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Mcqueen posted:Looking for some recommendations on kayaks. Sped through the thread and decided that two singles would be better than a tandem for me and my partner. I have a rack on my truck so space is not a concern. I have been kayaking maybe a dozen times so far so I’m not new but absolutely not a pro. Personally, I’d like to take it camping and kayak out to a site. Got the pfd, whistle and radio picked out. I've paddled the Pungo's and they are fine, not a ton of gear space in them though. The cockpit spacing was pretty big, I'm 6' and ~200, but on the plus side the cockpit extends a ways so your legginess might be OK. The entry level tier is all fairly similar but the seat designs can vary a lot. The Pungo's had a really nice seat system at the time I used them. Another option could be a sit on top type, I now have that for fishing and a canoe for camping. edit : Tarpon 120/140 might fit your needs well. Yooper fucked around with this message at 18:41 on Aug 18, 2022 |
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Aug 18, 2022 18:35
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Yooper posted:I've paddled the Pungo's and they are fine, not a ton of gear space in them though. The cockpit spacing was pretty big, I'm 6' and ~200, but on the plus side the cockpit extends a ways so your legginess might be OK. The entry level tier is all fairly similar but the seat designs can vary a lot. The Pungo's had a really nice seat system at the time I used them. Another option could be a sit on top type, I now have that for fishing and a canoe for camping. Thats a good point, maybe a sit on top would give me some more space to stretch out. My legs cramped so bad after a while that I couldn't get them back on the rudder control and had to depress the foot control with a paddle to wiggle my foot on it...seemingly not ideal going through the ship canal...
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Aug 18, 2022 19:37
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Siamang posted:You're going to have so much fun on that thing! I made myself wait for a couple of years before getting one and love it. It's such a stable fishing platform. I've been stacking one or two crab pots on the front when I go out fishing. I took it out in the Mississippi for a test ride, and on a local lake for some free time so far. really loving it. Now begins the stage where i blow tons of money figuring out which accessories I need. So far just a bunch of paracord, some tethers for paddle and rods, dedicated beefier tether for the drive, car top kit + some extra cam straps, a 10L dry bag for the hull hatch... soon i'll have get one of those scupper carts. Quite a pain trying to lug this thing overhead up/down a riverbank I'm taking it out to a cabin in northern WI for a long weekend tonight so I'll hopefully get plenty of puttering around and fishing time I'm pretty sad I didn't buy it until after I moved away from seattle though, I was living 10 mins from a public beach on the sound. I could've been dropping crab pots daily
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Aug 18, 2022 20:09
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I’ve spent quite a few hours in a Dagger Axis 10.5 and found it to be very very nice for leg room and cramps. I’m 6’0” 205, and didn’t have any trouble with space, let angles, or cramping . The foot pegs had plenty of adjustment spots, and the cockpit is padded should you put your knees up. Seat was only so-so though.
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Aug 18, 2022 20:35
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The Dagger Axis has a skeg which is nice if you're doing longer or windy paddles
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Aug 18, 2022 21:36
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Hooplah posted:I took it out in the Mississippi for a test ride, and on a local lake for some free time so far. really loving it. Now begins the stage where i blow tons of money figuring out which accessories I need. So far just a bunch of paracord, some tethers for paddle and rods, dedicated beefier tether for the drive, car top kit + some extra cam straps, a 10L dry bag for the hull hatch... soon i'll have get one of those scupper carts. Quite a pain trying to lug this thing overhead up/down a riverbank I'm cheap and use a milk crate with ziptied PVC sections as a gear + rod holder, and haven't felt the need to upgrade in two years of fishing wiht it. The only thing I've been keeping in my hull hatch is a tupperware container with the fishfinder battery + wiring inside, probably should add a storage bucket but things have been working out well so far with that setup. I prefer just reaching behind me and grabbing what I need from the milk crate in choppy water or swells instead of opening the hatch. I also made my own scupper cart from PVC, a threaded rod, and a couple of wheels from Harbor Freight but eventually upgraded to the cart with beach wheels and am happy I did. Pricey but totally worth it for hauling the kayak over softer terrain. Side note - it's almost impossible to capsize these, but I've managed to accidentally do it once while hauling up a weighted crab pot in bad weather and deliberately done it a few times in practice on calm water. The best way to get it righted is to swim around to the stern, get an over-under grip on the sides, and then push up with the under hand while pulling hard with the over hand. It will flip right back over.
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Aug 20, 2022 03:07
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Anyone know of any solid offerings to help me transport a kayak + bike on camping trips? Trying to find my solution to carry my old town 106 + mountain bike on camping trips hitch mounted. I rooftop tent so I have to dedicate my truck bed to camping necessities and my roof is my tent of course. This may be hack saw and welder type thing for me but who knows maybe there is a gem out there I haven't found. Much lower on the priority...quality rigs to tow a kayak behind a mountain bike? Any exist that don't hang from the seat post?
MoonCricket fucked around with this message at 05:56 on Sep 4, 2022 |
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Sep 4, 2022 05:53
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I've definitely seen RVs vertically mount kayaks on hitch racks before. Quick Google shows lots of products for that, as well as a company called yakUPS who does a kayak+bike combo. That's $$$ but so are rooftop tents so maybe it's up your alley. Probably more shops out there doing it too, but that's what I found inside of 2 minutes. No experience at all with bike trailers that would have clearance for a watercraft but most kid trailers attach at the axle now. If you're DIYing it, you should be able to get the tow arm and adapter from burley or Thule pretty easily. The Robert Axle Project has a bunch of adapters for connecting these things as well, which are nicer than the extra long skewers provided by the manufacturers.
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Sep 4, 2022 09:19
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Just do the kayak on foam blocks on top of the tent shell. And bike on a hitch carrier.
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Sep 4, 2022 15:13
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Math You posted:I've definitely seen RVs vertically mount kayaks on hitch racks before. Quick Google shows lots of products for that, as well as a company called yakUPS who does a kayak+bike combo. That's $$$ but so are rooftop tents so maybe it's up your alley. Yakups looks nice but those prices are absurd. It is similar to what I had in mind however, but the more I search I feel I may end up hacking up my hitch cargo carrier. I was just hoping there was manufactured option that stood out but not at a price that is nearing the cost of the kayak itself.
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Sep 4, 2022 17:19
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Hey! I was wondering if I could get some help identifying the model of this canoe I just bought off craigslist  the serial number indicates it's Old Town brand and that it was manufactured in 1984. They were very accommodating when I called in, but they were unfortunately unable to identify it from the serial number alone as their databases don't go back that far. The best they could do was send me a 1984 catalog of the only two 16' models they released that year   ... I'm still having trouble lol could anyone more knowledgeable offer some insight?
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Sep 24, 2022 01:49
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One is 16.2' and the other is 16.4'. Seems a tape measure should help you out? The Penobscot (16.2) also has no rocker meaning the whole thing should lie flat on the ground (which your pics make it seem, but the grass could be obscuring a curve). The other one would be more banana shaped with the ends slightly elevated. The difference being the one with rocker will turn faster, and the one without should track (hold a straight line) better.
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Sep 24, 2022 03:05
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well, I'm not too sure how to measure its precise length. Google is completely failing me and it seems to only want to give me instructions on how to measure paddles It looks like the gunwales jutt quite a bit farther out than the actual canoe. Do I include those in the length measurement? one problem I forgot to mention is that both of those models list a width of 35" yet I'm only measuring a max width of 32.5" on mine at the gunwales. could that be due to the lack of a central thwart? In any case, mine does indeed lie flat so width discrepancy aside, I can more or less assume this is an '84 Penobscot?
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Sep 24, 2022 03:47
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That is a very unique way of trying to measure the length of something. Are fat people taller than thin people of the same height? Just end to end in a straight line. You could butt up a piece of wood to each end to give you a flatter surface to measure from. I'm kind of shocked that the canoe would lose over 2 inches of width. The thwarts are supposed to be there for strength, not to hold the hull's shape.. but 37 years is a long time and given that both thwarts have been removed for God knows how long, I guess it's possible? Hell maybe even likely. I'm no professional. Is there a reason you *need* to know? If so you might want to bring it by a shop that's been servicing old towns a long time. Edit: the other clue from your brochures is that one of the canoes is supposed to be flat bottomed. It should be very apparent if you flip it over. Math You fucked around with this message at 13:35 on Sep 24, 2022 |
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Sep 24, 2022 12:53
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Whichever one it is, it's made out of Royalex, a much sought-after and no longer produced material known for its toughness and durability.
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Sep 24, 2022 18:16
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ihop posted:Whichever one it is, it's made out of Royalex, a much sought-after and no longer produced material known for its toughness and durability. yeah for a $150 craigslist purchase, I am quite pleased. Math You posted:That is a very unique way of trying to measure the length of something. Are fat people taller than thin people of the same height? I don't really *need* to know, but my state requires all non-motorized watercraft to be permitted for launch in most bodies of water and they ask that you provide the make and model. This baby was last permitted in my state in 1997!  and it's likely been sitting in a garage or a shed somewhere since then because while it's clearly aged, for a 40yo canoe it's in great shape! (sorry for portrait photos)  of all the damage, this spot right here seems to be the worst of it ^  some dings  some gouges  some peeling  exposed fiberglass  some of the scratches seem to turned into deeper cracks   gunwales seem a little worst for wear, but the internal belly looks great. When I apply lateral force to the gunwales at the center of the canoe, they move as much as an inch and a half back and forth. I'm currently waiting on some thwarts, seats and a yoke from Eds Canoes. Are my gunwales' floppiness any cause for concern? should I got ahead and size my yoke for 35"? actually I would really appreciate it if someone could point me in the right direction wrt properly restoring this thing. I've got the time, and I think this geezer deserves to be back in whitewater shape
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Sep 24, 2022 20:36
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God Hole posted:
You can just straight up say "It is an old town canoe" and it'll be fine My Axis is registered as a "Dagger Kayak year 200X"
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Sep 24, 2022 22:52
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It would be incredible if a warden ran him down like "Son of a bitch. You thought you could get away with registering that craft as a Kennebec? It's clearly a 1984 Penobscot!" As far as restoration I'm not sure you're gonna find much help here. There are tons of niche watercraft forums and even searching their royalex branding from the images took me to a canoe historian forum so they could probably even help you more with an ID. Good luck and post updates when you have them. Would be nice to see it restored!
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Sep 24, 2022 23:37
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Kayak thread I’ve done something cool and immediately hosed it up. Found an old Eddyline Seastar for about 200 less than I’ve been seeing them go for. Went out and bought it, seems like it’s in decent condition. Loaded it on my kayak rack, tied it down and then crossed the Tacoma Narrows Bridge where it became clear to me that I had forgotten to tie the rear of it to my hitch. I realized this when I saw the kayak fly in front of my truck and then slam into the side of it while being drug by the front tie down that thankfully held. A semi helped escort me to the breakdown lane of the bridge while dragging the kayak down the highway. The process of trying to secure a 18 foot kayak in the middle of a bridge with 50mph gusts alone was pretty fun. Lessons learned, don’t get excited and take all the time you need to do it right. Really glad I didn’t kill anyone. Anyways, the kayak made it home and I’m kind of surprised at how little damage it sustained.    The front is broken to hell but holding. I’ve got a fiberglass repair kit and I’ve worked with glass a bit in the past. Big question is where do I purchase replacement bump strips that join the half’s of the kayak together?
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Sep 25, 2022 02:54
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Mcqueen posted:Kayak thread I’ve done something cool and immediately hosed it up. I almost had the same thing happen when I bought my first kayak in Bremerton, had secured it directly to the roof rails with several straps and a couple of pads but no real rack, and was driving across the Narrows Bridge into Tacoma. The winds are nuts there. If you search for 'Pereguard' that might be a good start for the replacement strips.
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Oct 1, 2022 15:33
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God Hole posted:Hey! I was wondering if I could get some help identifying the model of this canoe I just bought off craigslist okay so this is not a 16' 1984 Old Town Penobscot. It is a 15' 1984 Old Town Acadia (and I am an idiot who doesn't know how to use a tape measure) The Acadia was offered in the 80's as Old Town's attempt at a budget mail-order "kit canoe". It was delivered in pieces and assembled at home by the buyer, but it was discontinued after just a few years for whatever reason, so my canoe is a real time capsule. Looks like all the components on my canoe (gunwales, deck, seat) are original  Despite my canoe's age, it looks like its previous owners had it set up as a single-scull row boat and probably stopped using it in 1997, leaving it to sit in a shed or a garage somewhere. This works in my favor because any damage that the hull had at that point was frozen in time, so to speak. To start, I got a full set of internal Ash components from Ed's Canoe, an Old Town supplier, and installed those.  Then I purchased everything I'll need for the repairs and the installation of two skid plates, according to the directions this guy lays out in this thread. I will be using West Systems G-Flex epoxy (which is apparently a miracle repair substance when it comes to Royalex) to fill in the damaged spots, and then I will also be using it to set two skid plates on the stems, where most of the damage is located, in order to seal everything up and reinforce them against future impacts. I opted to go with Dynel fabric as opposed to kevlar or fiberglass as is traditionally done because according to this guy's garage-laboratory experiments, dynel is up to 10 times more abrasion-resistant than either of those materials while being much more low-profile and hydrodynamic.  To repair the damage specifically, I'll be hardening the G-Flex with Cab-O-Sil fumed silica. The syringes are to assist with filling in smaller cracks and scratches. JB Plastic Weld to fill in the swiss cheese drill holes in the gunwales. Graphite powder to dye the Gflex black for the skid plates. Roller and Peel Ply to press the skid plates onto the hull. Jade green EZPoxy polyurethane topside paint to cover up any scratches or epoxy on the hull and protect it from UV damage. Finally, a bottle of 303 Marine Aerospace Protectant to be applied to the canoe a few times a season. To begin I gave everything a complete scrub down with a mixture of equal parts hot water, Dawn dish soap, and vinegar. It took probably an hour of scrubbing to get through the thick layers of lichen that have built up over the decades. I had to flush the gunwales with a garden hose for a full 10 minutes before clean water was coming out of the ends instead of black sludge. It's a shame, I think I ended up destroying a unique and relatively ancient microbial ecosystem but thems the breaks. Had it looking brand new by the time I was done lol  Once that was over with I grabbed a chisel and some sandpaper and commenced chipping away anything that was loose, cracked, crumbly or rotten. This was a fairly easy process because anything that was rotten chipped away easily and anything that was healthy didn't. BTW It's important to always wear proper PPE when working with plastic  By the time I was done it looked like this: Bow:   Stern:   Royalex construction consists of 5 layers: ABS plastic foam core sandwiched between two layers of ABS hard plastic and further sandwiched between two layers of protective vinyl coating. Almost every layer is visible from the stern photos here. I had to remove almost all the ABS foam core (yellow) such that the ABS hard plastic layer (grey) is visible on the other side as well. It looks like these stems probably had a hard impact at some point that cracked the plastic and allowed water to infiltrate and rot away the ABS foam core. Over time, the damage spread and caused further erosion of the other layers. My hope is that the skid plates, which will be long enough to contain all the serious damage on both ends, will put a stop to that erosion. Gflex is pretty viscous and is easier to work with when it is warm, and also cures much faster when it is above 70* F so I am lucky to have access to a heated garage for the next steps In about 4-5 layers, I proceed to fill up damaged spots with Gflex thickened with Cab-O-Sil. I allow a few days for everything to cure so it's not all tacky when I sand it flush with the rest of the hull. I blast everything with air and then wash it down with soap and water again. Bow | Stern   Bow | Stern    I use brown wrapping paper to trace out a template for my skid plates and then cut that shape out of my Dynel fabric. I sharpied a centerline to help with placement later on   I cut some slits into the fabric to stop it from bunching where the canoe curves. Crucially, however, I did not cut those same slits into my peel-ply fabric which is going to go over top so I still ended up with a bunching problem  I scotch tape the skid plates in place and then proceed to apply a layer of painter's tape 1/8 to 1/2 an inch away from the dynel fabric all the way around. Once that is done, I apply a second layer of painter's tape halfway down the first layer along with some newspaper. I then remove the skid plates from the hull   I roll both my skid plates up into little rolls so they can be unfurled into place, then I warm up my Gflex and mix it up with just a little bit of graphite powder to dye the Gflex, which cures clear, black. I then apply a nice thick layer of Gflex to the stems. I grab my rolled-up skid plates and, starting from the top, place them on the hull and then carefully unroll them down the stem using the centerline as a reference point. Once the fabric is in place, I take my batch of dyed Gflex and apply a liberal coat on top and allow the Dynel about 30 minutes to absorb and saturate with Gflex skid plates saturated with Gflex  After about 30 minutes, the Gflex should have thickened enough so as to stop dripping. At this point I remove the first layer of painter's tape/newspaper. I inspect the edges and wait about 5-10 minutes to really make sure the Gflex is thickened enough to work with, then I remove the second layer of painter's tape and lay the peel ply on top    As I mentioned before, I forgot to cut slits in the peel ply so it ended up bunching up anyway. I also cheaped out on the peel ply and got the stuff that was folded instead of rolled up... the folds end up showing through in the final product. I think if I hadn't made those two mistakes, these skid plates could have come out looking factory-grade. Nevertheless... Once the peel ply is on, I press it and the skid plate with my roller, applying a lot of pressure. I come back to check on it every 30 minutes for the next two hours or so, giving it another good press with the roller each time. After 12 hours, the plates have cured enough to pull the peel ply off Bow:    Stern:    I wait a full week for the skid plates to cure and off-gas. During this time, I focus on the rest of the canoe. I sealed up the various cracks and scratches around the rest of the hull with Gflex and then polyurethane paint; I epoxied up the drill holes in the gunwales and then sanded them flush; then I removed the eye bolts from the decks with an angle grinder as they had been fused with rust and then I filled those holes in the decks with epoxy as well. Once all that was done and a week had passed, I sanded the skid plates as flush as I could get them, then I washed everything down with soap and water again and re-taped the skid plates with painter's tape and newspaper. Once that was down, I applied about 3 layers of matte black Rustoleum to the skid plates. This does a lot to mute the imperfections in the plates, sharpen up the edges, and also protects the Gflex epoxy from UV damage   When that was done, I gave it 24 hours to fully set, I washed everything again, and then applied some 303 protectant I probably applied a bit too much 303, so just a heads up that's what the weird drippy discoloration is in the following pics, but it buffed out easily. All told, from the repairs and skid plates alone, I added less than a pound to the total weight of the canoe. Needless to say, I'm really happy with the final result. Here's how it all came out: Bow:    Stern:      I took her out on her maiden voyage yesterday, and while I'm sure she was perfectly seaworthy before, I felt this immense sense of pride well up inside me when she managed to stay afloat lol I don't know much about canoes, but this one handles like a dream. She is dead silent and seems to almost absord sound? Idk how to descibe it, but this is the quietest canoe I've ever been in. Also, she just absolutely slices through the water, which is nice because my partner really didn't pull his weight  
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Nov 16, 2022 23:25
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Great post!! Good dog!
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Nov 17, 2022 03:37
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Wow, nice! Thanks for showing us the process and of course the results. Green canoe with black skid plates is of course the most classy combo.
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Nov 18, 2022 05:06
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 great post, nice work and cool dog
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Nov 18, 2022 16:08
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gently caress yeah
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Nov 25, 2022 22:02
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Anybody have experience with paddle-in camping? My wife and I live in Michigan and there’s obviously a ton of water here. We’ve been waffling back and forth on getting kayaks vs a canoe, so I figured I’d ask here. The specifics I’ve been wondering about are as follows: Have you camped using your canoe or kayak? What model/design did you use? Were there any obvious benefits to your setup? If anyone’s had experience with both, did you have a preference? Which would be more cost effective? What is the thread’s opinion on ideal lengths for this type of use? (Weekend multi-day paddle-in camping, all items are brought on boat) We will certainly need to portage at various times, so weight and strength are obvious factors. We wouldn’t do any ocean level paddling, but could cover some big lake shorelines, depending on weather and conditions. If there’s any designs that are also convenient for day-use River paddles, I’d love to hear that as well. Thanks thread.
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Jan 8, 2023 16:15
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I did an overnight river camping trip in WI out of my Nucanoe Frontier 12 and it was great. The other folks I went with had a big 16ft Old Town Discovery loaded to the gills and it also did fine, pros and cons to both I suppose. A big factor is what kind of sleep systems you are going to use and how long you will be out. This was just an overnight and I have ultralight backpacking gear so I just brought a 1p tent, ultralight pad and a light quilt since it was summer. It all fit with room to spare in my 30L Patagonia Stormfront. I also packed a few other odds and ends in another dry bag and clipped both to my seat so they would be secure in the unlikely event that I flipped. As this was a lazy summer trip I also packed a 58qt cooler full of ice, booze and food enough for 3 people. It was very stable and I had plenty of room for myself and more gear if I needed it. The other two folks were less ultralight minded and had a folding cot, big Coleman tent, a few bundles of firewood, I think 3 assorted coolers full of more beer and food and maybe some other stuff. It was sorta hard to paddle at one point after things had been unpacked and repacked but a stop to redistribute weight solved it for the most part. Both did the job well but I was really happy with my setup for a solo setup with the ability to spend a few days out of the Nucanoe if I wanted to in the future. If I was bringing my wife along I could easily fit my 3p tent, another pad and quilt in. I'm not sure I could fit all that plus her in my second seat for the Nucanoe but I have a second sit on top kayak that could easily be brought as well.  
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Jan 8, 2023 23:29
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Dr. Lunchables posted:Anybody have experience with paddle-in camping? My wife and I live in Michigan and there’s obviously a ton of water here. We’ve been waffling back and forth on getting kayaks vs a canoe, so I figured I’d ask here. The specifics I’ve been wondering about are as follows: Canoe: Various models/designs, from 16to 18 feet. Benefits: Lots of space for all your crap. Most of the time you can just toss whatever pack in wherever and not have to worry too much about it. Don't know much about Kayak camping, but seems like much much less room for storage, though its much less likely to get wet in the rain as most of the kayaks I've seen have stuff stored under water tight hatches. Someone who is more experienced with kayak camping will probably chime in, and give you more pros and cons. Canoes, are open. You can put a tarp over your stuff, but thats one more step you have to deal with. THough you should probably have a tarp anyway, since you don't want to be stuck inside a tent if it happens to rain for like 3 days or whatever on your trip. Don't know which would be more cost effective. I haven't looked for a long time, but Kayaks (dependent on brand, length and a bunch of factors) are typically cheaper than canoes, but then you need two of them if there are two of you going, or a tandem kayak which is more expensive. Most canoes that you'll find for tripping are somewhere between 16-20 feet. 20 feet is pretty big and might be overkill for two people unless they're going out for a month and carrying all food and everything. Like you're not planning to eat fish that you catch (for example) but rather bringing all food etc... Or you're bringing 3 people. 2 adults and a kid or something. Most rental places that I've found typically rent between 16-18 footers. Thats usually enough for a week long trip. Otherwise, you'll maybe need to decide what type of paddling you're doing. Mostly lakes and open(ish) water? A longer canoe will be more suitable. Rivers, winding creeks and the like, you might be better off with a shorter canoe. That being said, you can do either with either. Shorter canoes are usually lighter though, depending on what they're made of so if you're going to portage then you'll thank yourself for getting a lighter canoe. If you're buying a canoe that you plan to portage GET THE LIGHTEST CANOE YOU CAN POSSIBLY AFFORD WITHIN YOUR BUDGET. And a good, contoured yoke. Seriously you will thank yourself every time you portage that poo poo. And carry it from your car to the put in, and back to the car after, and from your car to the backyard/garage/wherever you store it. There might be some pretty exotic poo poo these days, but back when I bought my (used, former rental) canoe, carbon fibre was the shiznit for being the lightest. Despite what people say, yeah its delicate, but its not *that* delicate. Don't ever stand in a canoe when its on dry land as that will gently caress it up, cracks and the like. Unless its an aluminum canoe, but you're not buying one of those to portage right?
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Jan 9, 2023 02:12
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I canoe camp, a lot. Canoe is definitely the way to go based on your location.. unless you are going to be doing the great lakes a lot, but based on your description it sounds like you're going to be more into BWCA? Just way more room and flexibility, and of course way way easier to portage. Big question: are you going to run any rapids, or portage everything? Some people like to bump and grind, take shortcuts and beach their canoes.. others like to baby them. Who you are is going to influence the material of choice. Unless you aspire to do bigger trips than you are letting on you're probably OK to get a 16 footer. My 16 foot Souris River Quetico is my most prized possession. I can take someone on a week long trip (packing more like backpackers), or my brother and his dog for a long weekend fishing trip. It's also manageable for me to solo paddle when I don't have anyone to trip with me, and to use recreationally without gear. Taking a canoe out way under loaded can be a frustrating experience especially if it's windy. That said, the weight capacity of a canoe can vary alot depending on the shape. A 17 foot narrow v shape flatwater cruiser might be good for a 1 week trip, where a 17 foot prospector could take you on a month long expedition. Anyhow, if you're looking for specific recommendations maybe check what brands outfitters around you sell and check back. As is I'd be inclined to recommend brand like NovaCraft, Swift, Esquif, or Souris River which are all Canadian made and popular in Ontario. 
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Jan 10, 2023 02:44
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I just instinctively slapped my neck assuming a mosquito was flying by.
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Jan 10, 2023 02:54
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Does anybody here have experience with the Mad River Adventure 14 or similar low-volume rotomolded canoes? I'm probably going to get rid of my Old Town Guide 16 in favor of a smaller, lighter boat that I can wrangle mostly on my own and that my small child can paddle with me soon. Realistically I won't be doing any tripping or any kind of paddling that requires a large boat or high volume for a while, and the Guide is kind of a hassle to keep stored and really use at all in my current situation. Edit: Actually the Old Town Discovery 119 looks like a good option too. Traditional canoe shape but shallower, narrower, and 30# lighter than the Guide. I could probably put in a seat for a kid in the bow that wouldn't upset handling or weight too much. Man, boats are more  than ever now.
HenryJLittlefinger fucked around with this message at 18:10 on Feb 2, 2023 |
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Feb 2, 2023 17:28
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Anyone know anything about Swell Watercraft? Scupper 14 looks like an interesting twist on a sit on top
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Apr 27, 2023 19:25
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Re: the refurb on that Old Town canoe, holy poo poo I've never seen Royalex break like that. Scrape down the outer layers to the foam, sure but never outright crack.
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May 17, 2023 17:55
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 First paddle of the season. I want to upgrade my kayak so bad. This Future Beach has done me well for over a decade, but it's super wide and slow and I'm ready for something quicker. I'm going to test paddle a Dagger Stratos 12.5L and a Hurricane Tampico 130 this week. The more I thought about it, the less I wanted a 14' sit on top. 12-13ft is a sweet spot for me I think, and I really do like being tucked in and snug instead of the completely open cockpit.  I also started looking at dry suits cuz I'd love to four season paddle up here in WI. Goddamn they're expensive.
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May 23, 2023 04:41
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I have friends that surf Lake Michigan in winter and they just wear heavier wet suits. A dry suit is probably overkill if there's still open water.
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May 23, 2023 13:38
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SpeedFreek posted:I have friends that surf Lake Michigan in winter and they just wear heavier wet suits. A dry suit is probably overkill if there's still open water. I've thought about going the wetsuit route, but I absolutely hate paddling in a wetsuit. Considering the price of a decent dry suit, I might just have to suck it up, though.
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May 23, 2023 15:37
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Trying the collapsible buddy found in his new garage. Dry suits year round up here
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May 24, 2023 15:28
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That looks pretty sweet but not at all convenient. Post some more pics, what make/model is it? What does it smell like?
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May 25, 2023 05:12
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Drysuits are expensive but a much better experience than a wetsuit, once you're used to the gaskets it feels like wearing some rain layers but you're warm dry and toasty regardless of the weather. They're expensive but if you buy Immersion Research or Kokatat you should get 5+ years of heavy use out of it. NRS/level 6/palm won't last as long but are a cheaper entry point if you're gonna only use it for a couple days a year.
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May 25, 2023 19:04
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I tried to start boating up here (Alaska) without a drysuit, and quickly realized I was going to die. It's an investment, but then you're in. Haven't gotten many photos of this thing yet. Still deciding if we're going to hold on to it. We probably should, it's a nice companion to the pack raft fleet. We've already got all the accessories. Maybe it gets us on a sea kayaking trip. I did that once, Petersburg to Kake. That was an amazing and terrifying week. Here's some discussion https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/5017/ This one smells pretty ok, and seems water tight from the one time we've had it out.   
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May 25, 2023 20:57
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