centreboard, but would, of course, sail even better with one.

For emergencies, a small nylon sail is left permanently in a locker in the bow. When fishing, the owner never takes a mast but uses a bamboo fish ing rod as a substitute. Operated with a sail in calm waters the craft should make 20 knots or more.

Mr. Philipp uses a 1959 Si-horse power Johnson with long shaft to power his craft, and carries a good paddle as an aid in shooting breakers.

He reports that five gallons of fuel last nine hours at three-quarter speed.

With the throttle at that mark, the boat travels at about nine knots.

Variation in speed with from one to three additional passengers is slight.

Two seats are provided with game fishing rod swivels, one where Mr.

Philipp is seen sitting in the photo graph, and one forward. There are also two rod holders, as shown.

Overall weight of the canoe with fittings and motor is 516 lb. The out rigger pontoon weighs 72 lb. Hull draft with two persons is about seven inches. The canoe can be steered from either cockpit.

Mr. Phillip returns from a fishing trip in his motorised canoe with a 166 Ib marlin and 200 Ib of other fish in the storage compartments.