Bob's Special 15'

• Length 15'
• Maximum beam 36"
• Beam waterline 33"
• Beam gunnel 34"
• Bow height 19.5"
• Centre Depth 13"
• Draft 4"
• Displacement 345 lbs.
• Wetted surface 25.9 sq.ft.
• Weight to immerse 122 lb/in
• Prismatic coefficient .543
• Weight 45 to 50 lb
• Keel-less or shoe keel

"The Chestnut 50-lb. Special has been designed to meet a certain demand for an extremely light weight canoe of good carrying capacity and has proved very popular. Owing to its width and flat bottom it is very steady and the ends are low, making it easy to portage through the brush." ...from the 1950 Chestnut Canoe Co. catalogue.

Forty years later it is one of their better known models, favoured by fishermen and solo trippers. The moderate rocker and soft bilges make this a great canoe for traditional style solo paddling. The Bob's Special is also a good choice if wind is a regular feature of where you paddle, as the low ends are less affected by windage.

In order to adapt to strip planking, some modifications to the original lines have been made. A shoe keel was recommended on the original canoe because of the light weight ribs and planking. Since they are not saying it is for directional stability, we can assume that the keel is optional.

Is this the right boat for you?

© The Bear Mountain Boat Shop 1994
Lines taken by Ted Moores 1993
Modified and Drawn by Steve Killing 1994

Customer built boat photos courtesy of Steve Mervin, Tony Morris, and Chris Westside