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Well, I finally got out the scales and weighed some boats. The RX Morningstar comes in around 60.5 lbs, and that's with only a center seat. I still don't have a yoke and the shape of the gunnels doesn't work that well with the clamp-on yoke I have. The Rx Heron is only 55 lbs with two seats...

Followed by loudly clanking the pole right where you just indicated? ;)

I don't consider your cottonmouth description to be aggressive behavior. We are giants to most snakes - something 100x bigger than a cottonmouth or rattlesnake. They don't want to get stepped on and crushed, so they're trying to get our attention. 'Hey, I'm here, don't tread on me!' There's...

Haha, fair enough! The fly fisher was friendly enough as I was putting in. I had a poler this weekend tell me the way to get on their good side is retrieving their snagged flies for them. But, they're a rarer breed around here, I don't see em too much thankfully.

I suppose you could get a 1ft length of scrap pipe (any material but same interior diameter), weigh it before and after adding foam, and multiply by 12 for a guesstimate of additional weight? There was a guy fly fishing at my poling spot yesterday. I sure wouldn't want to be trying to fish...

Well, it's definitely true - time in boat is critical. It is also true that getting all these tips and tidbits from polers on- and off-line is really helpful. I put in another couple hours practice today. Flows are up in the local creek and I had some very challenging (for me) climbs. I also...

From time to time I manage to somehow channel a clang into my ear by planting the pole with my hand right near my ear. Today, I was trying to hold still in a current and could hear the rushing water sound transmit up the pole. For those than manufacture their own aluminum poles, I wonder if...

After work today the sun had that particular orange hue that I'm beginning to associate with wildfire smoke haze.

Flows are up, so I headed out after work for some practice climbing drops with the pole. Doesn't look like much from the bridge... maybe it doesn't look like much from water level either for down-river folks. It was plenty challenging for me to climb.

Trip report: https://www.canoetripping.net/threads/clarion-river-western-pa-may-23-25-2025.130091/

PART 2 Eventually we made Clear Creek State Park campground. We’d gotten a map at the Cooksburg park office where we left the car that had a more detailed view of the campsites, which helped. The canoe campsites are all the way at the downstream end past all the RVs and car-tent sites and below...

PART 1 Following extremely helpful input from this group, my friend Justin and I had planned to do the Clarion River together. We were coming from a day's drive in opposite directions and had to take off work, so we were committed to the dates. Heavy rains leading up to the trip had us a bit...

Very nice, Bob, thanks for sharing. I have a GP but it's only 96 in or so. Not sure if I could source 10ft lengths of nice lumber to make one that long around here....what type of wood is yours?

@Bob B. is that a Greenland paddle you're using with the Eaglet? What length? I assume it works well for you? I've been eyeing the Eaglet as a nice all around solo that could be poled but still paddles efficiently. Seems like there aren't a lot of boats in that width range of 32-ish in...

'Blood River' will not. I happened upon that book a few months back and devoured it. Gripping, scary in so far as seeing what happens to society when law and order really breaks down. My sister lived and worked in DR Congo for several years. She loved the spirit of many she met, joyful...

Well, long story short we went for it and had a great time. Trip report will be forthcoming.

Thanks @MichaelMerry , very useful info! We're sitting at a brewery in Ridgway watching the gauges and weather and clutching our pearls.

Super helpful, @NoelCanoeDad , thank you again! Ever the optimist, I did already pack the collapsible pole, but sounds like we might be leaving it in the car haha.

@NoelCanoeDad thank you for pointing this out! I've been watching the gauges but didn't realize about the launches getting closed. We're planning to put in at the outfitter in Ridgway and take out at Cooksburg, so hopefully we won't get kicked off the river. I was also banking on the water...

Well I finally got to it (actually got the audio CDs from the library). Echo others here in their strong recommendation. I was interested to learn that much of the expedition was accomplished in dugout canoes. Didn't see that coming!