Recent content by NikonF5user

The Bell Northstar has long been my favorite tandem; I paddled one in Algonquin at some point and thought it was ideal for lake country portage trips. While I have been under the impression that the Polaris is basically the same boat with splayed-out ends to increase the length by 3", it's...

I have neither paddled nor even seen a Monarch (so I am not sure why I am commenting at all :ROFLMAO: 😂) , but one would have to imagine looking at the hull shape and decks that this was intended to be a direct competitor to the Bell Rob Roy, which if I am not mistaken is essentially a decked...

That makes sense - a Camp Temagami outing to the territories or northern Quebec perhaps...

Question for anyone out there who has paddled Temagami - this video was recently posted on YouTube that is mighty alluring. If the title did not say it was from Temagami, I would not have thought Ontario at all. Sadly the description does not detail the paddling location within Temagami - does...

You know - if I had your boat, I would get this PFD without a moment's thought:

I usually use a normal 1-piece or 2-piece rod, similarly tying them inside the canoe for portages (and even for the drive as well). But in '27 we're planning a fly-in trip and may ship equipment to ourselves in Alaska before heading out, so I am not sure how I can make it work. A two piece...

In prep for a future fly-in trip(s) where space and weight will be at a premium, I am debating getting a travel fishing rod that breaks down small enough to ship (and/or fit in duffel bag for travel). I know there are many options, so I am curious to hear from the experiences of others. Has...

To avoid doing work I was just reading some of these older posts - that Old Town is fascinating! Is it a Pathfinder with a Swift seat mounted for solo paddling? Do you love it?

When I got my Merlin I was having a near hourly debate between Merlin (which is now being built again by RedFeather), Kee15, Peregrine, and Northwind Solo - all DY boats with a shared heritage. I do love the Merlin, but I have been surprised at how much more stable the Keewaydin feels in...

It's fun to realize how much movement there has been since I first posted on this thread a couple of years ago! Current solo fleet: Swift WildFIRE in Expedition Kevlar - just picked it up last week - freaking LOVE this boat!!! Redfeather RockSTAR in what's now called RFX - she and I have had...

Mountain Hardwear Vision 2 on a gravel bar downstream of Fort Selkirk on the Yukon, pinned down by a wildfire. July of 2024. Same tent in Algonquin Park in 2023 - Merchant Lake if memory serves:

That must have been AMAZING - guessing that can only be done fly-in / fly-out? And clearly in polar bear country, at least near the mouth. How long did it take to go 365?!?

Sacrilegious to say this I know, but I wish I could get an SRT with metal (or molded kevlar/carbon) gunwales - I would LOVE to have an SRT some day, but I am not good with wood...

Curious if anyone can post photos of Placid WildFIREs and Placid Rapidfires set up with a traditional seat? I have heard they exist, but I have seen neither. Would love to see some!

I am going to add my vote on the Bell Northstar / Northstar Polaris (and now the RedFeather Ursa Minor). They are often equipped with a kneeling thwart, and are narrow enough to be a decent solo boat but are also a sleek efficient tripping boat. Also, since you have Royalex boats already, this...