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Thanks in part to the encouragement (or enabling?) of several of our other members, I brought a 1978 Wenonah Jensen C-1 home from WPASCR yesterday. Before this weekend, I wouldn't have guessed that a marathon racer might suit me—I think of canoeing as being about the journey, and I like spinning...

One thing I have heard about covers—which up to now has prevented me, perhaps mistakenly, from getting them for my canoes—is that materials left in contact with the hull can damage canoes stored outside, e.g., by trapping water against the hull (potentially encouraging wood to rot or gelcoat to...

I definitely wouldn't call the Independence a river boat, but I think it would be about as capable on a river as most similar solo tripping canoes. Its biggest problem is, like you say, that it slices through waves, which is great on a windy lake but means you'd have to be pretty careful to...

Here's one more suggestion for your "linebacker" solo: a Vermont Canoe Indy. This would be a hard canoe to find (Vermont Canoe wasn't around very long!), and the depth at center is a little shallower and the waterline a little narrower than your ideal (29" is the 4" waterline), but otherwise...

I'm in this region too, and definitely interested in joining other folks for paddling!

Haha, I like that way of thinking of it!

Ready for my first outing of the year!

Unfortunately, according the the WPASCR site, both events are on the same weekend this year :( (I also had been dreaming about attending both...it's probably not a realistic dream for me, but still, being forced to decide between them feels like a quandary!)

I too prefer a symmetrical grip on a straight paddle: the asymmetrical grips are very comfortable when oriented the "right" way, but uncomfortable when oriented the "wrong" way, while a symmetrical grip is comfortable no matter which way around it is and so it saves you a little bit of thinking...

This seems like a good suggestion! A 6’ cargo area with the rear seats folded is the same as my Outback, so unlike a Forester, it might (just) be long enough to sleep in. Now THAT is a sweet ride!

Quick correction: I just remembered that the Buick Regal TourX was a thing...these aren't yet old and cheap and aren't as capable off-road as an Outback, but might need fewer repairs?

@Glenn MacGrady, with the above in mind, I think that a Subaru Outback is pretty perfect for you, at least on paper—it's a great canoe vehicle, and great adventure vehicle in general. I have a 2009, and as others have noted, it's long enough to sleep in with the seats folded down (I'm also 5'...

Wow, they really cut the prices by a lot! I wonder if Hemlock got any interest at all at the "original MSRP adjusted for inflation" prices they were originally asking—these are neat canoes (the black Lotus Caper is just stunning), but it seems to me that only someone with very specific, niche...

Yesterday, with my grandfather's help (and tools), I made myself a set of long (72") crossbars so that I can carry two canoes on my car. Thanks again @Tsuga8, @Alan Gage, and @Alien Legs for your advice on DIY-ing these! I ended up using 2×4s, and I attached them to my Outback’s roof rails with...

This is how we always did it in my Scout troop. We did not line the Dutch oven with foil, and we usually used yellow cake mix. Peach sounds delicious as a filling! A small suggestion: if you've never tried it, peach and blueberry is a flavor combo to die for. Never done it for dump cake, but I...

I could be wrong, but that looks like fiberglass/Tuf-weave to me, not Kevlar. I can’t say whether it’s worth $150 or not…but while that boat certainly doesn’t look nice, if the hull doesn’t leak and you don’t mind the appearance, it may be fine to paddle it as-is?

No pictures, unfortunately. @Ripple arrived well before me and circumnavigated the lake; we had a nice chat when I showed up, and he eventually hit the road and I went for a paddle of my own. The weather was mild and the park uncrowded—a perfect day to be on the water!

I’ve liked every solo canoe I’ve tried (albeit some more than others), but the Indy and YS are the only ones I own. In addition to mine + those I tried at WPASCR, in the ~10.5 years since I learned to paddle, I’ve had chances to try a Wenonah Vagabond (in Royalex), unknown Old Town Royalex...

I too was there, and had a lot of fun! I attended in hope of doing the following: Try out as many different canoe models as possible Connect with other solo canoeists Participate in the freestyle clinic (and hopefully improve my paddling technique) Maybe buy some paddling gear I succeeded at...

I agree with this advice—or, as @JohnSand, said, pick up a used paddle if you can find one. One with Sugar Island style blade ~7–8" wide and ~20–22" long should work well in most conditions and therefore would make an ideal first paddle; if, as you say, you want something you won't quickly grow...