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Patapsco Valley State Park offered a canoe, trash-collecting, trip on June 26, 9-11 a.m. That's not much time, but the Daniels stretch is nice, and they were bringing the gear, so what the heck, I went. It was kind of a shock when the leaders (young adults from Americore) asked us to turn back...

At the time I took this photo, I was naked and drying off in the wind, thinking, this is the nicest bathroom ever. Reflecting on it now, my thinking was probably influenced by how good it felt after 7-days of desert heat and accumulated, caked-on, wind-blown dust. It's the Green River, and the...

You probably already figured out that trim is critical. The upstream end of the boat needs to ride higher, and you want the downstream end of the boat deeper. This is similar to tandem canoe. The current will push the deeper end of the boat downstream. A fun exercise is to circumnavigate a rock...

3 years ago, I paddled around Valcor Island on a day trip. I didn’t know there were campsites there, and I was really surprised to learn it was part of the NFCT. south of Plattsburg, isn’t it out of the way? Regardless, it’s great you were able to provide volunteer support to NFCT! Many...

I missed the outage. However, thanks for reviving CT, and pointing out its Canoe Day!

Many places I paddle are swampy and it is difficult to find dry ground on which to step out. It may have started out as a bailer, but the plastic jug with the bottom sliced off, at an angle, is now known as an OBU, on-board urinal. I never thought about the OBU sinking. Foam in the handle idea...

Based on the name, I can see where you might ignore Rocky Mountain Kayak in New Stanton, PA, which is less than a hour from Pittsburgh. But at least give them a call about canoes. I went there about 2005 looking for a canoe. They had some, but I ended up going home with an 18’ sea kayak—long...

After our first night camping on Maine’s St. John, my friends small dog wanted to stay. She wouldn’t get near the boat. she was too quick for us to catch and we ended up shoving off without the dog and returned a half hour later. The dog was then happy to see us and anxious to get aboard. For...

I wish I could find more than the name and serial number for the plane named Bessie. I’d love to replicate the nose art, but lacking photos, I would have to settle for something generic. Painting a bathing-suit clad woman on the nose was a classic in nose art, but I probably won’t attempt that...

The 20’, glassed, cedar plank, Maine freighter I rehabbed got named “Wontonna,” because it could, almost literally, haul a ton of gear. The Northstar B-17 is named “Bessie.” Other canoes have just been called by their model names. The OT Tripper is just the Tripper. The OT Appalachian is called...

MRO did a shuttle for me in 2019. Good folks and service, they did exactly what they promised they would. I recommend them.

It looks like you have a nice pole there. What's it weigh? You calling it a "learning pole" makes it sound like you might be new to poling. One can figure it out, but sometimes pointers are handy--like Harry Rock's "Canoe Poling," or his video "canoe Poling with Harry Rock." If you'd like I can...

Something else: The brim of Tilley hats is so pliable that it will be pinned against your forehead in a stiff wind, and the sun will roast your face. Other than that, nice hats.

Good one, Mason—made me laugh. I considered diving in, but stayed firmly outside the dumpster. There was a Pamlico in there and it didn’t look to have much wrong with it (I couldn't see the bottom). isn’t that one McCrae would turn into a soloized sailing canoe? I had to tell myself there were...

I was cycling through Bladensburg Waterfront Park yesterday when my eye fell on a dumpster full of boats. Mostly plastic kayaks, but that’s a Disco 169 on top, cut neatly in half. A park employee in the area saw me eyeing the dumpster and assured me the boats were all too far gone to be...

We have a larger than average front hall closet. It houses 34 of my wife’s coats, two of my coats left-over from my suit-wearing days, extra leaves for the dining room table, an umbrella for the deck, and miscellaneous baby toys for grand kids. PFD and most paddling gear is in the garage. Boats...

Saturday night I went to the kayak club party, which included a “secret Santa” style gift exchange. I guess I’m a ”stir the pot” kind of guy, because I was determined to give a canoe-centric gift. I painted a pair of wine glasses with the CANOE guy graphic. My gift was the third to be opened...

I never understood their reasoning, but my parents called me Chip rather than the name on my birth certificate.

Last year I was repairing my kayak and needed pop rivets with large flanges to reinstall the seat. CD told me the same thing, they couldn’t spare the parts due to supply chain issues. Yet, when I looked on Amazon, there were several sources and I had the needed rivets the next day. My thought...

I bought a new canoe: a Northstar B-17. I've paddled it a few times now and I like it, it's a keeper! But, really, that name? I've always called my canoes by their model name. The Wenonah Rendezvous is "the Rendezvous", the Old Town Appalachain is "the Appy," and so forth. But b-17 is no name...