Tag: gheenoe

Gheenoe Comparison – Which Model is Right for You?

As I mentioned in an earlier article, I own a Gheenoe LT10. I think it’s a great boat and one that I’d definitely recommend to parents, or folks who just want a good skiff for smaller water bodies. With that said, it’s just one of six different Gheenoes currently offered by both gheenoe.net and customgheenoe.com. The point of this article is to help you choose which one of these six models is best for you.

The Different Gheenoes at a Glance

As of writing, there are six different models of Gheenoe you can choose from (at least that have information available on the main Gheenoe website). While there were other models available in the past, it appears that these are what you can buy new today:

  • 13′ Model Gheenoe
  • 15’4 Model Gheenoe
  • 15’6″ Classic Gheenoe
  • 16′ Super
  • LT10
  • LT25

At a glance, here is how they compare:

Gheenoe ModelLengthBeamWeightCapacityHP RatingTransom
13′13′3′ 8″145lbs412lbs5 HP15″
15’415′ 4″3′ 8″145lbs*675lbs10 HP15″
15’6 Classic15′ 6″4′ 7″245lbs530lbs25 HP15″
16′ Super16′4′ 7″350lbs650lbs40 HP20″
LT1015′ 10″3′ 9″190lbs300lbs10 HP16″
LT2516′4′ 8″270lbsunlisted (3 persons)25 HP16″
*Note, this is taken from the website… I understand the 13′ and 15’4 are listed at the same weight but I wasn’t able to locate other information.

The various Gheenoe all have their pros and cons. Here’s a few thoughts on each of them to help you decide which to choose.

13′ Gheenoe

At just 145lbs and 13′ long, the smallest Gheenoe is going to be your best bet if you need to cartop. While 145lbs spread across 13′ is awkward, at least it’s doable.

A nice thing about this model is that it has a wider stern compared to the 15′ 4″ version. Folks on various forums have mentioned that this makes it easier to stand in. Given that one of the main reasons you might be looking at a Gheenoe is its stability, this is probably a plus.

The 13′ also has a front seat positioned more rearward than the 15′ 4″ model. This is going to allow a bit more legroom for someone sitting up front, if that’s a consideration. You’d also be able to fit more gear up there if that happens to be “your workstation.”

The downside is that you can’t use much of a motor on this, though that’s probably not what you’re looking for if you’re choosing this model.

15′ 4″ Gheenoe

The website has the 15′ 4″ Gheenoe having the same weight as the 13′ model. I’ve snooped around on the internet and can’t find anything definitive saying this isn’t true. From the layout, I suppose it could be possible. The stern is less wide than the 13′ model and folks have advised that this makes it a little less stable. This makes sense.

On Gheenoe’s website, they’re claiming folks have reported speeds of 18+ MPH with the maximum 10 HP setup. It also has a more streamlined shape than the 13′ model which is going to help one paddle.

As stated above, by the looks of the photos, the 15′ 4″ actually has less legroom for folks sitting in the front. This may or may not matter to you.

Finally, just because you have another 2′ to account for, it’s going to be tough to get this model in the back of a pickup.

15’6″ Classic Gheenoe

Once you move up to the 15’6″ Classic, you are well past a cartopper and more onto a trailable skiff boat. While all Gheenoes look like canoes, the classic starts to look like a regular boat. It is considerably wider than the 13′ or 15’4″ (4′ 7″ beam vs. 3′ 8″) and is much heavier (an extra hundred pounds).

As it it wider, it’s going to be more, more, and more of everything that makes the smaller Gheenoe great. You can use a 25 HP motor, and can fit it with pretty much any option you could think of. It really transforms into a small boat. There are front deck or bench options and in the rear many folks opt for a raised poling platform for targeting various inshore fish on flats.

16′ Super

The 16′ Super Gheenoe is so large, it can actually accommodate a center console steering model if you’d like. This makes it much more of a flats boat than a canoe. The 16′ Super is 16′ in length with a 4′ 7″ beam and is rated for a 40HP motor as well as having a capacity for 650lbs. This makes it a “true” family Gheenoe where you can actually get the wife and both kids on comfortable.

The 16′ Super Gheenoe also comes standard with many “boat” features including a front deck, livewell, and bilge pump. Frankly, if you’re looking for a flats boat, this is a great option.

LT10

The type of Gheenoe that I own is the Low Tide 10, or LT10. It’s made by a slightly different company, “Custom Gheenoe.” You can read everything I love about it in an in-depth review I wrote here, but suffice it to say, it’s my personal favorite. Marketed as “the Gheenoe you need to see before you go buy that kayak,” it truly is a great option for small lakes and ponds.

At 15′ 10″ and 190lbs, this is a small enough Gheenoe to paddle, but can also handle up to a 10HP motor. I personally prefer the layout of these to both the 13′ and 15′ 4″ options available from the main site, though your preferences may differ.

While the manufacturer claims you can car top this, that would be a bit of an ordeal if you ask me. I’d certainly recommend buying the trailer. I’d recommend this model for parents with small kids who want to take them out on smaller lakes and ponds but don’t want to break the bank.

Gheenoe LT10

LT25

The Low Tide 25 is the largest Gheenoe offered at customgheenoe.com. While it’s only 2″ longer than the LT10, it is much wider (56″ compared to 45″) which allows more room for storage. Its width also allows you to choose either a tiller or a center/side console option for your steering. Rated for a 25HP motor, and only being about 80lbs heavier than the LT10 that can take a motor less than half that, this thing is going to fly through the water.

The LT25 would be a great option for someone who intends to use it on the flats looking for red fish or snook as it has a very shallow draft but can also accept the sort of engine that can get you to the best fishing spots quickly.

Conclusions

Regardless of which model Gheenoe you choose, you’re going to be getting a great boat for a much better price than you could find a dedicated bass boat or multispecies vessel these days. I hope this article helped you pick which one is best for you!

Thanks,

John Paxton

Want to learn how to take your kids out fishing? Do you have a friend who might need a hand? Click the pictures below to purchase my helpful books!


Gheenoe LT10: A Review of the Ultimate Family Fishing Skiff

I’m beyond excited to finally get to write about my Gheenoe LT10. I purchased this fishing skiff all the way back in 2019 but for a variety of reasons I just wasn’t able to get it out on the water much until now. All the same, before I bought it I researched gheenoes extensively because I was looking for a very specific sort of vessel and found that this hit all the buttons. Let’s talk about My Gheenoe Low Tide 10 and why I consider it the ultimate family fishing skiff!

Why I Purchased a Gheenoe LT10

As long time readers are aware, I own a Lund Impact as my main boat. While I love it, it just isn’t the appropriate boat for many situations. As I live in Connecticut and am surrounded by many small lakes and ponds, several with limited launch access, I really wanted something smaller that could get me away from shore in places like Spring Pond, for example. After doing some research, I decided I wanted to buy a Gheenoe of one type or another.

If I lived in Florida, this would be easy, as Gheenoes are a dime a dozen down there. People love them because they make great skiffs or flat boats to fish from. Unfortunately, in Connecticut I had very few options. There was one dealer in New Hampshire, and another in Virginia. Neither appear to still be dealers so I’m glad I got when the getting was good!

Because of the scarcity, I really had to just grab what the gentleman had. Luckily for me, it was a model I was very interested in, the Low Tide 10. Here’s why I love it.

Gheenoes are Renowned for Their Stability

The main reason I wanted a gheenoe was because I’d prefer to fish standing up. While you “can” do this on some kayaks and canoes, I wouldn’t recommend it. Gheenoes, however, are specifically designed to allow you to do this. Their hull design is such that it basically gets wider on the bottom enhancing stability and keeping you safe.

I can confirm in practice that this is true. My Gheenoe LT10 has a bow and aft casting deck and while I would argue you need some balance to stand there, if I’m standing in the actual base of the canoe it is perfectly stable and I really don’t have issues. Transferring around to help my son out when he has a difficult fish to unhook or got a tangle hasn’t been an issue.

Child standing on very stable Gheenoe LT10
The Gheenoe LT10 is a perfectly stable small skiff.

My son on the other hand had no problem balancing just fine on the casting deck. This helps him get better casts out and a better view and keeps our rods far enough away from each other while we are casting. As you can see from the photo above, he doesn’t have a ton of room but at 8, he’s fine. You can appreciate why I’m not too keen about standing there, however.

Size

A Gheenoe LT10 is 15’10” long with a 3’9″ beam. It only weighs 190 pounds though distributing this across nearly sixteen feet makes it difficult to maneuver into a pond without a boat launch by yourself. Two men can easily handle it however, so when Tristan gets a little bit older I fully expect we’ll be exploring even more remote locations with this skiff.

The Gheenoe LT10 can carry 3 passengers or 300 pounds according to its safety plate. This is fine for a dad and small children such as myself which made it another appealing option for the “fishing father” in me.

A Wide Variety of Propulsion Options

The Gheenoe LT10 gives you many different options for power. When I took it out last year, I hadn’t registered it yet so I was stuck paddling. To be perfectly honest it doesn’t track as well as a normal canoe, which should be expected since it was designed for stability before speed or hydrodynamics. However, it can accommodate a 10hp motor in the stern, and it’s also possible to mount a trolling motor in the bow. This gives you the same options for boat control as a regular bass boat! To me, that made the Gheenoe LT10 a much more intriguing option than a kayak.

How Can You Customize a Gheenoe LT10?

Another great thing about these skiffs is how customizable they are. For example, here is a link to the different configurations as well as prices for a Low Tide 10 like mine. As you can see, you have multiple different options. For example, the following deck options are available:

  • Low Front Deck
  • Raise Front Deck (No Hatch)
  • Raise Front Deck (1 Hatch)
  • Rear Bench Seat
  • Back Foam Boxes (Not Bench)
  • Raised Rear Deck (1 hatch).

You also have several options for a center box:

  • No Center Box
  • Small Center Box
  • Center Box Fore & Aft
  • Center Box Divided

My Gheenoe LT10 is equipped with raised front and rear decks with a hatch in each, as well as what I assume is a “small center box,” though to be honest I’m not totally sure.

There are plenty of other options, including mounts for trolling motors so you can even accommodate a vaunted Minn Kota Terrova if you wished. Maybe some day!

Interior design of Gheenoe LT10
A look at the center and stern of my Gheenoe LT10. Note, you can order one that has neither of these options and just a full floor if you’d prefer.

How I Configured My Gheenoe LT10

I had to buy my Gheenoe new, but “as is” given that there just aren’t many dealers in my neck of the woods. Even so, the fact that I have an aft and bow casting deck with hatches as well as the center storage box gives me many options.

I power my Gheenoe with a simple Minn Kota trolling motor that has (I believe) about 36lb thrust. While I’m not going to win any speed races with it, this is sufficient to get going fast enough to troll spinnerbaits if I’d like. I power it with a 12v battery that I keep in the hatch right next to it. This is also where I keep my anchor. There’s a little open space in front of the hatch and I slide a few plano boxes in there. Basically, like any other tiller, I have everything I need “in my office.”

In the center waterproof box I keep my records/registration as well as life jackets and cooler. There’s a good amount of space in here and you could put a larger tackle bag in as well. I just try to cut down on what tackle I’m using on this.

At present in the front I don’t have much. I put my wheel chocks there for now. There’s another hatch so at some point if I moved to have a bow livewell, I could keep its battery there.

Gheenoe LT10 with a trolling motor for power
Note the black circles on the starboard side of the bow – these are rod tubes. There are two more on the port side as well.

Do You Need to Trailer a Gheenoe LT10?

While I’ve heard that some people car top these boats, at 190 pounds, I’m not! I bought one with a trailer. I will note that it is so lightweight you want to be disciplined above using the rear tie downs even for short trips. One important consideration is that this is such a narrow beam, you might have a hard time seeing the trailer in your mirrors while you’re backing. It might not be the worst idea to buy some longer trailer posts like these just so you can see it easier while you’re backing it up. I’d also just say it’s such a lightweight boat with such a small draft that these posts or load guides are going to make your life a lot easier on retrieval.

Gheenoe LT10 on a trailer
While portable, Gheenoes are probably too heavy to cartop if we’re being honest.

What Upgrades Should You Get for a Gheenoe?

There’s a whole list of upgrades you can get for your Gheenoe at customgheenoe.com. If you wanted to, you could even get a live well to put on one. For me, that’s a little much. However, I’d love to get the trolling motor mount for the bow so I can put a Terrova on there one day. While the trolling motor I have works fine for propulsion, I’d really prefer an option that allows me to fish with both hands while still controlling the boat.

Another thing I’d really like to buy for my Gheenoe is a proper push pole. My Gheenoe has a 5″ draft meaning I could get it into extremely shallow water. It would be very helpful to have a push pole to silently move through there on the hunt for bass. I’d probably pick something like this telescoping push pole up from Amazon given that it can go from 6 to 12′. I like the idea of being able to minimize it and store it away when not in use.

Is a Gheenoe a Good Boat for Kids?

I think a Gheenoe is a great option if you have kids. After all, that’s why I bought it. My LT 10 is stable, easy to trailer, and has enough room to put both my kids on. My Gheenoe came with 4 rod tubes to keep them out of the way which is plenty when fishing with kids, and there are places you can put a worm cooler. If your kids are little, they can sit “in” the Gheenoe as opposed to “on” it, which is helpful.

While I’d be hesitant to take small children out on a big and busy lake in any canoe-like boat, a Gheenoe is just about perfect for the smaller lakes and ponds kids cut their teeth in. While at 190 pounds, it is fairly heavy and difficult to launch by hand, I “have” done it (with trouble) by myself. Thus, you could get this into even little known kids ponds if you needed to.

Conclusions

Hopefully this helps you out in deciding if you should buy one of these. As the summer progresses I hope to have much more to say about fishing out of a Gheeno!

Thanks all,

John Paxton

Want to learn how to take your kids out fishing? Do you have a friend who might need a hand? Click the pictures below to purchase my helpful books!