Answering your questions about all things related to canoes and canoing.
I live in Canada. The Great White North. But in latitude terms, I’m really only slightly more north than the northern border of California. So the white isn’t that great around here. However, we do have a canoe season and when that season is done, we pack our canoes away for six months and find …
Personally, most of my whitewater experience has been on the Ottawa River in Ontario, Canada. The Coliseum Rapid at high-water level (typically a Class IV) always required that my affairs be in order before trying to navigate left and avoid the Kahuna. In this post I discuss the different classes of rapids. In brief, the …
If you are a beginning canoeist then you’ll emerge from this post knowing a lot more about canoes than you did upon entry. Self-propelled watercraft, including canoes, have been my passion for decades. In that time, I’ve learned a thing or two about the types of canoes, their similarities and differences as well as their …
Deciding whether to purchase a kayak or a canoe can be one difficult decision. At least it was for me. In some ways they’re so similar, but in other ways, they could not be more different. I’ve gathered every thought I’ve likely ever had about comparing canoes and kayaks and provided them below. Be warned, …
Whether you’re building or buying a canoe, understanding its parts and their functions can provide valuable knowledge and insight. At its core, a canoe consists of a hull, keel, gunwales, thwarts, and seats. Each component plays a role in creating a canoe with distinctive buoyancy, stability, and maneuverability characteristics. Let’s explore these parts in more …
Sometimes a big mass of land gets in the way of a good time. Other times the same mass of land can be the source of a good time. Perspective is everything. In the case of portaging with a kayak, perspective is particularly important. Why? Because walking around with a kayak on your head is …
“Maybe what you heard was a moose pissing”, hollered Monty. Monty was a random guest that had turned up to our annual canoe trip to the interior of Algonquin Park. I really don’t know how he ended up with us. One Sunday he showed up at church with his two really pretty daughters and the …