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Bonjour everyone !
I’m thinking of buying a Sassafras 12 kit and have it build by a professional.
It’s not a very common canoe in Europe, at least in France.
Could anyone tell me how it behaves in choppy seas ? (stability, taking on water…)
Did anyone add a removable partial soft deck on bow for canoeing on sea or coastal waters ? (in calm weather, don’t worry :-)
I would be happy to receive any information regarding the behaviour of the Sassafras 12.
Thank you for your answers !
4 replies:
RE: Sassafras 12
Thanks for your answer !
My problem is : I want to take my dog (12 kg) with me, so it's difficult to consider a decked kayak. Any suggestion ?
RE: Sassafras 12
Hello CatMag
I have the same consideration as you (taking a dog with me). Even though he's only a small Jack Russell, having seen a 12 'in the flesh' I considered that it was too small, more of a 1 man only canoe.
Like you I looked around and finally settled on building a Sassafras 14 - considerably bigger, but not as big, or as heavy, as the 16 (obviously)
Its my first build and I'm enjoying building it very much - I'm wiring the hull this week prior to coating it in CPES, then I can start with the fibreglass work
RE: Sassafras 12
» Submitted by Mummichog - Wed, 8/9/17 » 11:34 PM
Bonjour de l'état du Maryland, le siége de CLC. (Ok, I'm done scraping up my old French!)
I built the first version of the Sassafras 12 years ago for my young nephew. It was a lot of fun and encouraged me to build a Skerry for myself years later. The new Sassafras will be even easier to build. Unless you are completely unable to give the space and time to build it, anybody with basic abilities and simple hand tools can assemble and finish the kit to a level of quality that will get many compliments from fellow boaters. That said, if you are really stuck, it could be built by a professional very quickly, like a couple of weeks.
I don't think I'd use a Sassafras in big open water. With skill and equipment, it could be done, but it's not the best use of the boat. For use on exposed waters, I'd much rather consider a kayak like the CLC Chesapeake or Great Auk models. I paddled open (plastic) canoes in white water for years, but it's more work in my opinion than kayaks. Lots of bailing, even with flotation bags. I would paddle the Sassafras 12 in the creeks, small rivers and marshes of the Chesapeake Bay, but not in the main stem of the Bay except maybe in just the right weather. You could deck it and add flotation and other gear, but it's best use is as a very light, easy to launch boat to explore small waters with minimal gear.