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  1. tomo

    Northstar Polaris dedicated solo just arrived!

    Congrats!
  2. tomo

    Hemlock SRT Ordered

    I, too, can't wait to see pics. I looked for about two years without seeing a used one come up anywhere near me, so I ended up ordering one in 2022. Its maiden voyage was a long solo in Wabakimi that summer, and I've loved it ever since. Can't wait to paddle it more in the years to come...
  3. tomo

    Hemlock SRT Solo Canoe Review

    I do find the depth of the SRT and my ability to comfortably kneel and extract my feet to be a huge plus. I bought it for extended river trips, but it will likely be my boundary waters cruiser as well (I also have a swift osprey and a mohawk odyssey 15). Having said that, it is a 'twitchy'...
  4. tomo

    for Blackhawk/specialty canoe lovers

    Dave Curtis has a batch of rare and interesting canoes for sale: https://www.hemlockcanoe.com/used--demo-canoes.html
  5. tomo

    Unfulfilled Tripping Dreams?

    I've got some unfinished business. I tripped a lot in my late teens and through my twenties. When we had kids the long trips tapered off for the better part of a decade. Now that those buggers are teenages (almost 19 and 16), I want to get back to extended wilderness trips. Managed a 24 day solo...
  6. tomo

    One canoe to rule them all?

    I think if the goal was one canoe to do it all, a16' prospector would be about as good as it gets.
  7. tomo

    What are your current solo canoes and how do you like them?

    I have a Royalex Mohawk Odyssey 15 that I use for bony rivers (wish I'd gotten the 14)--though truth be told it doesn't get much use, an old Swift Osprey that I think is a Kevlar/Fiberglass mix (it's proven to be pretty durable) that I greatly enjoy and am not afraid to use and abuse, and a...
  8. tomo

    How is your winter so far?

    Raining in Duluth with no snow to speak of....
  9. tomo

    My Perfect Solo River Canoe

    I have a Mohawk Odyssey 15 in Royalite (maybe), an old Swift Osprey in fiberglass/kevlar and a Hemlock SRT. I'll use the Odyssey for really bony stuff, the Osprey for moderately bony and the SRT for trips where I don't think the hull will get much dragging or shallow river abuse. To Gamma's...
  10. tomo

    My Perfect Solo River Canoe

    I think the SRT is often characterized as responsive but also tippy, though like everything such a declaration is often in the eye of the beholder. I remember a dog owner on here whose dog hated the SRT because it was so deep that the dog couldn't put its nose on the gunwale when lying down...
  11. tomo

    Winter footwear preferences?

    For below freezing conditions I love Steger Mukluks.
  12. tomo

    MEC Mantis tarp

    I had (and perhaps still have) an early version of the mantis. The only thing I hated about it was that the pole sleeve was only slightly larger than the long pole. I found that a pain to take deal with. The shelter itself was very easy to set up and otherwise enjoyable. Currently use a CSS Lean...
  13. tomo

    SRT spray deck, yes or no

    Spraydecks seem like a good idea for expedition river travel and nice to have for lake travel. For daily paddling, probably unneccessary. For whitewater, flotation is probably best. Back to Art's specific question about the SRT: I think it would be less likely to need a spraydeck or other...
  14. tomo

    SRT spray deck, yes or no

    I think most canoes would benefit from a spraydeck, though I also thinnk the SRT, given its depth, runs dryer than many canoes. Here's my SRT with spraydeck on Brennan Lake in Wabakimi. Spraydeck was made by Cooke Custom Sewing.
  15. tomo

    Great Explorers: P. G. Downes

    One of my heroes as well. I love in Sleeping Island when he declares, standing on some vista with lakes spread out befor him, "Well, I suppose I shall never be so happy again." Sums up deep, immersive canoe tripping. I'll have to track down his journals.
  16. tomo

    Another WTB Swift Raven

    Hi all, Looking to get my hands on a Swift Raven if anyone is willing to part with one or knows of someone who might be willing to sell. I live in Duluth, MN, so I don't see many Swifts in this neck of the woods. Thanks!
  17. tomo

    Kopka/Brightsand/Kashishibog Rivers

    Great, in-depth report. Thanks! Your pops is a beast. I looked through a few of my photos to try to capture the water level difference. The Brightsand shot mirrors a pic you took. That stretch of river on the Kopka was challenging in high water as well (early marked sets), and there was a...
  18. tomo

    Kopka/Brightsand/Kashishibog Rivers

    I'm excited to read this! I did a 24 day solo in Wabakimi last summer (2022-high water year), and this route was the second half of my trip. It'll be fun to see it in low water and to hear about it from your perspective.
  19. tomo

    14 Days on the Upper Thelon River

    Michael, I totally understand your feelings about capsizes being 'unacceptable' on remote rivers, which you've mentioned often. But it's also true that sometimes sh*t happens, even with plenty of experience and even (sometimes) while exercizing reasonable judgement. (I'm not saying that's the...
  20. tomo

    The Appeal of a Long Wilderness Trip?

    For me, the appeal of a long trip is the amount of time spent in the 'sweet spot.' Not thinking about what you left behind, not thinking about what you're going back to, but having an extended amount of time living 'in the moment,' taking each day as it comes. My experience is the longer the...
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