The Toad Machine - A Prelude 

March 18, 2023
David Hutton

The Toad Machine

FILE: Wayback Machine

SUBJ: “The Gheenoe That Isn’t”

    I have been calling this beast, “The Notta Gheenoe… “ since I got it from my BIL, James Burleson, aka, “Butch.”

    I think I fished out of it once or twice with him, decades ago, in Florida, and he had it for all the years to follow. He called it a ‘ganoe,’ and I figured he was using the generic name for any canoe-like boat of this type, with a flat transom.

    Jim and I parted ways in life, as sometimes happens, and it sat out in the weather for many years, forgotten and left to fend for itself. I asked him about it some years back, though, and he said something like, “I ain’t gonna use it - you can have it if you can get it out of the weeds.”

    The top of the rear seat was ripped apart, the tires and bearings were shot, and the trailer winch mount was broken off at the base. Oh yeah, the trailer wiring was crap, and the fenders partly rotted, too.

    But I hauled it home, like a proud father, and got all those issues sorted - look close and you can see the repaired rear seat. Today, it ain’t like new, but all is functional and I am grateful for it.     In the opening picture, I show a “glamour shot” from its maiden voyage after repair and refit. I thought it deserved some love, so I gave it a camo job with spray paint to doll it up for the reveal.     But above all, there is that name - "The Toad Machine." Names A'Plenty

    If you’re a regular member at Palmetto Fly n Fish, you will have seen my articles about the many modifications and changes I've made to the Toad Machine.     There is link at the end of this prelude where you can start reading those articles, if you are interested in modifing small boats.

    But first, lets get into that many names behinds this baby. "Toad Machine"     This name has turned a few heads at the boat ramp, and you could say it is pretty unusual - just like the boat itself.     One woman approcahed me, after I had tied up at the dock... "Toad Machine? Whats that - is it a name, or..." "Yes, ma'am, that's right. The Toad Machine." "Well, I never saw or heard anything like that." "No, and I suppose she's one fo kind in these parts." "I declare - the Toad Machine..."

    As far as I know, Jim named it, “The Toad Machine." and out of respect for him, I didn’t change the name - and never will.

Not only is it superstitious bad luck to just up change a boats name, but it really is a great name. "Ganoe"     But, as long as I’ve had it, I didn’t know what it was, other than he off-handedly referred to it as a ‘ganoe.’

It resembles the famous Florida Gheenoe boats, however, so I just called it, “The Notta Gheenoe.”

‘Ganoe’….. “Geehnoe”….. “Notta Gheenoe!”

Well… There arent many Facebook groups for "weird ganoe boats that are kinda like a Gheenoe..." so I joined a legit Gheenoe group, anyway, and tagged along with my Notta Gheenoe.

Little did I know the truth - until today

"Ga-Noe"     There, thanks to a member on the Facebook Gheenoe group, I learned that it has an ACTUAL trade name!

    It seems this guy’s uncle owned the company that made it, and my BIL had the right name all along. As far as I can tell, this boats' name inspired the generic name, ‘ganoe,’ now used describe all boats of this type that came after it.

   So, without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you…

1981 “Ga-Noe” (formerly The Notta Gheenoe)

Mfr: Happy Traveler Marine, Tifton, GA

16', 10 hp rated, 500 lb capacity

Thanks go out to Mr. Rob Connell of the FB Gheenoe group for his awesome responses and help.

------------<~~>------------

Writers should always strive for a job well done... even mediocre ones like me. So if you found value in this article, please like, comment, and share it. 

Would you like to add the catching pattern(s) seen here to your own fly or tackle box? Do you have questions, gripes, or suggestions?
If so, email me at...dahutist@gmail.com

If you appreciate a no-drama, no-hype Facebook group, follow this link and come join us at: 

Palmetto Fly n Fish

Thanks so much for reading, and...

Tight Lines,

Dave Hutton

© All rights reserved, David Hutton/Palmetto Fly N Fish 2023