Recent content by tketcham

I agree. I use stainless steel thermos bottles now (Hydroflask) instead of Nalgene bottles. The drawback to the thermos bottles is they don't hold as much water for the same size bottle, so you have to carry more bottles or use larger bottles. I suppose I could find uninsulated metal bottles but...

It'd be interesting comparing the Clipper and Swift versions of the P14 in a range of water conditions. And I wonder if James van Nostrand and David Yost ever got to talk about canoes? Clipper builds solid canoes that last; they can be just a bit heavier for it though.

I don't know anyone personally but I've heard it's fairly capable in whitewater. It's not a playboat though, it's intended for handling fast moving sections of river carrying a load. It's an all-around canoe, designed to be able to cover long stretches of flat water and not have to portage...

I wasn't going to post anything because the OP is such an open-ended question, especially the "of all time" factor. And did it mean a canoe that can do both lakes and rivers or are they separate categories? Anyway, after RBourg's comment I thought about having one canoe that could do both. I...

What are the best river and inland lake canoes of all time? [Assuming you're including some whitewater capability but not difficult whitewater, Class 3+ and up.] Tandem: Clipper Prospector 17 for a combination of rivers and lakes. Why? I've paddled this canoe in all kinds of conditions and it...

Exactly. That's what I've been trying to point out but apparently failed to convey. It's not about whether it's a canoe or a kayak. It's about a double-blade paddle that fits you and your boat and your paddling style. I think manufacturers and retailers would be better off not referring to...

I checked the BB website and the Impression Solo isn't specifically a canoe paddle. In fact, it doesn't even show up if you use any of the canoe paddle filters, it just shows up among all the single-blade paddles under the "Canoe" heading. But if you look under the "Kayak Fishing" or "Kayak"...

OK, but I'm not convinced and don't need to be because I don't use a double-blade paddle for canoeing. I may decide to use one if I'm no longer able to comfortably use a single blade paddle. Just for discussion, this is what Joe Moore at Placid Boatworks says about double-blade canoe paddles. He...

Thanks for the comments on the Bell Northstar! Although the Northstar Polaris isn't the exact same canoe, I would think that the performance characteristics would be very similar. I see that Oak Orchard has a used Bell Northstar for sale. Despite the concerns I sometimes hear about Northstar's...

Headlamps. Do you guys use 'em? Yup, headlamps are the best flashlights around for all sorts of things. Over the years I ended up with four headlamps with different brightness levels, features, and power. I usually bring a previous iteration as a spare. I would suggest that he make the...

Nice looking canoe! I think Northstar's Blacklite with wood trim is a handsome combination. I often get compliments on my Firebird. But aluminum trim is maintenance free and lighter. I was thinking of the Starlite layup to save a couple pounds more. I'm becoming a gram weenie in my old age.

Sure, at 31 lbs it's extremely lightweight, but spending $5,695 on a canoe might be a little TOO stealthy for my own good. If you know what I mean. ;) Interesting take on the Keewaydin 16. So you have a Polaris? If I order one I'll try it with the lower seat height and then if I think it's...

That's an awfully broad statement with a narrow threshold between the two. Call it what you like but a double-blade paddle is a double-blade paddle regardless of length or blade shape. This thread has a lengthy discussion but no clear consensus. It's like trying to break out two broad categories...

Our Odyssey can handle just about any load we put into it. Kitchen sink, 20 qt. cast iron Dutch oven, and a porcelain bathtub. Just kidding, but that makes for a big canoe for day trips. It's fast and seaworthy so it's great for big water conditions, but, it's not very maneuverable and gets...

ABT, thank you for your impressions; very helpful. We're fairly lightweight paddlers so I think we'd be a good fit for the Polaris. The compromise you mention is kind of what I figured about the potential of the Polaris as a replacement for the Curtis Northstar. Having comparatively better...