Recent content by kona

Thanks for this write up and the story. Sounds like an adventure! I’d love to run that section. Some day for me maybe.

The current model of the swift deluxe seat pad with straps is the most comfortable of the four types I own.

I’ve been eying the specs on the vagabond for years, mainly because of the symmetrical rocker profile, which I love so much in my wildfire and in a number of whitewater canoes I’ve enjoyed. Can you offer a comparison to the wild, which I’ve been using for multi day trips lately with a moderate load.

Looks like gel coat? A gel coat repair kit is shockingly easy to use with very nice outcomes. If it were mine I’d use clear gel, which would show the carbon through but still can be built up to preserve the original shape.

Not yet, this was a hatch event for some sort of mayfly or midge. As many as there were I only realize now I wasn't paying attention to what they were, more specifically.

Last week we enjoyed the Straight River near its confluence with the Cannon River in Faribault, MN. The miracle of life was abundant for the entire run

Day tripping in Minnesota looking forward to the warm days to come. This is my favorite bent shaft paddle, a highly custom Keith Backlund paddle I was fortunate to acquire from the original customer. Happy weekend everyone!

Spring feels close in Minnesota today

Exped downmat is a great match for my western mountaineering bags including the terralite. Warm. Thick. Reasonably light and compact. Expensive.

It’s great to see a company engaging DY to explore and IMPLEMENT new and intermediate design ideas. That risk takes a lot of capital and a lot of time and a lot of passion and love. The WW canoe community has benefited from temporary surges of investment in this way. It seems that then we get...

@Jim Dodd are you admitting to as much? This cracked me up. Hope you’re well Jim!

For beginners to solo canoes, I think the biggest risk is getting a boat that feels tippy and is a turn off so you don’t go out. Like Alan says, I usually suggest getting something that feels good and gets your excitement up and then you can upgrade later if you figure out what you really need...

Although there is open water and paddle up access we left boats out of the equation for this paddle friend gathering on the longest night. Looking forward to a little more light now.

Minnehaha Creek on a late season run as lakes and slack water bays were just starting to freeze up this fall

It’s hard for me to imagine not having a royalex solo around. It’s my go to for rocky and icy days.