Anybody ever take an Ally canoe into the boundary waters? I'm wondering how ur handled the rocks. I just purchased a used Ally and it's super light but seems like the rocks would just tear it to shreds...

I haven't used the Ally, but I spent a lot of time in rocky waters in the PakBoat version of the same. If it has the rubber bottom like the PakBoat, you shouldn't have any problem. We dragged over rocks, landed/cast off on rocks, hit rocks, etc., all fully loaded for a 43 day trip.

Yes, I've taken my Ally in the BW a couple times, I think it handles rocks better than Kevlar. The outer membrane is really tough and is cushioned by the foam between the skin and aluminum frame. I only have scuffs on the outside skin of my Ally. I paddled it more in Alaska than the BW, probably 30+ trips in Ak.
I fashioned a portage yoke for it and use it as a solo. It is tough to attach portage yokes to it due to the fact there is basically no gunnel to attack it to.

MReid: "...We dragged over rocks, landed/cast off on rocks, hit rocks, etc., all fully loaded for a 43 day trip. "

That's great to know. Thanks!

LindenTree: "...I fashioned a portage yoke for it and use it as a solo. It is tough to attach portage yokes to it due to the fact there is basically no gunnel to attach it to."

That's great to hear. Brings me some assurance. Do you pack it in your trunk and reassemble it on site or do you put it on top of your vehicle? We put it together once and it took us two hours with three people! I'm sure I'll get better at it.

Also - can you send a pic of the yoke you made?

Dreamer: Also - can you send a pic of the yoke you made? "

Since Ally products are hard to find, you might check with PakBoat to see if their yoke might work. At least on the PakBoats, their gunnels are quite thin, but their yoke, which is a modified clamp yoke, works well. You do have to get the hang of it--I had several times when the yoke either popped off or I had the boat on my head. With a bit of care the work fine.

The key to their yokes is to have a gunnel diameter groove in the yoke to seat the gunnels. Their yokes have just a hardwood clamp to clamp the gunnel into the yoke--it would be pretty simple to do yourself with some trial and error.

And with some practice, you should be able to assemble the boat in less than an hour with two people. I haven't tried it by myself.

MReid: "I haven't used the Ally, but I spent a lot of time in rocky waters in the PakBoat version of the same. If it has the rubber bottom like the PakBoat, you shouldn't have any problem. We dragged over rocks, landed/cast off on rocks, hit rocks, etc., all fully loaded for a 43 day trip. "

Sounds epic! Do you have a trip report of sorts? 43 days.....was it long enough? Too long?

yellowhorse:Sounds epic! Do you have a trip report of sorts? 43 days.....was it long enough? Too long?"

No trip report. 43 was exactly right, but we didn't have any leisure/hiking days.

MReid: "

yellowhorse:Sounds epic! Do you have a trip report of sorts? 43 days.....was it long enough? Too long?"

No trip report. 43 was exactly right, but we didn't have any leisure/hiking days. "

Where was this? Looks fascinating from the barren, flat landscape. I'd guess Alaska or at least in sub-arctic Canada.

HighnDry:Where was this? Looks fascinating from the barren, flat landscape. I'd guess Alaska or at least in sub-arctic Canada."

Thetinne River, Nunavut.

Where abouts in Nunavut is the tinne river? never herd of it and google doesn/t come up with it. either Thetinne or tinne.
Curiosity...

DanCooke: "Where abouts in Nunavut is the tinne river? never herd of it and google doesn/t come up with it. either Thetinne or tinne.
Curiosity..."

The Thetinne links the Thlewiaza and the Kognak, headed north to the Windy and ThaAnne. Thetinne River, Google Maps

Thanks for information. So much water and land in that area.

DanCooke: "Thanks for information. So much water and land in that area.
"

Fun place to spend a summer! Bring a map (or 24).

Dreamer: "
Do you pack it in your trunk and reassemble it on site or do you put it on top of your vehicle? We put it together once and it took us two hours with three people! I'm sure I'll get better at it.


Also - can you send a pic of the yoke you made? "

I usually leave it assembled and put it on my car, it will take 60 mph winds well up there.
I can assemble it by myself in an hour or less, but it is a real PIA.
The key to assemble it is do it on a hot sunny day if you can, and on tar if you have that option.
Put the gunnel rods in, and the bow and stern dealies.

Then put all the lengthwise running rods in "do not press them down one pair at a time"
wait till they are all in, then press them basically down all at once "as much as possible.
pressing them down one at a time puts too stress on the individual pair of rods.

I will send a pic of my portage yoke soon, but I do not have a good pic of how I attached it, because the canoe is in storage now.
I have the 15.5, it is 16 feet long and the middle brace is right in the "Center" and does not have the rod across the top. It is the U one.
I got a wooden portage yoke, bought some U bolts, and slide them under the U brace in the canoe. Drilled 2 holes in each end of the wooden yoke. I slid the open ends of the U bolts through the portage yoke, put washers and bolts to attach it on top of the gunnels.
It has only slid off one time, and that's cause I cut the long portage yoke too short on one end.
Sorry there are a lot of "U"s in this explanation.

Enjoy your Ally, where did you find it. They are hard to come by, I had to buy mine from a dealer in Canada.

PS, keep that foam pad in the center as much as possible, it will get a memory and be in the wrong place if you don't. The memory it gets will help in future set ups, because the Bow and Stern Dealies will press into the foam and stay making it easier to set up in the future.
Edit, guess that first pick is Better than I thought.

I have been fortunate to be able to do the Kazan in 2015 (In Pak Canoes). Had hoped to to do more paddling in the Tundra this year- but it looks like that may be impossible at this time. If you got time to kill sharing your wandering in this area would be interesting. I know folks that have done the Thlewiaza as well as many other rivers in Nunavut; and have enjoyed all of their presentations of their adventures.

LindenTree: "

Dreamer: "...Enjoy your Ally, where did you find it. They are hard to come by, I had to buy mine from a dealer in Canada... "

Thanks for the long response. Very helpful! I'm going to try to build what you described. I'll use your pic too. I probably won't put it on top when I take long trips, but when I run around here I think I will. (Not much great paddling here in IL, but there are some places.)

I came across the Ally in Facebook Marketplace in Wisconsin and bought it for $600. I thought it was a steal.

DanCooke - amazing pics. Looks like a great time!

DanCooke: "I have been fortunate to be able to do the Kazan in 2015 (In Pak Canoes). Had hoped to to do more paddling in the Tundra this year- but it looks like that may be impossible at this time. If you got time to kill sharing your wandering in this area would be interesting. I know folks that have done the Thlewiaza as well as many other rivers in Nunavut; and have enjoyed all of their presentatio

I've heard good things about the Kazan. The Thlewiaza, where we did it until we shot off north, was a trying river--lots of rocks on that river! The Tha Anne was wonderful.

Dreamer: "

LindenTree: "

Dreamer: "...Enjoy your Ally, where did you find it. They are hard to come by, I had to buy mine from a dealer in Canada... "

Thanks for the long response. Very helpful! I'm going to try to build what you described. I'll use your pic too. I probably won't put it on top when I take long trips, but when I run around here I think I will. (Not much great paddling here in IL, but there are some places.)


I came across the Ally in Facebook Marketplace in Wisconsin and bought it for $600. I thought it was a steal.



"

You might run into a little trouble following my example because it looks like your forth spar from the bow is not in the center of your canoe.
The center appears to be between the 4th spar from the bow and the 4th spar from the stern. It looks like you have 8 spars.
To attach my kind of yoke you would need to put holes in the side skin of your canoe at the gunnels in the center.

Check it out, hard to tell from you pic.

LindenTree: "You might run into a little trouble following my example because it looks like your forth spar from the bow is not in the center of your canoe.
The center appears to be between the 4th spar from the bow and the 4th spar from the stern. It looks like you have 8 spars.
To attach my kind of yoke you would need to put holes in the side skin of your canoe at the gunnels in the center."

The PakBoat yoke clamps the gunnel anywhere, and doesn't require any holes anywhere. Would that not work for the Ally? Their website shoes a pretty good picture of it: PakBoat yoke

MReid: "

LindenTree: "You might run into a little trouble following my example because it looks like your forth spar from the bow is not in the center of your canoe.
The center appears to be between the 4th spar from the bow and the 4th spar from the stern. It looks like you have 8 spars.
To attach my kind of yoke you would need to put holes in the side skin of your canoe at the gunnels in the center."

The PakBoat yoke clamps the gunnel anywhere, and doesn't require any holes anywhere. Would that not work for the Ally? Their website shoes a pretty good picture of it: PakBoat yoke "

I think it might, a little hard to tell from the picture. The skin on the Ally is super rigid and wraps around the gunnels, because of this the skin comes off "below" the inside of the Ally straight from the side. Not the center.

PS, I just sold my Ally 1,300 bucks.
It's going back to Alaska, to one of my buddies who has paddled it before.

Trying to clear out the open quote...with no success

I believe there is no reason to put holes in the skin for a yoke.

I believe the methodology of the relief routered in for the fit to the gunnel top would work.

I made one for my Pak Canoe I also added a strap that was between the front to back aluminum poles that I could quick release buckle to the yoke as well to help it stay in place front to back along the canoe. I used it to do all of the portages along the Kazan river, with no yoke issues. I have since sold my Pak canoe so I can't get a picture of it. I will buy another one Pak canoe if I get a chance for another fly in / out trip.

My Ally's maiden voyage was last night! She did good, but in the wind got blown all over the place. She needs a keel. Does she do better loaded down with gear?

Dreamer: "My Ally's maiden voyage was last night! She did good, but in the wind got blown all over the place. She needs a keel. Does she do better loaded down with gear? "

Definitely does better loaded, I use a dry bag filled with water and lash it to the bow when soloing, and will use other things to weigh it down if I do not have my camping gear or dog on board. But the Ally does tend to catch wind more than many other brands I'm afraid.

Dreamer: "My Ally's maiden voyage was last night! She did good, but in the wind got blown all over the place. She needs a keel. Does she do better loaded down with gear? "

It being fairly light, with a fairly flat bottom, and deep, yes it will get blown around empty. It does surprisingly well fully loaded with big following waves, though! It's sort of a well-mannered truck, which will let you go places other boats won't.