"Courting boats"?

[TK1]

Hi,

I was just reading the "Getting Started" insert in WB #204 about shop spaces, and it mentioned Bob Brett (basement shop) builds "courting boats" of around 17' by 39" beam.

Not a term I've heard before. Are these a generic name, type of boat, etc? I assume small, rowed boats suitable for takin a lady out onto a lake/river for a bit o' courting .

Just out of curiosity (and an interest in small boats) I'd be interested in descriptions, links, pictures, etc from those who know what they are.

Thanks in advance,
Darren
Melbourne, Australia (where it take a while to get Wooden Boat!)

[UCanoe_2]

It's been said that the mark of a Real Canadian is the ability to make love in a canoe without capsizing. But I don't think this is exactly the information you were seeking.

[Hwyl]

make love in a canoe

Rather like the coffee I had yesterday.

[Andrew]

... make love in a canoe ....

I thought that was Coor Light.

[JimD]

17 feet is too long. Can't make a move on da lady in such a big boat. Glen-L's 12 foot Fife is more like it. You can row and play footsies at the same time:





These two have the right idea (not from the Glen-L site)

[kenjamin]

I need a longer boat because I look better from a distance.

[wtarzia]

17 feet is too long. Can't make a move on da lady in such a big boat. Glen-L's 12 foot Fife is more like it. You can row and play footsies at the same time:

--- That's a proper courting boat. As an American knows, you gotta have a back seat for courting ;-) (alas, they have been getting smaller over time) --Wade

[Tom Robb]

Some provison for keeping the oars attached to the boat may be useful. M'lady may no see the humor involved in calling for help... or perhaps see way too much humor in it.

[Paul Pless]

Ted Moores mentions courting canoes made around teh turn of the previous century in his canoe book. Maybe just a wide canoe with cushions in the floor.

[Sailor]

I would suspect that to have a decent courting canoe, you would need a vessel with subsantial beam otherwise the elevated bench for the judge would render her top heavy. She'd have a tough time staying upright with the weight of the judge way up there. And to fit a further 12 peers, defence and prosecution.....before you know it you'd need something much too large for your purposes. Stick with a regular boat.

[Canoez]

One version of a courting canoe. They put the Victrola in there and everything...

[Benson Gray]

One version of a courting canoe. They put the Victrola in there and everything...

Actually, a fully equipped courting canoe from the 1920s had a Victrola, carbide light, back rest, parasol, flag, lots of pillows, etc. as shown in the image below.



Benson

[Paul Pless]

That's Awesome!

[skuthorp]

Not only a Japanese paper parasol, but riding lights and what looks suspiciously like a RR Winged Victory Statuette in the bow!
The 20's equivalent of the panel van? But without the sticker - "Don't laugh, it may be your daughter under the parasol".
I love it!

[garland reese]

I like the idea of an Adirondack guideboat for a good all around rowing hull. Courting could be included, according to this photo.....

[Rigadog]

O'Mega at anchor

[TK1]

Thanks for the replies...I think

Amongst it all I have an idea now what Bob is making. Probably not O'Mega, but I reckon one of those would have the ladies flocking to you...

Canoez, any more info on the one in your post? Looks great.

Thanks,
Darren

[Benson Gray]

Canoez, any more info on the one in your post? Looks great.

I am not Canoez but his picture is from Kevin Martin's web site at http://kevinmartin.wcha.org/ under the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association's (WCHA) site. Kevin has the original Kingsbury forms from the Charles River area outside of Boston. There is a list of builders and restorers of similar canoes at http://www.wcha.org/buildsupply/ on the WCHA site although this does not currently include any from Australia. The image in my posting and more are from the old canoe company catalog collection CD-ROMs which are available at http://woodencanoe.org/catalog/index.php?cPath=90_91&osCsid=5aff03ac2ac7509383592 78c4e025f40 and http://www.dragonflycanoe.com/orderform.html on the web.

Benson

[Pernicious Atavist]

I like it, Benson! Now--if I were the dad of a daughter, I'd want her beau to row her in a canoe so full of stuff that there may be courting, but no follow-through!

[Thorne]

YOUSA! Now THAT'S a courting canoe! Particularly like the hood ornament...

Actually, a fully equipped courting canoe from the 1920s had a Victrola, carbide light, back rest, parasol, flag, lots of pillows, etc. as shown in the image below.



Benson

[N. J. Harris]

Just in case you wanted a serious answer:

Actually, I suggest that a 17' boat with a 39" beam would make a pretty darn good courting boat--that kind of beam/length ratio suggests that you need to keep the seats close together, rather than having the stern seat right up against the transom. Otherwise you'll have major trim issues.

For a courting boat I'd want to be able to propel her along with a single lackadaisical stroke every couple minutes, not have to be pulling constantly to get anywhere. That translates to a lot of length and light quarters. Yawing all over is also not very romantic or very dashing.

[Todd Bradshaw]

...depends on what's causing the yawing.....

[prentz]

Now here's what you're looking for- my great Uncle Art's canoe. This was a small lagoon on Belle Isle, Detroit about 1925.

[prentz]

Here's the overall scene. I am curious as to what that compartment under what looks like some kind of brass lid is?
My dad is the little guy in the first photo of a courting canoe, with his aunt paddling.

[Roger Long]

Designed specifically to be the least expensive modern sloop of classic wooden construction in which two people could (you know) under a solid deck.

http://www.rogerlongboats.com/21Sloop.htm

[Scot L T]

prentz, it looks like a little more than "courting" went on in that canoe...at some point.

A feature of the "Courting Canoe" was/is that there is usually no center thwart leaving the entire center of the boat open for the...what ever comes naturally.

Here's a couple other sources that might be interesting:
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/albu...ser/jockogilvy
http://www.wood-canoe.com/courting_canoe.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bredlo/3579719559/
http://pearsoncanoemodels.homestead....rtingpage.html

[prentz]

Guess it would be hard to step over the Victrola- still interested in that front compartment.

[Thorne]

Some fancy canoes!


http://forums.wcha.org/attachment.ph...9&d=1222643756


http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?t=4651

An interesting Flickr stream -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bredlo/...n/photostream/

[Thorne]

http://www.wood-canoe.com/courting_canoe.html

[Robert L.]

Perhaps I missed it but as the thread started with a question about Bob Brett's boats maybe a link to his site might be useful. BrettCraft

[Thorne]

Don't care for Brett's design much == looks like it should be an electric launch, plus the lady will certainly get damp in that lovely chair if any wakes come from aft...




This poster by Michael Kahn of "American Beauty" sure looks more the thing...

[JimConlin]

I can't stop myself.
"Frankly over here we find that your American beer is a little like making love in a canoe.
It's f___ing close to water. "
Monty Python

[Thorne]

Then there is the Coot version of a courting boat - note the twin comfy chairs side by side:

[boatbear]

Worth repeating, Jim.

[johnw]

I need a longer boat because I look better from a distance.

I find it's all about the season -- I look best in heavy winter clothing.

[paladin]

Jim Brown had to do a wee bit of redesign on his early trimarans. The complaint was that the primary berth was wide enough for two people, but not HIGH enough for two people.

[rbgarr]

... all the blood has run out of my brain.

[slidercat]

Perhaps I'm overly optimistic, but I think a good courting boat should at a minimum have room to lay out a double air mattress.

[Tumzara]

---As an American knows, you gotta have a back seat for courting ;-) (alas, they have been getting smaller over time) --Wade

Unlike Americans, and I have to admit us Aussies too.

[Thorne]

--- That's a proper courting boat. As an American knows, you gotta have a back seat for courting ;-) (alas, they have been getting smaller over time) --Wade

LOL I grew up around Bakersfield, and was one of the first guys to drive a Volvo sedan -- everyone else stuck to the standard massive muscle car or Dad's 25' long stationwagon.

I was showing it to one of the girls at my highschool, and she marvelled at the (for that time) small size of the back seat.

"Don't worry", says I, "I usually only date short girls..."

[perldog007]

The ideal courting boat will be the one that is well enough liked for the object of the skipper's desire to embark ......

[RFNK]

It's been said that the mark of a Real Canadian is the ability to make love in a canoe without capsizing.

Thanks for that info about Canadians! I thought it was only the English who were known to make love like that ..... Rick