Recent content by tketcham

I'm not sure where you do most of your canoeing but there are a few of us with fast canoes that get together occasionally in southern VT and central MA. Not for racing but just enjoying some time clipping along in a canoe.

True, for ski base shaping the card file is really stiff. For removing fine hairs and smoothing and for wax removal the card files I use are fairly flexible.

It was a funny summer, we were traveling (sans canoes) for almost a month and then I broke some ribs in late summer and that set me back a month or so. Otherwise, I don't have a lot of miles to claim but there were some quality paddling days spread out over the season.

Interesting, your card file looks a lot like the ones I use for alpine and Nordic ski tuning.

True, just wish we'd at least try to slow our homogenization of the Earth's ecosystems.

Sort of, the first may have been from Polynesia, or Asia, or Europe, or South America... And they may have wiped out whole populations of large carnivores, ungulates, and other fauna.

It's getting cold up here (water and temps) so I won't be going out much more this year. I noticed you have a Northstar Trillium. I have a Hemlock Kestrel, which is similar, and I think you'll appreciate the added performance of the Classic if you're wanting a faster boat. The Classic is more...

If that's not bad enough they're probably disrupting native fauna by eating local food sources and/or forcing the natives out of the monkey's territory.

Oh, brother, yet another introduced species that ought to be dealt with before they become a big problem. But people will think they're cute and want to protect them. Do monkeys taste like chicken? Added: I didn't realize that they already are a problem and becoming invasive. And yup, people...

Perhaps Marc Ornstein will chime in but for me the difference between functional freestyle and functional paddling is that when I'm paddling in "freestyle" mode I make a game of executing a range of paddling strokes, including some that I might not ordinarily use when out canoeing to get...

I just purchased a Tensa pole to set up single-tree hammock hangs for just this reason. The pole is a bit heavy but for camping and canoe tripping I think it'll be worth the extra weight. I tried using a collapsible tarp pole I had and it worked for a quick nap but I didn't feel confident using...

I was doing some web exploring regarding heeling and turning/carving (to make sure I'm not totally confused) and this article on the FreeStyle Canoeing website popped up: Heeling vs Carving by Marc Ornstein It has a good description of turning with a heel vs carving with a heel plus some good...

Interesting because from what I've read and experienced (but I'm not a marathon racer) a heel to the paddling side in a fast, zero-rocker solo canoe induces a turn (carve) to the offside, not the onside. That's why a post or wedge works well with those hulls. Maybe modern marathon canoe hull...

Maybe the Packer, a Gene Jensen design. Wenonah Packer 14'

Paddling yaw turns the canoe. Heeling slightly turns/carves the canoe. But if I use those two factors to my advantage I don't have to use as much correction or switch sides as often. I like that. I'm not racing so speed is more of a relative thing than an absolute. Luckily paddling clears my...