Recent content by RPATCH

As another data point, I just purchased a Northstar Trillium in Blacklite with carbon gunwales and it weighs 25 lbs flat including a foot rest bar, which just happened to be installed.

As it turns out, I bought that Wildfire, which was in Florida 15 minutes from a friend's house. He's delivering it to me in New Jersey in a few weeks. I also have a Phoenix, so it will be interesting to compare.

In addition to nuts, dried fruit, salmon jerky and cheese and crackers (Crunchmaster crackers hold up and don't get stale), I make in advance of the trip peanut butter and jelly tortillas folded into snack size baggies. I have gone out almost four weeks with them and they have kept fine...

Glenn, the float tanks were optional from Swift and they are air chambers.

Here is a little video I made of installing lining loops in my Swift Dragonfly 15.

This is a more typical kneeling thwart in an original Dragonfly.

I like a high seat. It really helps my legs to be not quite so bent. I move around a lot for comfort and sometimes pull both legs out from under the seat and for me in that canoe, it is not problem. Like I said, it's the most comfortable I've been in a canoe. I also have a seat pad that...

I made a wide kneeling thwart for my DF15. I too need to kneel to take pressure off my back. It's the most comfortable seat I have for me. Glenn tried it and found it uncomfortable, so it's all individual.

Other than a day paddle, I've only paddled it on a class I/II river on a 9 day trip with about a 350 lb load. It did not feel overloaded (except when I had to carry everything). I usually load a little stern heavy and this is no exception. I kept a 2-1/2 gallon jug of filtered water behind my...

I should add, since you mentioned it, it's very easy to skid the stern on the DF15. On paper, it's only 1/2" less rocker in the stern.

That's about it. I don't find the DF15 to be too bad in the wind, but I haven't had it out in really bad conditions yet. I'm inserting some interesting pictures of the DF15 (blue) next to a Hemlock SRT (red) and Curtis Dragonfly (white). You can get some idea of how it compares looking at the...

I make it a practice to treat my clothes and tent at the beginning of the season with Permethrin. It is effective against ticks and helps with other biting insects. The small bottles of Sawyer Permethrin are quite expensive and the sprayer that comes with it is rather low volume. I started...

Maybe I can help as I have a Phoenix in the IXP layup as well. The two canoes paddle very differently. I like my Phoenix and plan to keep it. It's a very confidence inspiring boat. It's my pick to use in rocky rivers as I don't worry about scratching it. That also makes it a good loaner for...

I usually identify a good spot and drop my PFD, but I'm happy to move if it works out better for all. Silly little game, really. I'll check out the Seek Outside "Cimarron" shelter, but I'm pretty happy with what I have. I really like the fly first pitch of the Hillebergs and I like the pole...

I consider a 2 person tent to be a 1-1/2 person tent. When there are two of us, it's nothing smaller than 3 person. I have a Nemo DragonFly OSMO 1 person, but I only use it in severely space restricted places and I really don't care for it. Last summer on the Big Salmon River, we had to do a...