Recent content by Steve in Idaho

Idunno. I always thought of my MR Guide as a 14' mini Prospector. That boat has been described by beginners as unsafe and uncontrollable. And I doubt if many beginners would be happy in a Wildfire. Cost... I think so. Weight? Probably not - but we'd be talking about mostly young people, right...

Interesting. Still no Swift dealer out my way. 🙁

Yeah, because the wind isn't always aligned with the waves, what I have been doing is quartering slightly toward my onside and paddling hard with a little sweep when needed. Like I mentioned already, it forces me into a sprint. Not necessarily a bad thing, but not always ideal - especially after...

Come to think of it, paddling the Malecite in a tailwind with significant waves and doing it with the boat facing both directions should be quite educational. Gonna have to wait though. I'm BWCA bound in a week.

That's a consideration. I've been thinking of taking the Malecite out for a solo spin. It's been years since I did so. Its "backwards" rocker profile might muddy the picture, but maybe I'll learn something new. OTOH, my inland sailing experience tells me if I go out looking for wind, I'll...

Scroll down to figure 10.1.3, and view the animation. This is what I imagine I'm feeling. https://rwu.pressbooks.pub/webboceanography/chapter/10-1-wave-basics/ There is movement in both directions, plus up and down. Under (correction - on) six miles of fetch, it's an interesting ride.

Are you implying that the Wildfire is noticeably sportier than the Phoenix?

You have almost all the solos I am currently considering. We have only the Wildfire in common. I'll be watching you. 😁

Yeah, as proven when surfing standing waves, I suppose. It shouldn't be, but it is. But I think maybe it's not current as we tend to think of it. Wave energy is weird, and it's not like a constant flow.

What I'd like to see is for someone to resurrect the Mohawk Solo 14 mold (if it still exists) and produce it in T-formex or even 3 layer poly. But I don't see that happening. How about it, Old Town? Honestly, those Discovery 111's aren't as bad as some of us let on. They're just not as...

This is what I think I'm feeling. I'm not the strongest paddler, and I see the waves passing under me. If I could go a little faster (as in, approaching theoretical hull speed) I could be riding the waves instead of fighting them. Maybe a longer and faster canoe would help, but maybe my motor...

I had a big tailwind going downriver one day in the Sojourn. That was a gas. No significant waves to contend with going with the swift current. All I had to do was rudder, and not much of that. I think it's possible, maybe probable that I'm not shifting weight back enough when I encounter this...

That's the kind of enabling comment I'm looking for. 😁 It's kind of embarrassing... I've now passed up a chance to own a Merlin II twice. Now I'm in the mode of watching for another (and with recently announced competition), or maybe a Phoenix. What I really want to know is if either or...

I have one for the bow that came with the canoe. It won't fit the stern, since it's a swedeform hull. Yes, I should get one for that. That's kinda where I'm going with this. 😄 That works for me, but it's a fight still to keep from broaching. It does force me into a sprint, so that's both bad...

I'm not sure if this is a solo canoe question or a paddling technique question, so I'll put it here. If it turns out to be one or the other, Glenn, please move it accordingly. I am fortunate that I have a large lake 15 minutes from home. I paddle there often, sometimes to fish, sometimes to...