• Happy "Killer Rabbit" Attacks President Carter in His Paddle Boat (1979)! 🚣🏼‍♂️🐇

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  1. tketcham

    Thoughts on Northstar Polaris or Northstar Boreas?

    It is, and a lot of fun to paddle on all sorts of water. I can still lift it onto and off the car without too much trouble but I'd rather swap it out now while we can still get many more years out of a lighter canoe. A Swift Keewaydin 16 or Savage River Harmony would both be enjoyable, I'm sure...
  2. tketcham

    Thoughts on Northstar Polaris or Northstar Boreas?

    I'm thinking I should just commit and give the Northstar dealer a call. My hesitation is more about having to sell our Curtis Northstar. :confused:
  3. tketcham

    The New Swift/DY Redesign of the Dragonfly

    Wenonah is often forgotten, I think mainly because they're known for sleek, fast canoes, not the turny boats often discussed here. But they do offer some nice all-around models.
  4. tketcham

    The New Swift/DY Redesign of the Dragonfly

    Wenonah has been featuring skin coat resin finishes for decades. From what I see at Wenonah's web site, the only build option that uses gel coat is the Flex-Core layup.
  5. tketcham

    Thoughts on Northstar Polaris or Northstar Boreas?

    The 1986 Curtis Northstar I have is the Kevlar layup with gel coat, weighs about 55 lbs. Specs are... 16' length; 35" max width, 32" gunnel, 31.5" @ 4" waterline; 21" bow, 14" mid, 21" stern; 2" symmetrical rocker. Curtis catalog can be found here...
  6. tketcham

    Found snowshoe bindings but not available in the US

    Look like solid bindings and I like the way they attach to the webbing. I'd be concerned about the spikes rubbing into the webbing if the spacing isn't ideal for certain snowshoes.
  7. tketcham

    Rio Grande, Big Bend.

    That was an impressive drop with a loaded tandem, especially seeing in the other photos what was beside you and below you.
  8. tketcham

    Found snowshoe bindings but not available in the US

    Howe style leather bindings work well except for the wear on the strap that holds the binding onto the snowshoe webbing. I'd also swap out the instep strap with a cam- or friction-lock type strap. The kind used on backpacks and tie-ins. I only found them for sale on Amazon or Etsy, though. I...
  9. tketcham

    2020 Northstar Magic For Sale

    No need to apologize. I have plenty of canoes to keep me busy and having a Magic has been wishful thinking more than anything. Good deals on great canoes are an attractive nuisance nowadays.
  10. tketcham

    2020 Northstar Magic For Sale

    I was just about to ask if it was still available. 😄
  11. tketcham

    Essay: "Canoes Are Better Than Kayaks"

    And as a canoeist, I think your article makes the case very well, Marc, and my comments were pedantic in that regard.
  12. tketcham

    What the Shell?

    Gore-tex and it's variants aren't as dependable as a good neoprene fisherman's jacket/pants but it does work well for cold weather use when a downpour is unlikely. In cool, wet weather it can be OK as a wind shell but needs an insulating layer like wool. I've begun wearing NRS Hydroskin under...
  13. tketcham

    Essay: "Canoes Are Better Than Kayaks"

    Marc makes a good case, especially if you're a canoeist. :) I agree on the overall benefits of open canoes and single-blade paddles, that's why I still use both exclusively. And there are important advantages in using closed cockpit kayaks, decked canoes, and big seagoing canoes (or as Glenn...
  14. tketcham

    Great Lakes ice coverage - Winter 2026

    https://www.wcax.com/2026/02/03/stuck-skaters-rescued-lake-champlain/
  15. tketcham

    Happens every year

    Woodchucks are fairly tasty because they eat what cows and rabbits eat, but I'd try eating nutria. Probably similar to muskrat, which is OK if cooked well. That makes sense.
  16. tketcham

    Finally got out on snowshoes

    Yup, that's why I like a longer, narrow snowshoe for deep snow bushwacking. They allow a more natural stride than wider shoes but still provide decent flotation. I had a pair of Alaskan Trappers (56"x10") that I enjoyed so when it was time to replace them I went with MSR's Lightning Ascent...
  17. tketcham

    Finally got out on snowshoes

    Great to see you got a chance to get out on the shoes and take advantage of the storm! And breaking trail is the way to go, that's what snowshoeing is all about. Perfect cold weather activity. I love snowshoeing, ever since I was a kid. My grandpa used to salvage snowshoes from the trash pile...
  18. tketcham

    So, what old item do you still use?

    Danners were probably what I would have ended up with but there was a place in Milton-Freewater, OR that sold Nick's boots. (He was a former boot builder at White's.) I started with the Forest Service out of Walla Walla in 1979.
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