Search results

I think Boatman53 is right about just paddling some. I love the ocean, but ocean paddling is intense. I suggest practicing self-rescue in deep water first. I'd go with other paddlers too, even kayakers. The easiest way to sail a canoe is to just run downwind with something to catch the...

Congratulations on the new canoe. I'd store it indoors and do whatever Northstar says to help prevent rot. It is curious, paddles are normally urethane or varnished and they get about the same flex and abuse as gunwales. I haven't tried urethane on gunwales, but I have a Mad River Explorer...

I saw a lab get hypothermic once in the winter. She was playing in cold water but was to neurotic to quit. She was shivering and had clearly impaired motor skills. It happened faster than I expected. From then on I assumed she was like a person in a thin wetsuit or good synthetics. I...

Getting the balance right with three adults in the boat can be pretty hard. Having enough gear in the front o balance the canoe will put it pretty low in the water. I think the Wenonah and Northstar competitors for this are 2-3 ft longer. I think that makes it a lot more reasonable to seat...

I have a black gold Yellowstone. I think it makes more sense in Royalex. The Yellowstone is kind of short so works best on rivers or tight places. Those are places where Royalex is great.

I think this is one of the greatest hazards for canoe trippers. After my last swim I started carrying the crash bag every time I paddle. It includes dry clothes for each paddler and fire starting kit. I'm always encouraging practice so I guess it is about time. I'm not looking forward to it.

I like how threads are normally displayed with the original post first. However there are a few threads on here that have run into hundreds of pages. Most notably the Photo of the Day thread. Is it desirable or practical to change the presentation of these threats to show the newest content...

I wonder if rather than starting on the football they started with the white and black stripes. That would allow them to position the strips exactly where desired cosmetically. I'm not saying it's a good idea, just a possibility.

I agree with the suggestion that a lighter Royalex canoe is way better than a cheaper polyethylene canoe like a Discovery. I like aluminum better than polyethylene. Aluminum is about the same weight but stiffer, so it paddles better. They are often the same price as polyethylene. A used...

I advocate for flotation in whitewater and open water. Bailing a swamped canoe out in bad conditions is not practical. Floatation makes it feasible to climb back in a partially flooded canoe without sinking it, which could be especially important if you are unable to scamper over the side of...

As of West Virginia native I offer my sympathies. Sadly pollution isn't confined to Ohio. I spent a year in Ohio after school. I was surprised how many great rivers there are for open canoes. There's also historic portages between the Ohio valley and the north flowing rivers.

I've not encountered Tuff Stuff or an equivalent layup in the wild. I like the promise of a stiff durable hull, bonus if it is a little lighter than Royalex. I'm curious to see how your repairs turn out.

This seems pretty straight forward. If there is an established campsite leave the wood. Especially in heavily used campsites, because otherwise people will pillage anything that burns for firewood. In wild areas use your best judgement. Of course I always appreciate when folks leave wood for me.

Yeah, lots of folks are happy fishing from solo canoes, especially the wider ones. I guess my perspective is that if it's as wide as a tandem I'd rather just have the tandem. The Explorer draws about an inch less than my Yellowstone, which is especially nice in shallow rivers or silted...

My perfect fishing solo would be this, a (allegedly) 15 ft Mad River Explorer. https://greensboro.craigslist.org/spo/d/burlington-15-foot-mad-river-royalex/7784277946.html To me a solo canoe is narrow enough to paddle across easily. But canoes this narrow tend to be too tippy to relax in...

Here in the piedmont it has been really dry the last few weeks. We need the rain these storms bring. Obviously would prefer smaller storms rather than hurricanes.

I've paddled in the Carolinas for decades. I don't worry about snakes much. I worry about people, drowning, and gators. This is an excellent site for snake identification. https://herpsofnc.org/snakes/ The northern water snake is ubiquitous in the waters of the Carolinas It is frequently...

I have no doubt an aluminum pole would be perfect However, I have no desire to use one. For now I pole just for relaxation and really like my wood pole. I see bamboo along the river occasionally and thought it might be interesting to have the additional texture of the bamboo pole.

"Glenn, Alan, what is the best way to change this to a thread about bamboo poles?" - I was able to change the thread title to reflect the more correct usage of "bamboo" rather than "cane"

Has anyone used a bamboo/cane for poling? Seems like the feel and flex might be different than a wood pole.