Wanted: Superior Expedition, Kruger Dreamcatcher or Kruger Sea Wind

[Glenn MacGrady]

as a hit and switch paddler, the T-grip handle is difficult to smoothly transfer from one hand to the other. Thats just the price of using an outrigger paddle in a C1. Fortunately, paddling with a rudder allows me to paddle longer on a given side and takes most of the penalty out of the slow switch. I plan to eventually replace the t-grip with a carbon-fiber pam grip.

Paddlers of ruddered outrigger canoes, of which I am one, don't need to switch paddle sides to correct yaw—the rudder takes care of that. Therefore, ruddered canoeists switch paddle sides much, much, much less often, and for different reasons, than hit & switch paddlers in CanAm canoes.

Outrigger canoeists prefer t-grips on paddles in order to have greater rotational blade control when surfing ocean waves and clapotis, similar to the strong preference for t-grips among whitewater canoeists in turbulent rapids.

I can visualize how a t-grip would be clumsier to aerial switch than a palm grip paddle. But you won't need to do switches very often in the Kruger, though you may just prefer a palm or cobra grip for general reasons.

 

[yellowcanoe]

The Sea Wind type of canoe paddles beautifully with a bent shaft. And virtually no need to switch. A double blade is really a knuckle rapper with that coaming.. That is a very interesting double bend paddle in all carbon. I have a Mitchell double bend with a carbon blade and wooden shaft.

 

[dogbrain]

The Sea Wind type of canoe paddles beautifully with a bent shaft. And virtually no need to switch.

A number of years ago, while packing up to leave camp, my friend slipped on some grass and fell with all his weight on a dry bag he had tucked under one arm. He cracked a bunch of ribs and could hardly breath, but he was able to paddle his Kruger on one side only all the way out from the south arm of Yellowstone Lake the whole way.

Mark

 

[yellowcanoe]

Guess his dry bag had no fleece but did have hard stuff!

 

[CanoeNoir]

Paddlers of ruddered outrigger canoes, of which I am one, don't need to switch paddle sides to correct yaw—the rudder takes care of that. Therefore, ruddered canoeists switch paddle sides much, much, much less often, and for different reasons, than hit & switch paddlers in CanAm canoes.

Outrigger canoeists prefer t-grips on paddles in order to have greater rotational blade control when surfing ocean waves and clapotis, similar to the strong preference for t-grips among whitewater canoeists in turbulent rapids.

I can visualize how a t-grip would be clumsier to aerial switch than a palm grip paddle. But you won't need to do switches very often in the Kruger, though you may just prefer a palm or cobra grip for general reasons.

Glenn, I know you’re just trying to make me jealous, but I can only dream of nimbly surfing salty waves with my trusty T-grip paddle in hand and flying the Ama on a sleek OC-1 just for kicks. I actually purchased the Kialoa to accompany a Huki V1-R that I was closing the deal on, but things just didn’t work out. I was tempted to send the paddle back, but after a brief test paddle with it I was hooked. Since then, I’ve paddled hundreds of miles with the Kialoa in my decked Clipper Sea-1 and I can attest that, as you've said, it works beautifully in conjunction with the rudder.

You are so right, no need to switch sides to steer in a rudder equipped canoe. I do switch though, but just to give these weary “young” shoulders a brief respite. If I ever manage to get my hands on a reasonably priced sleek OC-1, I may keep the T-grip, but right now that’s a low probability use case for me.

 

[CanoeNoir]

The Sea Wind type of canoe paddles beautifully with a bent shaft. And virtually no need to switch. A double blade is really a knuckle rapper with that coaming.. That is a very interesting double bend paddle in all carbon. I have a Mitchell double bend with a carbon blade and wooden shaft.

YellowCanoe, on New Year’s Day 2022, I will finally be able to baptize my Sea Wind, and I hope that it will indeed paddle as you’ve said, beautifully. It does take a bit of mental focus for me to spare my knuckles when paddling with the double bend, and I have to admit that I can maintain a much higher cadence with a conventional single bend ZRE paddle than I can with the Kialoa. I still love her though. How do you like the Mitchell and do you paddle a C1 or an OC1 with it?

 

[CanoeNoir]

A number of years ago, while packing up to leave camp, my friend slipped on some grass and fell with all his weight on a dry bag he had tucked under one arm. He cracked a bunch of ribs and could hardly breath, but he was able to paddle his Kruger on one side only all the way out from the south arm of Yellowstone Lake the whole way.

Mark

DogBrain, I hope that your friend has made a full recovery and is once again paddling out there on the Yellowstone.

Even if it turns out that my Sea Wind tracks as straight as an arrow, with or without the rudder, your friends adventure is one spectacular feat I hope never to repeat. It is comforting though, to know that at the end of the day a Kruger won’t leave you stranded.

I have no doubt that there is far more “can do” in each Kruger than there will ever be in me.

 

[tomo]

This has been a heartwarming thread. Last summer, I sold a Dagger Venture that my wife and I had gotten as a wedding present twenty plus years ago. Among other adventures, that canoe took us safely down the Attawapiskat river on our honeymoon (a trip on which we both got giardia--in sickness and in health right out of the gate). While it was sad to part with a boat near and dear to us, we had more or less stopped using it in recent years, so the Venture (named the 'Ed-Venture' in honor of Edward Abbey) found a new home.

My wife cried as the new owner drove it away on the roof of his car. I was sad, too, but also content. The young man who bought it was an outdoor adventure major at the local college, and I knew he was excited to find such a canoe and that he intended to use the heck out of it. At the end of the day, I figured the Venture was better off on some churning river in the back of beyond than it was gathering dust in my garage. Sometimes love requires letting go.

Anyway, I'm happy to see the 'Sea Wind' has found a new home and a grateful owner. Three cheers to the seller. Verlen Kruger (and Clint Waddell) and the book One Incredible Journey inspired me quite a bit in my formative years.

Someday I hope to find a Hemlock SRT patiently awaiting its next chapter....

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I actually purchased the Kialoa to accompany a Huki V1-R that I was closing the deal on, but things just didn’t work out.

If you ever want a good deal on a Huki V1-B in very good condition, with custom inlaid Batik fabric and custom 8" Beckson hatches in the fore and aft hulls, I have one that I'm unlikely to use anymore.

YellowCanoe . . . . It does take a bit of mental focus for me to spare my knuckles when paddling with the double bend

YC was commenting on the use of a "double blade", not a double bend single blade, on the coaming of a ruddered, decked canoe. She uses the same Mitchell double bend Leader in her Mad River Monarch as I have pictured above leaning against my Huki.

 

[yellowcanoe]

YellowCanoe, on New Year’s Day 2022, I will finally be able to baptize my Sea Wind, and I hope that it will indeed paddle as you’ve said, beautifully. It does take a bit of mental focus for me to spare my knuckles when paddling with the double bend, and I have to admit that I can maintain a much higher cadence with a conventional single bend ZRE paddle than I can with the Kialoa. I still love her though. How do you like the Mitchell and do you paddle a C1 or an OC1 with it?

The Mitchell is a heavy beast compared with my Zav and I used the Mitchell mostly for FreeStyle in a tandem canoe which I do not do in the Monarch. The Zav is my favorite. I was meaning that double blades aka kayak paddles can be used with decked canoes but the coaming is in the perfect place to bash knuckles. Single blading prevents that difficulty better. Its OK to have different paddles for different boats.

 

[CanoeNoir]

This has been a heartwarming thread. Last summer, I sold a Dagger Venture that my wife and I had gotten as a wedding present twenty plus years ago. Among other adventures, that canoe took us safely down the Attawapiskat river on our honeymoon (a trip on which we both got giardia--in sickness and in health right out of the gate). While it was sad to part with a boat near and dear to us, we had more or less stopped using it in recent years, so the Venture (named the 'Ed-Venture' in honor of Edward Abbey) found a new home.

My wife cried as the new owner drove it away on the roof of his car. I was sad, too, but also content. The young man who bought it was an outdoor adventure major at the local college, and I knew he was excited to find such a canoe and that he intended to use the heck out of it. At the end of the day, I figured the Venture was better off on some churning river in the back of beyond than it was gathering dust in my garage. Sometimes love requires letting go.

Anyway, I'm happy to see the 'Sea Wind' has found a new home and a grateful owner. Three cheers to the seller. Verlen Kruger (and Clint Waddell) and the book One Incredible Journey inspired me quite a bit in my formative years.

Someday I hope to find a Hemlock SRT patiently awaiting its next chapter....

Tomo, it's wonderful how canoes seem to really connect us to fond memories of the adventures past. I loved the story of your Honeymoon trip, that's one for the book and I hope you shared it with the new owner. I happily sold my first canoe, a 17' Grumman aluminum tank, for a small profit, but I still feel a tinge of sadness when the sun is just so, and a familiar breeze dances across the waters we once paddled.

 

[CanoeNoir]

If you ever want a good deal on a Huki V1-B in very good condition, with custom inlaid Batik fabric and custom 8" Beckson hatches in the fore and aft hulls, I have one that I'm unlikely to use anymore.

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YC was commenting on the use of a "double blade", not a double bend single blade, on the coaming of a ruddered, decked canoe. She uses the same Mitchell double bend Leader in her Mad River Monarch as I have pictured above leaning against my Huki.

Glenn, that's one very slick V1-B. I especially like the fabric wrap and the backup paddle holder. Hypothetically speaking, I wasn't already in the doghosue for the purchase of a Sea Wind, just how much would it cost me to take that Huki off your hands? Thanks for the kayak double-blade clarification. I see a lot of Kruger images with a two-part double-blade strapped to the deck, presumably for rough seas and foul weather, but I just haven't taken to the biomechanics of double-blading. I'm more of danger to myself with one than anything else.