The Grumman Sport Boat
I recently purchased a Grumman Sport boat that I found for a nice price. The boat has quite a reputation in the North woods, Canada, and Alaska. This is due to its light weight, and ability to haul stuff like moose. Interestingly they are rarely seen and hard to find in the South, yet fit the bill perfectly for the type of fishing I enjoy.
While hunting around trying to find a boat that would fit my needs my Dad told me about the sport boat that he had seen many years ago. It belonged to Sonny Stoddard, a wonderful outdoorsman who lived nearby. My Dad seemed to have quite a feeling for that old boat, and after doing a little research I could see why.
The boat I bought is most similar to a heavy duty square stern Gheenoe, except it is made from aluminum instead of fiberglass. The boat is 15 feet long with a 43 inch beam. It has oar locks and could also be sailed. Right now it is rigged with an old two stroke Johnson 3hp outboard, but I will likely upgrade to 6 or 7 hp four stroke at some point.
I don’t want to add too much to the boat, and would prefer to keep it relatively plain. My favorite fishing waters almost demand simplicity due to their ruggedness. Some accessories I would like to add though would be a depth finder, trolling motor, and a swivel seat.
Like any boat the Grumman has its drawbacks. It has no drain plug in the bottom, and while stable it does rock more than a jon boat would. A casting deck on the bow is not practical. The boat will not take rough seas, and while it could be rowed rather easily, the boat would be a pure nightmare to paddle long distances or in heavy chop.
What I like about the boat though is that I believe it is a perfect compromise between an aluminum jon boat and fiberglass gheenoe. The Aucilla River off Florida’s gulf coast is shallow, tidal, and slap full of rocks. It’s also full of redfish and trout, and I believe the Grumman would excel there. The Ochlocknee River while not really rocky, is full of blown down logs that require jumping, sliding under, or just ramming through. The narrow profile and heavy duty bow are perfect for this.
This boat also works for small lakes and farm ponds. The light weight of the boat makes it hassle free and convenient to slide into the water, no boat ramp needed. I took my daughter out in it after church on Sunday, and she caught her first bass.
The Grumman Sport Boat has gone through a few changes over the years mostly due to government regulation. Robb White, a Georgia boat builder, wrote an interestingly article on this here. Mine is a new model, and I’m looking forward to many years and fishing trips with the boat.
