Recent content by Mason

Grizzly bears are brown bears (Ursus actos, in this case U. arctos horribilis).

If not already under warranty, you can buy high quality aluminum (DAC, Easton) aftermarket poles and replace what you have (and even larger diameter). I don't have a link at the moment --a long way from my computer.

I had forgotten that post. I may have seen one of his canoes in Charleston some years back. It was not in the water.

Yes, curly koa.

Here are some impressive paddles, made by Philip Greene (via Facebook)

Have a good trip Ben!

Good to hear. I've been out of the racing scene for a long time, and never see reference of the boats used for DR anymore. The last DR OC race I saw (2016) had two entrants, and one was paddling a MR Explorer solo. I figured OC was on its last legs.

Right, that's what I said. DR boats. Do people even do that anymore?

Wow, what garbage! They say the Jensen WWII is one of the best WW boats?? Maybe if you're racing (30 years ago?), and there are no rocks. I know it's won a lot of races BITD, but for today's (clueless) modern paddler? Their specs say : "Intended Waterway: Lakes, Ponds & Inshore, Whitewater...

I only have ex-SOs. But the main one (the mother of my daughter) and I would paddle together regularly over the 15 years we were together. We each had Wenonah WWC-1s (mine green, hers red, as well as a Penobscot and Sundowner), and we did day and multi-day solo and tandem trips in the...

It's interesting you mention the HD-1. In the early 80's, Rob Lesser ("hair boater" (kayak) of Stikine, Rio Bio Bio, etc. etc. fame, and International Whitewater Hall of Famer, Rob bio) was the Perception rep for the shop I worked at. He brought an HD-1 out, and we were playing in a local...

Yep, Graves Lake. Hyde Lake is another story! The drop below the lake was the biggest water I'd paddled since Hell's Canyon thirty years prior. And I got to paddle it twice, as two of the others on the trip weren't up to it. It was a nice way to celebrate my 60th birthday! There were still...

Our trip from Wollaston Lake to Hudson Bay was pretty rough on our PakBoats. Between rocky rivers, and almost throwing the boat down on some tough portages, we did a fair bit of patching--nothing serious though. Oh yeah, dragging loaded (fabric) boats through wet boulderfields (Thetinne River)...

Good call, unless you like some brushy portages. Our biggest whitewater on the trip (III+) was just below Hyde Lake, the lake after Kasmere. The Thlewiaza is pretty challenging, and felt like a general nuisance at times (shallow water, lots and lots of rocks).

What are the advantages (other than plushness) over a Crazy Creek chair? It looks functionally the same.