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OK, but I'm not convinced and don't need to be because I don't use a double-blade paddle for canoeing. I may decide to use one if I'm no longer able to comfortably use a single blade paddle. Just for discussion, this is what Joe Moore at Placid Boatworks says about double-blade canoe paddles. He...

Thanks for the comments on the Bell Northstar! Although the Northstar Polaris isn't the exact same canoe, I would think that the performance characteristics would be very similar. I see that Oak Orchard has a used Bell Northstar for sale. Despite the concerns I sometimes hear about Northstar's...

Headlamps. Do you guys use 'em? Yup, headlamps are the best flashlights around for all sorts of things. Over the years I end up with four headlamps with different brightness and battery levels. I would suggest that he make the information about the headlamp features more prominent on his...

Nice looking canoe! I think Northstar's Blacklite with wood trim is a handsome combination. I often get compliments on my Firebird. But aluminum trim is maintenance free and lighter. I was thinking of the Starlite layup to save a couple pounds more. I'm becoming a gram weenie in my old age.

Sure, at 31 lbs it's extremely lightweight, but spending $5,695 on a canoe might be a little TOO stealthy for my own good. If you know what I mean. ;) Interesting take on the Keewaydin 16. So you have a Polaris? If I order one I'll try it with the lower seat height and then if I think it's...

That's an awfully broad statement with a narrow threshold between the two. Call it what you like but a double-blade paddle is a double-blade paddle regardless of length or blade shape. This thread has a lengthy discussion but no clear consensus. It's like trying to break out two broad categories...

Our Odyssey can handle just about any load we put into it. Kitchen sink, 20 qt. cast iron Dutch oven, and a porcelain bathtub. Just kidding, but that makes for a big canoe for day trips. It's fast and seaworthy so it's great for big water conditions, but, it's not very maneuverable and gets...

ABT, thank you for your impressions; very helpful. We're fairly lightweight paddlers so I think we'd be a good fit for the Polaris. The compromise you mention is kind of what I figured about the potential of the Polaris as a replacement for the Curtis Northstar. Having comparatively better...

I did consider the Seliga but I'm wanting a replacement for the Odyssey that has similar characteristics but more maneuverable. Your suggestion, though, got me to rethinking about the Northstar Northwind 17. I won't be paddling the canoe solo so the benefit of the shouldered tumblehome on the...

Combined weight is around 285 lbs so I think we're a good fit for the Polaris. We have to add weight when we paddle the Odyssey on a day trip.

As with many aging canoeists, we're considering replacing one of our canoes with something lighter. We have a 18.5' Wenonah Odyssey and a 16' Curtis Northstar and it's tough deciding which to replace because they're both great canoes that complement each other well, and, there's not that much...

Good to know! Did the foam actually get damaged? That's what I wonder about.

That's the number one reason I will continue to bring a Garmin inReach device. Plus, it's far more durable and reliable than my "smart" phone. I do like the satellite capability of my phone when I'm traveling through or car camping in areas without coverage.

Moose in New England get infested with winter ticks (Dermacentor albipictus) and there can be so many (10's of thousands) that young or severely infested moose can die from it. Luckily these ticks don't go for humans. Winter ticks

Perhaps true but the foam core in my Firebird wraps up into the chine of the hull and a bad hit right at the margin of the foam might cause some tricky damage to repair. Just speculation on my part and I hope to keep it that way. 😄

I think those two factors plus cost are considered with each build but one or the other gets priority, at least that's what I consider when shopping for a canoe. And look at how many canoes with durable but heavy layups are sold, where weight wasn't the priority. I used to own a heavy-duty...

Used to be road bicycling in the summer and skiing (alpine & Nordic) in the winter but I don't ride roads anymore and I'm only a half-hearted mountain bike rider. Fifteen years ago I moved away from some of the best Nordic skiing in North America and ended up 15 miles from a big alpine ski...

The Yakima Timberline towers ($240) and round bar adapters ($30) fit the rails on our Subaru Crosstrek and work well, even at interstate highway speeds. I hated having to give up on my old Yakima Q-clip towers, though, they were still in really good shape. At least I got my money's worth after...

I think car manufacturers should be the ones to come up with a better solution. Back when cars had roof gutters you could buy a roof rack and it would fit on just about all of the cars sold. But now that gutters are gone and roof rails dominate, Yakima and Thule have to accommodate all those...

I resemble that remark. 😆