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Maybe it's because I started out as a whitewater paddler but I've always strapped gear into the bottom of the canoe. I've never actually capsized a canoe on a trip but we did get swamped by big whitecap waves on a reservoir of the Columbia River once and we just barged our way to shore and...

Good replies regarding the difficulty of categorizing flatwater... It may be that the better way to classify flatwater is to have categories that describe the hazards a paddler may encounter given certain conditions of wind, waves, obstacles, and water levels. As with whitewater ratings, it...

Considering some of the replies so far... That's the argument for breaking flatwater down into categories that reflect the difficulty and risk of paddling in various conditions encountered within that category. As with whitewater, each flatwater category would have ratings based on the range...

I came to the conclusion that using flatwater works in the same way that whitewater does. The problem though, is that flatwater includes a range of paddling conditions not consistently used or described. As Steve (in Idaho) mentions above, locals know what "flatwater" means because they've...

I pack tent flies and tarps separately from tents and hammocks to keep wet from dry.

I always close zippers up, regardless of what the item is. I've had zippers get damaged from being pulled apart if partially zipped or exposed teeth damaged from being pinched or caught on something, especially plastic teeth. With metal teeth the problem tends to be damage to the tape. YMMV

I guess it would have to be based on the potential risks and categorized by waterbody or stream size. Probably end up with a matrix of some sort, with factors like max/avg fetch and wind speed, stream volume and current speed, shoreline roughness, etc. It could get complicated, though there...

There's an interesting discussion regarding the definition of flatwater over at Paddling.com that raises the question: Does flatwater need a sanctioned classification system similar to the ratings for whitewater? The International Scale of River Difficulty (ISRD) for whitewater uses...

The warm water factor is probably something to pay more attention to these days. Back around 1981 I was with two friends aiming to climb Glacier Peak in Washington state but the weather turned and we opted to wait until the following day to climb. So two of us decided to hang out in Kennedy Hot...

Vermonters claim it as their own, but who really knows. I still hear (and use) it now and then. Do a web search for ideas... :)

First tandem canoe that I paddled was a 16' Grumman. My girlfriend and I were visiting friends in Missouri and canoeist friends of theirs arranged a day of canoeing on the Huzzah River. Well, there were bow and center seats to put non-paddlers in but they needed someone to paddle stern in one of...

Really enjoyed it! Some funny stuff, especially if you're familiar with Mainer/New England idioms. I mean, how often do you hear "Jeezum Crow" used in a film? Gonna hafta watch it again some time because I know there's a lot I missed.

Good to hear you found a home for the Northstar. I have a similar situation, a Kevlar 1986 Curtis Northstar that I'll be selling soon. I'm thinking that the big demand for canoes (any canoe) that we saw from 2020 - 2022 (which is when I purchased my Northstar) is pretty much over so I'm not...

Change of plans and instead of the Prospector 13 I'll bring the GRB Newman Classic 15'-8" along with the Firebird.

We're going to see "Canoe Dig It" this Saturday, in large part because of the glowing endorsement by the stunt doubles. ;)

I like the juxtaposition of the Dragonfly 15 and June Bug, largest and smallest of the canoes that day. The difference really stands out in the first photo.

For that the OR ActiveIce Chroma gloves work fine. The Ironsite "tactical" gloves look promising, though the cuff doesn't cover as well.

As long as you use the black sections of the glove to touch the screen it works. Now, I don't type fast on a smart phone so my deliberate, single-digit touches on the screen work fine, but if you like to type fast using both finger and thumb it might be (annoyingly) slower. Perhaps a skilled...

I've been using these Outdoor Research gloves for paddling for years and they work well. They're great for sun protection and blister prevention because they don't get hot, and they dry quickly. They pack up small so I keep them in a side pocket of my PFD, ready when I need them. The thin...

Good point, Marc, and one I was going to add to my previous post after thinking about it some more. Naming ends up being a matter of semantics: FreeStyle or Sport, they both conjure up images of something other than everyday canoeing. I think the unfortunate aspect of promoting advanced...