Recent content by yknpdlr

I’m also 6' and use a 50' or 51" bent GRB carbon, sometimes even a 49", choice depends on the particular boat and seat height. In a large Yukon River voyageur, I may use a 52". As primary bow paddler, my normal constant comfortable race cruise cadence for the team is about 60-65 spm power...

When I was on active duty in the Air Force as a senior flight navigator during the height of the Cold War, my home happened to be well off base, but not far from the flight path center line off the extended end of the runway. If the big one ever happened, I knew that flight timing to reach us...

Most of my solo canoes (Hornbeck, Swift Cruiser, PB Rapidfire and Shadow) , and larger craft will carve and respond best in a tight turn with an outside heel while paddling on the outside of the turn direction. But my new Savage River Blackwater, with its essentially zero rocker, doesn't seem...

Its because those canoes are marketed and sold and generally "meant" to be paddled recreationally with a double blade, and that is what those owners do. Easy to capture kayak paddler crosovers I surmise. Most are not really designed as racing boats in the normal sense, but race organizers...

In my experience, I completely agree with Steve. Although I do own a couple of Hornbeck sit on bottom canoes that are near impossible to single blade paddle with any comfort or efficiency. I give up the single blade use in a Hornbeck only for ultra-light weight long distance bushwhack through...

Well I trust Charlie, but stil, I do not recall ever seeing that technique done where I have been in canoe carry areas. Others, like myself, I carry by the upper gunwale. I am fortunate to usually have a couple of young strong landscape worker guys when I paddle the Adirondack 90 mile canoe race...

I don't think I have ever seen a canoe carried by a lower down gunwale. With that big sail up there I hope there is not any, or much crosswind, and your path is free of low hanging branches. Not recommended for a woodsy bushwhack I suspect.

Right. Not as convenient for many things as a tent on hard ground, but hammocs have has other advantages that best meet my needs. Many of my early wilderness exploration days were spent far off trails between remote ponds, with a canoe or not. Suitable flat open tent space is near impossible to...

Maybe ok for short casual carries. But I would not want o have to quickly locate and mount it without dropping it overboard as I approach and maneuver to safely land at a carry landing at speed during a race. For non race trips when I am not in a hurry, I have a carry yoke that easily and...

Maybe. I 'd like to see one in action. I suspect it would have to be temporarily duck taped in place and hope that it would not interfere with paddle strokes on that side. Could be a step up from foam pool noodles. if it works, I would buy one but $23 with shipping seems like a lot for a trial.

"You're gonna need a bigger boat". ;)

Same here. Bugs are definitely a problem here in the Northeast until most often mid-late August. I ditched a tent on most trips years ago, in favor of a much lighter net enclosed Hennessy hammock setup. with overhead syl-nylon rain tarp. Best advantage is I save time by not having to search for...

I have often heard Charlie talk about the on side heel presenting a "banana shaped" hull to the water, causing a bow bias carve toward the heel side, making it easy(ier) to paddle constantly on one side with little to no yaw. I find in my solo and C2 canoes, that using a pitch stroke, my bow...

I first met Gene and John Newman through a common Yukon paddler friend after I had been invited to join him on the Yukon River races. My friend owned a couple of 28' 6-7 seat cedar strip voyagers built by the Newmans. One, lightweight, extra thin and lean, dubbed "Slenda Glenda" was a training...

Over the years I have had back issues, in and out of paddling and normal daily activity. At times my slipped disk between #2 and 3 has flared up, made worse by long time sitting. At times getting out of the car is so painful I have to lift myself up by holding on the top of the door window to...