Recent content by Alan Gage

A caveat to my advice is that I've never been paddling in the BWCA. I have done Woodland Caribou a couple times and some trips farther north and west. I think the main thing the BWCA has to offer over other tripping areas (such as Wabakimi or Woodland Caribou) is easier access, more reliable...

That is the AGX. It was my first hull design and gave me the speed I had hoped the Barracuda was going to give me. 18.5' long and 27" wide Surprisingly friendly to paddle for what it is. I'm much more comfortable in this than I ever was in a racing C1. Speed seems to fall somewhere in the...

I think it's a combination of specific paddling strength and form/technique. They both get better with time on the water. I remember one summer when I was in the best paddling shape I'd ever been in. I won the Jensen Handicap race in Minnesota that summer (lucky draw for a great partner). The...

Thanks. I'm not so much unhappy with the speed but refer more to the imbalance of cardio and muscle fatigue. Back when I was a stronger paddler it was often my lungs that were the limiting factor. Now I can't even come close to stressing my cardio system as the paddling muscles fatigue so early...

Unbelievably I think it's been about 8 years since I've had a boat on the roof of my daily driver but that changed today when I installed a set of cross bars and went out for a paddle in the AGX.

Went out for a harder effort with a faster boat tonight. Another beautiful evening and not another boat on the lake. Time after work is getting really short though. It was pretty much dark by the time I got off the water. 6 mile paddle 5.5 mph average speed 6.5 mph max 121 average heart rate...

I think I can still put my hands on the digital plans for this boat. When I was designing it I had a composite Wildfire available and compared measurements as a sanity check now and again. It's not a copy but it's in the same ballpark. Mine, as I recall, has more volume...

The poster has not been on the site for over a month. I would recommend sending them a DM which should also send them an e-mail notification. That will give you better odds that they see your response. Alan

When I used to paddle regularly this was my standard routine as well. I was lucky to have river access just a couple minutes from my house and most nights would find me on the water after getting off work. Usually 3-6 miles going hard upstream at which point I would decide if I wanted to...

You bet. Go ahead and post them. I always thought paddle ergs looked interesting but never bought one. I have a really hard time doing indoor cardio work. I'm not really sure why but I find it easier to go for a 40 minute run in the cold and dark when I care barely see the road under my feet...

I don't get out in the canoe much anymore and I don't do any racing at all but I still like to paddle fairly hard when I get out. I like exercise and a canoe isn't a bad way to get it. I thought it might be fun to start a "Training paddle thread" where we can post a little about our workout...

A few weeks ago I realized that, for the first time in about 40 years, it looked like I might go an entire season without getting out in a paddle craft. With the wet September weather we had this year there wasn't much to do about it but today things fell into place and I made a point to get out...

Nice to see some sun for a change. The consistent rain must be putting a damper on things. Alan

I suppose 'deadliest' could be construed in different ways, the main two being how many people have died on that river and what are your chances of dying if you test that river. I would guess that if you you went by number of people killed it would be a relatively innocuous river that gets a...

I think most of us get a few of those and we just varnish over them as long as you didn't go through the cloth. Alan