Recent content by Sliding Focus

Thanks for sharing those impressions—that's all really interesting to hear, especially about how it soloed! It's likely that any tandem I buy would see a fair bit of solo use, so all else being equal, its suitability for that purpose would be an important factor to me. Thanks for sharing that...

@M Clemens, that is really useful to know about the stems and flare on the SRC—thanks for that info, and for your photos too! Your SRC looks darn near identical to the “Escape” from FB Marketplace—now I’m really wondering if the seller of the “Escape” could've been mistaken and theirs was an...

Thanks for that info, @M Clemens! I had also seen that catalog, but thought it was printed in 1980? Unfortunately, I do not know the width or the HIN. You guess correctly that I'm referring to the one at the Canoe Repair Shop, so I could probably get the latter, but not the former. Knowing the...

I'm glad to hear you are interested, @Tsuga8 and @Cheeseandbeans! I'll start putting those resources I mentioned together—more to come!

This is a good point! The time estimate I gave was based on my typical pace when solo paddling (2–3 mph + 1 mph for the river), but a tandem team can easily go faster than I do on my own.

That is too bad! If something changes and you find yourself free, don't hesitate to reach out! But yeah, if I were in your shoes, I wouldn't try to attend the race and make it back to Oneonta by 4pm—while it might hypothetically be doable, for me, it would make the experience more stressful than...

I may be going to look at an unidentified Lincoln ~16’ tandem canoe soon, and I’m wondering how to tell what model it is and curious about how it might paddle (it is not in good enough shape to test paddle, but might be promising to repair). From what I’ve been able to gather, Lincoln seems to...

Folks in the Hudson Valley and surrounding areas (NY Capital Region, western CT, western MA): would you be interested in getting together at Lake Taghkanic on May 18—similar to the gathering that @coldfeet, @Tsuga8, and @Curlymoe held last autumn? I’m thinking that May 18 would be ideal so that...

Is anyone here planning to participate in the Roe Jan Creek Boat Club’s annual canoe race this coming Saturday, April 27? I’m interested in participating and am seeking either of the following: A) Someone who already has a team or who plans to paddle solo and would be willing to shuttle cars...

If I'm not mistaken, the Curtis Northstar was the predecessor to the Hemlock Eagle. Here's a link to the catalog page for it on Hemlock's site. It's 6" longer and a touch narrower than the Morningstar, and has symmetrical rocker. It sounds pretty comparable to a Mad River Explorer or Swift...

Welcome to the site, @miss katie! I agree with the suggestions that a relatively wide solo canoe in the 15–16' range, such as the Northstar Northwind Solo mentioned by @Alan Gage or Hemlock Eaglet mentioned by @Bob B., might be ideal for you. Another model you should consider is the Wenonah...

I’ve heard folks say that a paddle finished with varnish is more likely to give you blisters than one finished with oil, but varnish is lower-maintenance! I usually wear gloves when paddling to protect myself from blisters, and my one oiled paddle is pretty different from my varnished paddles...

I agree with the folks who suggest moving the thwart. Replacing it with a curved thwart also sounds like a good, creative solution. Either sounds both easier and better than moving the seat because a) it means drilling fewer holes and b) it keeps the seat closer to the middle of the canoe. And...

Congrats! The canoe looks sharp! Varnish will protect the paddle just fine (though if it’s nicked you may want to touch it up), so no reason to sand it off and apply oil unless you prefer the look/feel of an oil finish.

Just writing to second what @yknpdlr said—totality only lasts for a few minutes, but it is a unique, rare, and awe-inspiring experience that makes for a lasting memory! Looking up and seeing blackness where the sun should be, and seeing the strangeness of the light, it touches something inside...