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I agree with Gamma1214 on the carbon paddle. And if your shoulder is chronically irritated by paddling you might want to consider taking a break. (Ya, right. :)) But if you want to continue canoeing and a wood paddle is your preference, I suggest a Grey Owl Fleetwood, which is one of the...

To be fair, that Clipper canoe weighs considerably more than the Swift, probably twice the weight for the same size boat. But if you need a canoe that can take some rough use, the Kevlar/Duraflex layup is certainly tough. Mine was. The Swift marine epoxy build seems pretty tough for its weight...

You're correct, after rewatching the video it appears the UV treatment is the initial coating applied to the mold. Here's the recap video of Swift's 2024 highlights: Bill Swift talks about the marine epoxy resin at 5:00 and at 9:00 he talks more about it and pounds on the hull with a rubber...

The demonstration isn't all that convincing in my opinion; hammering on a flat piece of hull material on a flat surface isn't the type of impact that typically happens while paddling. Maybe the big advantage is that the epoxy resin doesn't scratch as easily? (Added: After rewatching the Swift...

I don't rely on my cell phone for communication when I head out for a solo canoeing adventure (or snowshoeing, etc.) but have agreed to bring a Garmin inReach device. If I had good cell phone coverage that's what I'd use to check in, but I often find that I don't have reliable coverage. The...

Might be as simple as a way to lean/stand the canoe up on end for storage. :)

I tend to cut boat builders some slack. It's not a precision manufacturing process so there are bound to be imperfections that show up, especially with a skin coat build. I own (or owned) canoes made by Wenonah, Clipper, Curtis, Hemlock, Northstar, and Swift and none of them are/were perfect...

Here's a comparison of snowfall and precipitation totals for Burlington, VT since 1942. Unfortunately they don't have complete records before then. Lots of variability from year to year, though there appears to have been more consistent snowfall in 60s and 70s, which is what I remember.

If I'm considered an old timer, then yes, it was colder when we were growing up. There was a dip in the average annual highs and lows during the 60s and early 70s as shown in the following chart based on records from Burlington, VT. Basically a micro-ice age. And also interesting is how there's...

Here you go... You can see how they (Swift) shaped the edge that aligns with the underside of the gunnel. Nice work. (That's the leading edge of the seat by the way.)

That's good to know, about the gunwales that is. And a sliding seat would be handy. I used to hunt rabbits and hares with beagles. Great personalities. I had one beagle that preferred to hunt partridges though. Not always sure what she was trailing until it either ran, or flew.

A friend just bought a carbon Flashfire with the carbon trim and the carbon (kneeling) seat was attached with wood seat drops. :)

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...