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Ever been forced to buy a canoe?

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Me neither...except a few month ago my wife and I went for a paddle, and afterward she watched me lift our canoe on my shoulders and then the car. On the way home, my love declared I should take better care of my back and buy a lighter canoe. She insisted, even after I told her what it would cost. So what is a guys to do?
Well, today I picked up my brand new Northstar Polaris, and I can't wait to take my lady out on the water in it.
I'll post a better photo later.
 

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Why you poor abused man being forced to do such a thing. I hope the bruises don't show when you go out in public. Umm....did it hurt good? :rolleyes:

Great wife and a great canoe. I hope that all three of you enjoy it. You, her and your back.

Best regards to all,


Lance
 
"Oh my poor back, I don't know if...I...can...manage this...heavy...canoe...".
How do you paddle with pants on fire? But whatever works. Congrats.
 
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You do realize you've played right into her ploy. Now she has a nice light canoe to solo with. ;)
In any case you're both winners. Double congrats.
 
I have a wonderful wife like that. She tells me--if it makes it easier for you--get it.
 
+1 what Jim says

No, but I've been debating the purchase of a new one and my wife is pushing me to get it.
 
My wife and I took the Polaris out yesterday for the maiden voyage. Great fun and the boat is more stable than I anticipated, given its width. We found both, initial and secondary stability quite comfortable. Tripping speed is also quite fast compared to my Spirit II. Not a 100% fair comparison, and I am not unhappy with the SPII, but the Polaris is more nimble and paddles with less effort. For two people and a week-long wilderness trip, I still might prefer the SPII for capacity. On our usual tandem day trips, the Polaris will be our choice for sure. This morning I went out early for a short solo excursion, and I was immediately impressed by how easy the Polaris solos. Tracking is good and so is turning, both observed from the kneeling thwart position. I suspect tracking will be better yet, but at the expense of maneuverability, when paddled from the stern seat with trim weight at the bow. Long flat water trips may be better paddled that way. That said, no paddling seems hard in this boat. I would say that solo speed and ease of paddling is comparable with my W. Prism. As a kneeler, I appreciate being able to heel the Polaris. Something the Prism isn't designed for. Again, not a 100% fair comparison, but many here will have experience with some or all of the canoes mentioned. In summary: I am super happy with the Northstar Polaris, and if I had to limit myself to one canoe, the Polaris would be it.
Did I mention the canoe is easy on the eye? :) E6 gunwales and birds-eye maple seats and thwarts. All told 38.5 pounds. Lucky me indeed. :)
 

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Sorry, Dagger, but the Polaris is not light enough for solo canoeing. Mandatory site rules here, adopted from ancient Malecite and Cree spirit rituals, require you to buy yet another canoe. The Enforcement Committee will be contacting you shortly to explain this requirement to your spouse and banker.
 
Well, sort of. The father of a couple of brothers I grew up with was getting on in years at 80. I practically grew up with that family just down the road from me since kindergarten, and I always felt a special bond. Bob had raced the Adirondack 90 miler in years past, and as a woodworker he wanted to do one more trip with a kayak that he built at home. But the race director did not want to let him enter due to his less than optimum physical condition. I said "what if I paddle my own boat along with him? None of his kids were able to go with him. My presence was acceptable to the race director.

But the only solo boat I had was my Hornbeck. Now I have paddled the 90 mile route entirely with that boat, but did not want to paddle the race in it. I also knew I needed something faster to keep up with Bob. Next stop, Placid Boatworks, to pick up a new solo RapidFire. That worked out well, because my wife did not have a solo boat to recreationally paddle along with me. So the New PB became her boat! She and I paddled together a few times before race day. Bob had some trouble during the race, but nothing serious, glad I was there the whole time to cheer him on. And my wife has a new boat of "her own"!
 
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Yep, effortless solo or tandem. Totally magical tandem and better than it should be solo. For me it's the ideal tandem. Plus - dogs love it too.

But your thwarts are upside down and that kneeling thwart looks uncomfortable. :p

image.jpegimage.jpeg
 
Dealer said the thwarts are supposed to curve up, so yours are upside down. Ha! ;)
The kneeling thwart is OK for an hour or two, but it is not the most comfortable I have to admit. It would be better if it was twice the standard width (which seams to be just a regular thwart width). Looks like you have 3 seats in yours. I am assuming at the solo position?
I will likely cut the seat hangers by an inch as well. The seats are just a tad low for kneeling. I might try a foam pad first to see if an inch will do.
 
Yes I kind of assumed my thwarts were upside down. I also agree that the stock seat drops are low for kneeling. I like the center seat for solo partly because it's closer to the center of boat than my kneeling thwart was in my Bell Northstar so the trim is more level; my Bell was bow light solo even with a dog in front of me. I also like the open area in front of the center seat when there's no fixed carrying yoke...lots of room for the pooch. Congrats on your Polaris it's a special boat.
 
I am most comfortable sliding canoes, even lightweight canoes, gunwales down onto vehicle crossbars or home storage racks from one end. The big home storage racks are two sets of #|# towers; I have to slide the boats inside the fully closed slots, there is no walking up alongside the bars. The storage rack’s top crossbars are 11 feet high, so anything that sticks up past the gunwale line is a tiptoed reach PITA to bump and tilt and slide past onto the racks.

Same actually with the van’s Quick and Easy racks, way the heck high.

I get the concept, and thwarts ached up would be gear storage and even spray cover beneficial. Arched down would be counterproductive in both cases.

Do those arched thwarts stick up above the sheerline? A little still-below-sheerline arch would be fine, but sticking up above the gunwales would be a no-go for me.
 
Thank you, Gampus. I kind of want to keep my yoke, but I can see the virtues of the third seat. I will try to paddle from the stern seat with a weight in the bow next. Can't wait to be back on the water :).

Good question, Mike. I really haven't paid much attention to it. My canoe storage is a side accessible tree-style contraption inside a 10'x20' Costco shed/carport thingy. I don't think the thwarts stick out past the shear line, but if they did, they are easily reversible...in case that's all that is stopping you from buying a Polaris :).
 
Me neither...except a few month ago my wife and I went for a paddle, and afterward she watched me lift our canoe on my shoulders and then the car. On the way home, my love declared I should take better care of my back and buy a lighter canoe. She insisted, even after I told her what it would cost. So what is a guys to do?
Well, today I picked up my brand new Northstar Polaris, and I can't wait to take my lady out on the water in it.
I'll post a better photo later.

That's exactly how I got my Hemlock Nessmuk XL... hurt my back lifting my Yankee, and wife insisted I go see Dave Curtis.
 
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