Solo Craft Update

[Brian Jones]

After a lot of discussions with solo boat owners, along with personal messaging with some solo boat owners on this site, I concluded that the best craft me was a solo canoe.  So after searching for four months, looking at several solo canoes on the web both new and used, and having a couple of deals fall through I finally located a "nused" Royalex Old town Pack in Springfield and drove down last Saturday and brought it home.  Thanks to all who gave advice.  I hope to get it on the water (at least on the pond for some paddling) within the next week. 

[rps]

What a good start. Now use it, change it, and make it your own.

[Al Agnew]

Yep, get it on the water and play around with it.  You might like it just fine as is, but if it feels a little tippy and/or you have trouble keeping it going straight, you might want to move the seat (which will also entail moving the thwart in front of the seat).  I like the seat to be placed so that the front edge of it is very near the center of the canoe.  This might mean you have to buy a new seat, by the way.  It also might mean you need another thwart to go behind the seat to keep the canoe in the same structural shape.  But I found it to be well worth it when I owned a Pack.  It's a very serviceable solo, and it's fun to paddle as well as fish from.

[Gavin]

Always felt wobbly to me but never dumped it. The worst on that boat is getting in and out. Very little initial stability but fine when under way.

[Brian Jones]

2 hours ago, Gavin said:

Always felt wobbly to me but never dumped it. The worst on that boat is getting in and out. Very little initial stability but fine when under way.

It's funny you say that Gavin; almost prophetic actually.......  I took it down to the pond this evening, launched from the bank with minimal diffuculty, and started paddling.  About a minute or so in, I was feeling pretty good about myself and thought I'd check out the ol' wobble factor.  About three seconds later I was catching my breath and gathering up myself, paddle, and new toy for a about a hundred foot swim to shore.  After I made my way back to the bank, caught my breath, and ate a piece of humble pie, I waded back in, dumped the water out of the boat re-launched and spent another hour or so paddling around the pond and pondering the customizing this rig's gonna need; this time with a little more sense and awareness.  

[Smalliebigs]

6 minutes ago, Brian Jones said:

It's funny you say that Gavin; almost prophetic actually.......  I took it down to the pond this evening, launched from the bank with minimal diffuculty, and started paddling.  About a minute or so in, I was feeling pretty good about myself and thought I'd check out the ol' wobble factor.  About three seconds later I was catching my breath and gathering up myself, paddle, and new toy for a about a hundred foot swim to shore.  After I made my way back to the bank, caught my breath, and ate a piece of humble pie, I waded back in, dumped the water out of the boat re-launched and spent another hour or so paddling around the pond and pondering the customizing this rigs gonna need; this time with a little more sense and awareness.  

Oh man!!!!....don't  sweat it.....I thought I was never gonna flip a craft....I went 20+ years without  tipping  and have now tipped twice in three years, including this year on the Meramec in flood water in December.

I have a pack and I can see what Gavin is saying but, all watercraft take a little getting used to....at least it wasn't  a complete yard sale in deep moving water.

Brian  I think the biggest attributes  of the Pack are obviously  the weight and ease of transport.....I throw that thing in in spots on rivers when it is very low where nobody is getting a jetboat to pass thru. I did what AL suggested....I lowered the seat and moved it forward slightly and it is a great little craft in my fleet that has its niche for sure.

That thing looks new....I think it's a great purchase

[Mitch f]

You can ask Al and SIUSaluki, I would never capsize a solo canoe.? Especially with about $400 worth of equipment in it.

[Gavin]

Glad your OK! Bit of a learning curve with that one.

[Guest]

 

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[Mitch f]

Just now, siusaluki said:

 

 

That was an ordeal.  Sideways over a ledge on spring river.  I think we found several of the rods, and I was able to chase down the boat and get back your tackle box.  It certainly helps to have a floating tackle box or have it lashed in the boat. 

 

 

Speakng of that trip, we need another smallie road trip this summer. Maybe late August?  I'm thinking namekagon in northern Wisconsin at some point this year.

I would love to, I am having a new baby in May though ? So I'm sure this year is toast