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I actually only know one other person that owns a canoe and I don’t know him well enough to invite him paddling.

Think my wife meerly endures a trip once a year on my behalf, bless her heart. I make it as pleasant and stress-free for her as I can and she seems to have a good time. I’m a full service camping host type of guy. I take care of everything, you just need to relax and enjoy yourself. I don’t...

No desire to camp in the snow, but find myself looking at these to help extend the camping season. Early spring can be damping and cold and late fall can have those frosty mornings. I hate the condensation in a regular tent when it’s cold out. Makes everything feel damp and clammy...

You wouldn’t necessarily know it by looking at me but I’m into running and triathlons. Done 3 marathons thus far and do at least 2 half-marathons every year. Just short triathlons, not committing enough to attempt an Ironman. Never quite realized how that level of fitness greatly enhanced...

Eagerly looking forward to this. Just did one day last year but think I’ll do the full weekend this time around and attend some seminars. I’m hoping the Canadian Mfg’ers attend this year. Would love to get some Nova Craft swag without having to pay the international shipping charges.

Getting caught at a remote campsite and a big storm/tornado pops up. So far I’ve been lucky with that with canoe camping but got caught in a tornado while car camping. It was my wife and I. We were holed up in the tent up hearing the deafening roar of the wind and rain. I had my weather...

Because I don’t know a single person in real life that does canoe camping. Every trip is an experience in refinement of my gear and procedures. Was hoping through this forum I’d live vicariously through others as they go on their adventures and learn from their experiences.

I got about the smallest 2-car garage you can have. I used T-slot aluminum channel suspended from the ceiling. A threaded knob is removed and the bottom bar swings down. Canoe is raised/lowered via a rope and pulley system.

Where I camp I really don't have a valid fear of wildlife (northern WI). When solo and darkness is falling you really get that feeling of vulnerability. Wouldn’t feel as alone with the dog, but my little toy dog is stupid. Sure she’ll probably alert you to something but she’d also just...

I solo tripped once. Definitely prefer not to but looks like next season I wont have much choice. Anyway, how have some of you overcome the boredom and loneliness? What do you do to stay occupied? Theres already a thread on fears. For me things get real creepy and lonely once it gets...

…also I am hyper paranoid now about dragging my canoe well onto shore and tying it to a tree. I was camping on an island once. It was windy and we beached the canoe and started unloading to set up camp. I walked back to the beach and my heart sank as the canoe was gone. I frantically...

2 legged predators For some reason when deep in the middle of nowhere my biggest fear is encountering another human. Maybe Deliverence scarred me for life. I was once camping in a remote area and got woken up at 1am by the sound of an approaching ATV. Adrenaline dumped, I could feel the...

Just experienced a trip from hell. Got a childhood friend that I now only see once ever few years. We went camping and it turned out he’s a raging alcoholic. First day we were fishing and I realized he was getting way too tipsy for the canoe. I struggled to get us back to camp without...

I have a bunch of hobbies I rotate through. -got a triathlon bike collecting dust. Don’t run as often as I should anymore either. -scuba diving. Got rid of all that equipment when I redid my garage. Concluded I got all I wanted to get out of that hobby. - mill and lathe in my basement...

Usually weather. That prompted me to cut a few trips short. If the final day gets forecast to be nothing but rain I’ll leave early. I avoid having to pack up wet gear if I have an option.

A rainy day can be relaxing. Always prepare for rain. Best camping experience was one rainy morning, under a tarp with my wife enjoying breakfast and a hot cup of coffee. It was so peaceful hearing the rain on the tarp and watching the mist over the water. However one spring solo trip I...

I’d feel extremely naked and vulnerable if I don’t have some sort of firearm on me. Usually carry a 40 cal service pistol. If anything it can make a loud bang to scare something off. You don’t always have to use it in a lethal way against unwanted critters. My biggest security concern is...

I use a bicycle cable lock. I’ve also added some stainless steel loops on my gunwales to serve as anchor points for the cable (and gear) The nuts on those bolts have the strongest locktite I could get on them. Also I filled in the screw head with JBWeld. Suspect this will thwart a theft...

Guess I taught myself as a kid. Even running rapids, learning to read the river through experience. Paddling isn’t rocket surgery so with experience you learn what works, what feels right, etc. It was only recently that I started watching YouTube and reading on this topic and learned these...

No, but I’ve had my canoe abandon me. Stopped at an island just the check it out. Walked around the island back to the canoe and it was gone. I frantically scanned the area and saw the wind caught it and managed to blow it out in the lake. I had no choice, all my gear was in there, so I...