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The unfortunate thing about canoe design is what makes a boat fast, also makes it less maneuverable and not so good for whitewater. Right now, my two solos are a North Wind and an Echo. The Echo is a decent boat, but not what you want. When designing the North Wind, Northstar chose to sacrifice...

When I first got my Northstar North Wind solo I took it for a paddle, on a local lake, and tried to do sit-n-switch. I could barely get two strokes a side. I decided I'd need a boat that tracks better, if I wanted to do sit-n-switch. But tracking isn't just about rocker, it's about length too...

I'm not sure who started it, maybe Ted Bell, maybe John Winters, Maybe David Yost. Excluding variations of the Prospector, which seems like it will always be around and popular, most modern composite touring canoes are Swede form with asymmetrical rocker. If they are solo, their widest point is...

I was very impressed with the Buffalo River and the whole area around it. Not a fan of swamps. I know some people think they are beautiful, but I don't get it. Boundary Waters has a subtle beauty. Not a knock your socks off awe inspiring beauty. It's more about the experience. I'd have to put...

Last year I was leading a club trip and I sent out an email about gear safety that included a suggestion not to buy life jackets with buckles rather than zippers. My thinking being that almost all the quality jackets I've seen had zippers, but the cheap kind, like you find a Walmart, have...

I'm assuming the seating in Northstar's Rob Roy is similar to the packcanoe style seating I have in my Northwind, so I should be good there. Their Rob Roy is very light, so that isn't an issue either. I like the hatches on the Wenonah. Packing the Rob Roy looks like it could be a pain. I just...

I've been thinking a little about getting a Rob Roy from Northstar. Might be a good compromise between a canoe and touring kayak. A little concerned about the size. I'm skeptical it could carry a river toilette and five days worth of food, water, and gear. A local dealer has a Loon, but it's...

Graphene is better than ceramic, but tends to be more expensive. I've been using Black Magic intense graphene quick detailer. It's one of the cheaper graphene products out there and is very easy to use. Don't know how much better more expensive products are. Only problem is, it's so slippery...

Funny you should bring this up. Last year I happened upon an article about graphene wax and what a miracle it was. I suggested it to another canoer and he pointed out that Northstar says that waxing your boat makes it slower. I looked into it the best I could but came to no definitive answer...

It's been a while since I've been to the BWCAW, but I'd use what I've been using out west, a Bear Vault. I grind off one of the knobs, to make it easier to open. Two feels like overkill to me. Not sure how the park service would feel about that but I can't imagine they'd look that close. I've...

I got a question from Alan that I'm not seeing here, for some reason. The crack in my NW17 actually looked worse on the inside than the outside. And yes, there was actual torn carbon fiber. An inner later must have been relatively unscathed since no water was coming through. The crack was in a...

There are a few factors to consider. I don't have the internal skid plate option on this boat. I wanted it, but ended up buying a boat he already had in the warehouse. I was sideways to the current, so I had the force of the river pushing against the whole length of the boat. Normally you'd...

I think it's great that Northstar would do that for you. Wenonah will also do custom work. Basically, what you have is a North Wind solo that took too many growth hormones. As the owner of a North Wind solo, it has been my experience that it's sensitive to trim. In particular, it doesn't like...

Over a year ago I bought a Miramichi 18. I've only had it out of my garage once. It's just too big and heavy for me to handle by myself. Even on the water it's a bit much. Esquif has come out with a new model, the Huron 17, made out of T-Formex lite. Basically, they took their Prospecteur 17...

According to the Flex Seal people, their Flex tape can be applied under water. Your incident is why I won't paddle in Florida or any other state with gators. And don't get me started on the Burmese Pythons. My club sometimes has winter trips to such places. Not for me. I'll stick with bears...

That's pretty much in line with what I take on a club trip. What I take depends on what my boat is made of. If I'm in a composite boat, I take my home made glass repair kit but leave out the baling wire and wire cutter. If I'm in a plastic boat, I take the baling wire and cutter, but leave out...

I just measured my paddles to make sure about the lengths. My Werner Skagit, which is what I use most of the time, when I'm paddling by myself, is a 240. I even use that with my inflatable. I have a 230 cm Camano, which I bought mostly for my touring kayak, but I also use it in my Northwind...

I was on an overnight trip with a new club member. Colorado River, not in a rapid, but moving along. I stopped paddling, to take a photo, and we ended up turned sideways to the current. Never saw the rock under the surface. I couln't believe how hard we hit. Loud bang. We hit near the bow...

If you are good with a single blade, the difference isn't that great. I found that out on a recent day trip with my club. And it sounds like you aren't that experienced with a double blade, which would make the difference even less. Having said that, I am certain that most people in a tripping...

I just went and checked to see which one I actually bought. It says Gorilla waterproof patch and seal tape. 4" wide and clear. Is that what you have? If I see a deal on the Flex tape I might get a roll. Supposedly you can do a repair underwater. Like, without unloading the canoe and taking...