Recent content by Alan Gage

I think this is the universal answer to all canoeing problems. If you enjoyed paddling the Prism you might enjoy the Magic more. I paddled one for years and put tons of miles on it (river miles, small lake miles and big lake miles). Good speed but a little rocker to make a bit easier to...

Very impressive. I used free kid carrier for a while to carry Sadie around. It was handy for when I wanted to get some miles on the bike. We'd bike to a walking location and then go for a walk. Win-win for both of us. She would tolerate it once we were moving but getting her to stay put on the...

I've been spending a lot of time in New Mexico this year since I bought a 2nd property there (I'm actually there, I mean here, now). Pretty incredible night skies. There is an international dark sky sanctuary nearby at Cosmic Campground. I suppose it's easiest to choose one location to represent...

Good observations. I think most people (me included) tend to over estimate the water they paddle and how hard they are on a canoe. There are a lot of very lightweight builds that have been punished and paddled on remote waters yet they did fine. Lightweight canoes have been common since the...

I think it's there to help support the shape of the stem and maybe serve as something substantial to lift. It certainly wouldn't hurt to treat it. Alan

From the tests I've seen there is really no reason to pump them up to higher pressure for pavement. Wider tires have a larger surface area so they deform less, which means they don't need the high pressure. Running 32mm tires at low psi is getting to be a very common practice for road bikes. Alan

At least as of a year ago the used bike market was very weak and there were tons of good deals. The industry sold a ton of bikes during Covid and people that never got into riding are unloading them. If you don't mind doing a little searching and researching you can probably get twice the bike...

My racing days are done but I encourage anyone in the area to check these out as well. It's a super welcoming and helpful group of people. Is the Jensen handicap still the same weekend as long lake laps? Winning that one year is my only claim to fame. Was a super fun event where the top...

It's what many SOF canoes and kayaks use. I'm not sure exactly what qualifies nylon as "ballistic" rather than just regular. That looks more like some sort of waterproof vinyl to me but I'm no expert and it's hard to say from pictures. Alan

It certainly sounds like you might appreciate something a bit quicker and more sporty. If I was you I'd start looking at some used boats just to get a feel for their speed, sea worthiness, and how they handle. Maybe you find something that fits you perfectly or maybe you just find some old...

I think it depends on how hard you're pushing the canoe you have now. It's been my experience that you don't get speed for free. If you're both strong paddlers and you're pushing the Adirondack pretty hard then you certainly might see a speed benefit from a "faster" hull. On the other hand, if...

As others have suggested wading shoes (fly fishermen) and climbing approach shoes often tout sticky bottoms. Vibram makes a lot of different sole materials and many shoe manufacturers specify which ones are on which shoes. You might look for something with the Vibram Megagrip sole. Alan

I think current and waves are two very different things. I have a hard time wrapping my head around waves. I don't think they actually move like they seem to. I'm not even sure they really move much at all. I've never quite understood it. Alan

I don't think that is realistically achievable. About the only way to not be passed by waves is to surf the waves and, while fun, is much scarier than getting passed by the waves. Guys in surf skis do this and in that context it's a blast. Not something I'd want to do in a tripping canoe though...

I normally paddle go straight solo canoes in the 16' range and other than when I used to paddle 18' 6" J-boats (which I found to be a nightmare in following winds) I've never really had an issue. Wind is common here in Iowa and there usually isn't much option to avoid it due to the landscape...