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What is the typical life span of marine spar varnish canoe trim? And do you have to completely sand down the original coat? I used marine spar varnish on my old wood/rawhide snowshoes and was impressed at how well it worked but then I would just apply more varnish without sanding. Wasn't pretty...

I just read Voss' account in "40,000 Miles In A Canoe". Great read; impressive sailing and navigation skills. https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/40000-miles-in-a-canoe-john-c-voss/1016993655

Well, I'll find out how well those carbon/Kevlar gunnels hold up over time. Bill must believe it's a reliable setup because I've seen other Swift carbon solo canoes with similar seat drops. I think the key is that the drops provide some reinforcement between the gunnels and the seat rails. The...

I've enjoyed the low maintenance aspect of aluminum trim but have come to appreciate the aesthetics and feel (and sound) of wood trim. It's a bit more maintenance and care but not so much that it's a hassle. I think storing the canoe out of the weather when not in use is key. If maintained and...

They will install/sell traditional seat drops but it's still a special order. :) We had Swift install traditional drops on the carbon/Kevlar gunnels of our new carbon solo in order to raise the seat up another inch (from 7 in to 8 in) for better foot clearance and seat height while kneeling...

Happy New Year. I don't have the nerve (or the gear) to paddle in the winter anymore so I'll have to wait.

I purchased an inReach device for solo canoe tripping and tested it out on a couple day trips in October. It worked great. But I don't sync it with a cell phone so don't need to have one with me. Other than canned check-in messages, I remain disconnected.

Sounds like a banner year for you. I didn't get out canoeing as often as that but had some great days on the water, did some car camping/canoeing, and even a canoe trip with friends in the Adirondacks. It was my first trip in a solo canoe (all tandem tripping previously) so I learned that my...

I saw the photos of the Moore Cue and you can see the workmanship that went into that paddle. I was just reviewing past threads regarding carbon straight-shaft paddles here at Canoetripping.net and Paddling.com and was encouraged by the number of people that owned them or wanted to buy one. It...

You won't find a $125 paddle that weighs 10 oz. :) It is true that carbon paddles are generally more expensive, but a high end wood paddle can approach the cost of a carbon paddle. I have noticed, though, that the price difference between a top name carbon paddle and a quality wood paddle is...

The foot brace cross bar is typically located where I like to put my feet anyway so installing foot pegs instead of a bar doesn't free up much space because I'll still want to put my feet there. Otherwise it sounds like the pegs are mitigation for limited cargo capacity, which can be a good...

My mistake, I thought you'd put in an order for a straight-shaft paddle recently and got the vintage Barton grip. I'm not sure why lighter weight straight-shaft paddles aren't more popular. Oftentimes when I let someone try the 15 oz. Greyowl Fleetwood paddle I use they're impressed with the...

Interesting. When I emailed ZRE about a symmetrical grip this summer he said they didn't carry them and didn't offer an old grip. You obviously have more influence than I. :) That white water grip is great for white water, I used to have a paddle with a similar grip and loved it, but that grip...

I took another look at a grip I have on hand (a used Bending Branches Sunburst grip) and at the shaft of the paddle (ZRE medium straight) and the shaft is oval where I'd have to cut it. I tried heating the shaft to soften the epoxy to remove the grip but it's not going to budge. Shaft is ~1.00"...

I considered that but instead am trying to find an easy solution, like a readi-to-buy wood grip that I can sand down a bit. The only ones I've found so far are too small in diameter and I'm not sure how to do a DIY fix.

The blade is symmetrical enough; it's not exactly symmetrical but it works. It's the asymmetrical grip that I don't like for functional freestyle stuff. I tried a carbon straight-shaft paddle because it's lighter not because I would go faster. My favorite wood paddle weighs 18 oz, which isn't...

I have a straight-shaft carbon blade I bought for paddling a solo play boat but don't use the paddle much. The grip is asymmetrical so the paddle doesn't roll in your palm very well and the "backward" grip isn't very comfortable. I've been looking for a symmetrical grip replacement but the...

I'll take a different path and suggest wind shell pants with full length zippers. No insulation. They don't need to be waterproof but breathable (e.g., Goretex) rain pants work really well. I use them for winter walks, snowshoeing, Nordic ski touring, and even shoveling snow. They're great...

Time in the canoe is a big part of it but perhaps even more so, it takes good instruction. Whether it's informal instruction from fellow canoeists or formal instruction from certified instructors, knowing how to properly/efficiently use a single blade lets us properly practice when we're out on...

To keep the comparison with past Dragonfly canoe builds at par, the Expedition Carbon layup would not have been considered a base model. Nor are carbon/Kevlar gunnels but Swift's wood gunnels option is $800 so let's go with carbon/Kevlar. Based on a common inflation calculator the $4095...