AI compares CanoeTripping.net with P.com

[Glenn MacGrady]

Comparative activity levels

Based on recent forum activity in late 2025, Canoetripping.net appears to have higher recent activity in its canoe forums than Paddling.com. While both sites remain highly relevant, their activity levels and areas of focus have diverged.

Feature

	Canoetripping.net	Paddling.com
User activity	Higher and more recent. A high volume of new posts and replies have appeared as recently as late October 2025, with multiple threads showing recent activity from various members.	Lower in comparison, but still active. While threads are active in 2025, they often have fewer replies and less recent participation than those on Canoetripping.net. Some threads remain unanswered for days or weeks.
Focus	Purely canoe-centric. The forum's dedicated focus on canoe tripping and related topics draws a core group of serious canoeists.	Broad paddling. Covers a wider range of paddlesports, including kayaking, SUP, and fishing, which dilutes the canoe-specific traffic.
Specific topics	Diverse canoe-specific discussions. Covers a wide array of topics, from advanced gear and techniques to trip reports and restorations. A recent thread in October 2025 discussed a moose hunt and another covered a floatplane evacuation.	More general and varied. Discussions are less focused on a single type of paddling. Recent posts have discussed the decline of long kayaks and camping, with a scattering of canoe-related topics.
User base	Strong, dedicated core. Many members post regularly, and their posts often indicate a deep knowledge of canoeing. The community atmosphere is generally respected and well-maintained.	Mixed with broader interests. As the umbrella site for all paddlesports, the user base is larger but more dispersed. A significant portion of the traffic is for kayaking and other paddlecraft.
Site structure	Easy to navigate. The "What's New" section provides a quick overview of the latest posts and replies across all forums, making it easy to see recent activity.	Fragmented interface. The larger variety of forums can make it harder for canoeists to find and focus on canoe-specific threads, though filters are available.

Conclusion: For a canoe-centric discussion with the highest level of recent user engagement, Canoetripping.net is the more active forum. Paddling.com remains a relevant and valuable resource, but its broader scope and a lower volume of recent posts make it less focused for canoe-specific inquiries.

*********************

Me: Not bad.

 

[Robin]

That’s pretty impressive, when I took over, the banner stated the site was open to “all paddlers”. I changed it to “open canoes”, but one of our most prolific members (Mike M.) along with a few others schooled me on decked canoes so we dropped the “open”.
Thankfully, Glenn’s hard work and vision has put the site at the top of canoe world, all without adding kayaks, advertising, and off topic threads, while still remaining informative, friendly, and welcoming.
Thanks Glenn.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

AI, to me is fascinating, impressive, and... a little bit creepy. But I think it nailed that. And thanks, Glenn, for a job well done!

 

[clemency]

Nice.

 

[Jim Dodd]

A Big THANKS to Glenn!
Canotripping.net is by far the Best !
I didn't need AI to tell me that !

Thanks !

Jim

 

[Gamma1214]

I just like that we don't have sponsored content or have to wade through ads.

I've never spent much time on p.com but I thought the forum was merely one aspect of that site while CTN, as a forum only, is more of a social media / interactive experience. (like Facebook except you don't get to pick your friends)

When I became interested in tripping, I checked out some others but only MYCCR and CTN had the info I wanted in an easily searchable formats. I noticed that many people belonged to both forums and this one seemed more active.

Glenn's upgrade from vBulletin to Xenforo really helped move the site forward and I'm pleased that it continues to thrive. Many thanks.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

The Google AI analysis surprised me with its speed, content and formatting.

I don't read p.com very often anymore and only post here, but the AI comparison looks well-researched and accurate. In addition, the table layout is very informative. I suppose the AI is programmed to make such comparison tables. Finally, I was pleasantly surprised that the Xenforo software accurately rendered the table format both on my computer and on my phone.

I strongly believe the site should remain focused on canoes. I also believe that the site should offer forums for all types of canoeing, even small minority interests such as decked canoes and outriggers, as well forums for related topics. In this age of omnipresent, quick-response social media sites, I don't believe a discussion forum would be very successful if limited to just one aspect of canoeing or to just one geographic area, and might even die for lack of participation and financial support.

As a result of the canoeing pluralism written about and pictured here, I know that many members and lurkers have tried (and bought) different types of canoes, and have begun paddling in different types of canoeing waters, because they've been exposed to those alternatives here.

Finally, AI is right that we have a "strong, dedicated core" of members here who start threads and who write and post images regularly. That core is the site's real strength. May it continue, be replenished, and continue . . . .

 

[ThatPaddlingGuy]

I just like that we don't have sponsored content or have to wade through ads.

this is exactly what a forum should be! I have learned so much from forums over the years, starting in maybe 2007, ballpark. That's when I discovered one that was a wealth of information, and that was before the absolute Ad-Swarm that the internet has become. I have been away from forums for a little while recently, but it was such a great feeling stumbling on this site while researching build techniques and being instantly down the rabbithole on so many great build threads. Then finding other people who have already asked questions that were rattling around in my head, and then multiple perspectives chiming in with different solutions. Then asking my own questions and having multiple responses and clarifications from people with years of experience to draw from.
This is community learning and knowledge sharing! It's so much better than any of the dross like the recipe sites where you have to scroll past ten ads just to get to the ingredients list.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience, to everyone who contributes to the forum!
Cheers.

 

[gumpus]

I liked it better when both forums were healthy. P.net/p.com was abandoned by the new owner the last time the site was sold 5-6 years ago....zero support for IT or user issues, zero direction...just nobody home as evidenced by the fentanyl ads that ran for months on their classifieds. With no leadership the trolls, attention-seekers and off-topic posts increased and the vast majority of experienced, active paddlers left the site. It's just sad. I loved the diversity of that site and I have learned a lot from kayakers since some have massive amounts of experience in many/most of the subtopics on CT. I'm not trying to argue that CT should be broader since I imagine that there are pro's and con's to every alternative, but I do think the site pays a big price by excluding the knowledge and experience of folks that have just about everything in common except type of boat. I also enjoy the unique insights a canoer can get from folks that paddle more than one type of boat. I just highly value every type of paddling knowledge/experience so while I'm happy that CT is healthy I do not enjoy seeing p.net, myccr, and songofthepaddle falling apart.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I do think the site pays a big price by excluding the knowledge and experience of folks that have just about everything in common except type of boat.

The knowledge and experience of kayakers is not excluded here. Many of us were or still are kayakers and surf skiers. Kayakers can contribute their knowledge and experience, start relevant threads, and post pictures—all on topic—in many if not most of our 39 topical forums. We actively discuss double blade paddles and pack canoes, which can be considered deckless kayaks, and many of our canoe trips (and photos) include kayaks. We just don't feature discussions of kayaks themselves.

Kayakers are much more prevalent than canoers, especially in the U.S., and kayak discussions would surely overwhelm canoe discussions if we lost our canoe focus. There are plenty of kayak-centric social media and other forum sites all over the internet. This site is and will remain canoe-centric.

I do not enjoy seeing p.net, myccr, and songofthepaddle falling apart.

I don't know the current states of those sites. I'm too busy actively administering this one, and, in my experience, active administration is necessary for the success of any niche subject matter site.

As far as I know, p.com was bought by what I call a forum aggregator—a company that buys a lot of discussion sites, populates them with ads and other commercial content, hopes to make a profitable revenue stream from that, takes no personal interest in actively administering the forum, and likely has no expertise in the subject matter of the forum at all. I've been offered buyouts by two such companies, but have rejected the offers.

I know that the MYCCR Forum is a for-profit company owned by a non-profit company, the WCA. The MYCCR Forum is funded by ads and WCA membership money. I've never gotten the impression over the last decade or so that it is actively administered.

By actively administered, I mean the owner and moderators personally and actively engage not only in behind-the-scenes techno stuff and administrivia, but are out front virtually every day starting and responding to threads, posting on topics, answering questions, and being personally involved in the digital community. Because they love the sport and enjoy perpetuating it.

That's the way this site has always been administered, and I hope it will continue to be when I pass the baton. If other sites don't or can't operate that way, then they are likely to suffer in the declining demand of the niche canoeing market.

 

[scoutergriz]

I've been here for a little while, and in that time I've watched other sites die an inglorious death due to several reasons like loss of focus, commercialization, and failure to maintain them.
I've even watched one forum die from harassment due to a similar sounding but unrelated site getting caught in serious legal and moral issues. (that led to actual death threats to the site owner) I was a member of most of those sites and a moderator for a few-In EVERY case there were a few red flags that led to their demise; lack of substantial moderation, lack of technical upgrades, and the biggie- a few outspoken members who were allowed to take over the conversations and steer them into directions not wanted and not controlled resulting in mass defections.
that's the difference with this site and our admin people- upgrades are applied as needed, while off topic posts are allowed and even encouraged- they are shifted to the appropriate page, and no one member can control the conversation and belittle newer or less experienced members
having been a moderator on other forums I give kudos to Glenn and his helpers for keeping this ship on an even keel (pun intended) and carefully moderating what happens here while encouraging debate, while at the same time beating off the spammers, scammers. and ne'er do wells...