Aluminum Freighter Canoe 20 foot, 2000 lb payload Peterborough If you are looking for an ordinary canoe, keep browsing, this craft is not only not ordinary, but you will probably never come across another one in your lifetime. That is because you are looking at a Peterborough 20 foot square-stern aluminum Freighter Canoe. Oh B.S. you say, they never made aluminum craft. Well the good news is they did, kind of, but they are rarer than tits on a snake. Here’s the story:
The Peterborough Canoe Company was founded by William H. Hill and Elihu Edwards in 1892, Just at the time that the company was starting up, another canoe company, the Ontario Canoe Company, closed because its factory suffered a serious fire. Many of the experienced canoe builders came to work at the Peterborough Canoe Company, ensuring a quick reputation as the best you could get. Canoes from the Peterborough Canoe Company were sold as far away as Europe. In 1915, the company bought one of its competitors, the William English Canoe Company. In 1923, it merged with a New Brunswick canoe maker, the Chestnut Canoe Company, and became Canadian Watercraft Ltd. Another Peterborough firm, the Canadian Canoe Company, was bought in 1928. Peterborough Canoes became so dominant and revered they were sought after worldwide. Heck, in 1948 even Princess Elizabeth received a 16-foot cedar rib canoe made by this company as a wedding present from the City of Peterborough.
After World War II, the company became less profitable because of competition from makers of the new aluminum and fiberglass canoes, which were easier to mass-produce and much more durable and carefree, particularly the aluminum models. Trying to stay competitive the company began manufacturing wooden powerboats and sailboats, as well as related products such as duck decoys, water skis, toboggans and surf boards, but by 1961 the company ceased production and closed it’s doors.
Following the company's bankruptcy in 1961, the moulds and specs, along with the "Peterborough" name were purchased by Les Bateaux & Canots Aluminium Inc. (later known for the Princecraft brand) in Princeville, Quebec. Under this new ownership, quality aluminum canoes were produced and sold under the "Peterborough" brand from 1962 to 1965. These included models such as the 14ft Portage, the 16ft Apache and of importance to us the 20ft square stern Freighter, the only Aluminum true freighter canoe ever built by any of the companies.
I bought this canoe after leaving Alaska, while living in the San Juan Islands off the Washington coast. I was going to start a little guide business called “Touch The Sea” to take tourists out on the inside waters around there in an up close and personal experience on the ocean. Well as it turned out the sea air got to my arthritis so bad the wife and I had to move, ended up in the N.W. corner of Colorado raising Paint mules and the best organic beef you can eat. Anyway it seems almost a sin to see this outfit setting out on the back forty getting sun baked and unused. I would have paid any price for this canoe in Ak., but I got to sell it living here to feel right about it as it is a true almost one of a kind.
This canoe is a perfect craft for extended expedition tripping. You could load up and be gone for a summer, no lie. I never got to do that with this canoe. But, with my old Canadian Frontiersman 19 foot fiberglass canoe, (39 inch beam, 15 in depth) I did so many a summer living on the Tanana and Yukon Rivers. This canoe would put that canoe to shame. Just look at these specs:
Length: 19’ 10” (Thereby keeping the overall length under 20 feet so you do not have to have Navigation Lights for those places with class 1 rules enforced. None the less I have included 12 volt nav lights and control panel if you wish to install them.
Beam: 49”
Transom: 18 1/2 “
Center depth: 16”
Payload Capacity: 2000 lbs
Keel: 1 1/2 “ rounded wide tube keel, along with 2 quarter-keels amidship. It tracks very well even in moderate wind, but it will still sideslip in a current. And of note you can paddle this canoe from the aft seat as long as there is no cross wind. In the case of wind you can row via the midship oar locks quite effectively, especially if you have a load to put it into the water some.
This Freighter canoe comes with a 15 h.p. Johnson 2-stroke electric start outboard motor, (has a 9.9 cowling, for a reason), again it lets you in on a lot of spots that have the below 10hp regulation. This is a 15 hp as the serial number will verify. Now again, there are some who will say oh I want a 4-stroke. I’ll tell you why you don’t want a 4-cycle. They are heavier by a lot, they are top-heavy and bulkier also, they are a true bitch to portage. This 15 horse to this day is one of the lowest profile motors ever made. I lived in the Alaska bush for 30 yrs as a trapper and Registered Guide running my hunting camp and exploration guide service. I’ve done thousands of miles with one of these engines (unfortunately not with this canoe). At half throttle it just sips gas and is very stable on the transom, besides being super tough and unbreakable.
Speaking of transoms, I rebuilt this one as that was their one weak spot. Now it is very solid as the pictures can attest. It has a permanent water out fuel filter mounted, it has a screw lock flange to keep the motor secure and a solid loop to safety chain it also.
A custom trailer with spare tire is included. Tires are in great shape Also… Included gear: would cost over $1,200. to buy 2 Paddles fore and aft length 2 Oars with oar locks they need some TLC 1 Johnson 15hp Outboard shop manual 1 Utility size Battery Box, 2 3-gallon fuel tanks 1 6-gallon fuel tank 1 Fuel mix measure Jar, that way you can screw the lid down and it won’t be dripping oil out of it. 2 Stainless steel props, one is pitched for pushing heavy cargo upstream, the other is for cruising. 1 Aluminum prop, this one is a cruise pitch. I will always use an Aluminum prop for extremely shallow water if it involves any distance. 1 Prop guard, attaches to skeg and is designed to skid you over rocks and gravel. Just for shallow water as it affects milage and steerage. 1 Spare Trim Rod, to adjust angle of outboard to Transom 1 Floating prop nut wrench 1 Sparkplug wrench 1 Spare water pump 2 Spare ignition coils 1 Small container of spare thrust washer, prop washers and nuts, cotter keys for locking prop nut 2 Floating seat cushions 4 PFD foam life vests 1 Bilge Pump 1 Portable emergency Horn 1 Premium Hydrostatic Mustang inflatable vest
Look everywhere you will not find a more capable Canoe anywhere! This is the ultimate canoe for adventure and true exploration.