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So after getting lots of useful info here, some may recall that I ended purchasing an expedition layup Swift Keewaydin 15 with cherry trim. I was very happy with how the canoe paddled and performed in the water, but the thought of the extra pounds from the expedition layup and the maintenance...

Finally edited and posted some video (17-1/2 minutes) of my second ever canoe trip, three days in Algonquin. FWIW Jim

Turtle, I've tended to overlook the ADKs because Algonquin is closer. But I do now intend to include it in my future research.

Algonquin PP: 4 Days - Canoe Lk -> East Arm Joe Lk -> Little Otterslide Lk > Canoe Lk I've commented about this trip in other topics about this trip, so I'm going to keep this post simple. This was my first-ever canoe trip and I suspect it may be a typical first-timers trip in Algonquin; Canoe...

Glenn, I'm shopping map cases today. Just having the map unfolded and easily accessible may well be all I need. The picture you've included appears to be the Sealline map case I'm presently viewing! As for the GPS, I'm holding off a bit to see if Garmin releases some new compelling upgrade...

Yellowcanoe, I didn't mean to imply that I was running out of energy, I wasn't. This is just an old guy being conservative and always trying to have a reserve in the bank for the unknown...and there were lots of unknowns. Accuracy and precision is a holdover from my sailing days when being off...

Just finished my first-ever canoe trip: four-days, starting from the very popular Canoe Lake access point, the Sunday after the Labor Day holiday. The weather forecast was consistent sunshine and warmer than normal temperatures with light winds for the entire trip. The forecast was accurate...

Hello all, but especially anyone who has yet to go on their first backcountry trip: I've just returned from a four-day trip in Algonquin Provincial Park. I'm a moderately experienced backpacker and a former big water sailboat owner. Most of the navigation on my just-completed trip was as easy...

Just finished trying them out. I bought two of the 12" loopable gear ties and they seem to work ok. The loop secures the tie to the thwart, so that's one and done. The loose end then wraps around the paddle shaft a bit more than 1-1/2 times which seemed to hold ok hoisting the canoe up into...

I'm already a bit past 60 and my 40's are just a blurred memory of eat/sleep/work with as much exercise thrown in as I could manage. ;) I do believe these shallow water practice attempts were more draining than the five-plus mile paddle that preceded them and I would welcome the opportunity to...

Dagger, Excellent information. With regards to calm conditions and good weather, it is clearly beneficial. But in counterpoint, the adrenalin in a true high-risk situation is not to be underestimated either. Also, I found the thickness of the front of my PFD interfered with my attempts to...

I had not seen this canoe while shopping. But if I had, I probably would have felt it was a bit shorter than I'd like. After having test paddled the Adirondack 13.6 and the Keewaydin 14, I do believe I prefer a longer canoe as others in this topic have suggested. But as with all boats, they...

All, The consensus seems to be that knowing how to self-rescue in deep water far from shore isn't a requirement. The weather here in Michigan has just cooled down a great deal and I don't know if I'll be willing to try again anytime soon. But I did get a few good tips to check out the next...

Alan, Each time I tried, I had both hands on the far gunwale. Each time I tried, the far gunwale just raised up and tried to smack me in the face. I am very optimistic that keeping one hand on the near gunwale is going to make the difference. An excellent tip! Thanks!! Jim

I always like to practice emergency maneuvers in controlled conditions before there's an emergency. So today, after paddling a bit over five miles, I went to the far end of the swimming beach, dropped off my hat, glasses, etc, and waded the canoe back out into four feet or more and swamped it...

Thanks folks! Lots of good input here. I can check off a few items right now: Tilley hat -- just a couple years old, but aging nicely Foam pad -- I have a three foot section of a Therm-a-rest Ridgerest that fits perfectly under the seat almost from gunwale to gunwale. The ridges let water...

Time to pick your brains again. So...I now have one canoe, one paddle, one PFD, and a bailer/rope-in-a-bag thing with a whistle as part of the buckle. I've had the canoe out a number of times on local lakes and am looking forward to my first real trip in a few weeks. (Probably 3-5 days in...

In a weird coincidence, I watched this Cowboy Coffee Youtube video just a few days ago. This guy took it to a whole new level -- started with green coffee beans that he roasted out in the bush just before making the coffee. Jim

Upton Tea's Ceylon Blend is my favorite hot. I've tried a lot of the single sourced teas but keep coming back to the blend. For making "sun tea", I use the Darjeeling-Ceylon Iced Tea Blend. For those who may know it by a different name, our "sun tea" is a clear glass jar, one quart/liter in...

While driving the several hours back home with my new canoe lashed to the roof of my truck with four of the small foam wedge things and straps running through the cab, it rained heavily several times. While traveling at freeway speed, no problem. But after I got in traffic and slowed down...