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Using a card scraper to flatten and smooth the epoxy surface of a freestyle paddle. One of several steps before final finishing.

As close as I can come to answering your "constrained" question. I've several times been asked, why is it referred to as freestyle, when it seems like there are such specific maneuvers and prescribed ways of doing them? The specific maneuvers are the building blocks and the prescribed ways of...

As to "functional" being a relatively new term, it is, sort of. As I understand it, the early development of freestyle (originally called sport paddling) was entirely functional. Along the way, the public perception of the genre, influenced heavily by videos, became synonymous with the...

That's an interesting perspective. I'll have to try it myself and see if I come to a similar conclusion. It may be some time before I have the opportunity. My other concern with paddling, stern heavy would be, when there is wind. With the boat significantly stern heavy, it will weather-vane...

Perhaps I misunderstand your reasoning. Canoes turn mostly from the stern. (The stern rotates around the bow) A skeg causes the stern to resist turning, to either side. With enough heel, (and or pitch) it may be possible to raise the skegged stern clear of the water, but then the skeg will have...

If the differential rocker results in the stern being skegged (as is often the case) it will take a defined level of heel and or pitch to lift the "skeg" clear before the stern will be free to skid. That "defined level" will vary from boat to boat. The load being carried and where it is...

Got it. Just wanted to be certain that we were talking about the same issue.

I'm not sure, but by using the term "edged", are you referring to heeling?

Are those the only differences? I'm not familiar with either boat. Is the chine shape the same for both boats? If one has a harder/softer chine than the other, that will make a significant difference.

The Solo 13 is an excellent boat for twisty streams and for learning Freestyle techniques.

tketcham has it right. Heel is one factor but equally important is pitch. Canoes steer, primarily from the stern. Pitching the bow down (by shifting weight forward onto the paddler's knees) lifts (and frees) the stern while pinning the bow. Combined with some heel, almost any hull can be coaxed...

Once you see his work, in person, you will understand. If you are passing through SC on I 95, make a stop at the SC Artisans Center, in Walterboro. He has a canoe and some paddles on display there.

https://freestylecanoeing.com/midwest-canoe-symposium/

Registration for the Adirondack FreeStyle Symposium closes on June 24th. We still have class openings available. For those unfamiliar, we teach everything from the bare basics to the most advanced techniques. We have a lot of fun, too. https://freestylecanoeing.com/adirondack-canoe-symposium/

No symposium on the agenda but private instruction is always a possibility.

Living in Florida but I'll be at the symposium. I look forward to seeing you. It's been too long.

If you want to learn the ultimate in boat control and efficiency, this is the place to be.

https://freestylecanoeing.com/adirondack-canoe-symposium/

https://freestylecanoeing.com/concepts-of-paddle-mechanics/

From the photo it appears to be red cedar though the photo may be misleading. I'm definitely interested in all or some of it. Can you take some additional pictures? I'm in Floral City Fl. about an hour and a half or two hours west of you.