Recent content by Benson Gray

This thread made me curious about the history of asymmetric hull designs in small boats. I didn't find an authoritative source but the list of Struer's discontinued models at the link below offers some perspective. They introduced two new K1 models in 1960, a symmetric Rapido and an asymmetric...

True, they didn't have CAD or modern materials. They did have a few thousand years to test and optimize the elementary forms. Most modern designs below the water line are simply refinements of basic shapes that were roughed out a long time ago. Rudders have been added to sailing canoes since...

Sacagawea https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacagawea Cornelia Thurza Crosby a.k.a. “Fly Rod Crosby.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fly_Rod_Crosby

"The Maine Canoe Symposium encourages participants of all ages to develop an understanding and appreciation of the diversity of North American canoeing heritage and to develop canoeing and related skills through educational workshops, presentations, and hands-on instruction." The symposium is...

Pub paddling is a great tradition in Britain that doesn't appear to have been replicated in North America. The video below has more details. Benson

I have paddled over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and the intimidation factor is huge. I'm not usually acrophobic but found myself wondering what the best reaction might be if it suddenly started to leak significantly. Llangollen in Wales is one of my favorite places to paddle. The canal and...

Yes, portaging is usually a challenge with any courting canoe. These were designed to be used at a canoe club where there were always a few dock boys available to help move them around. Good luck with the domestic discussion. I agree that it will go best if you bring the topic up when she is...

Yes, every good canoe collection should have at least one courting canoe. See the image and link below for two of mine. Arguably, almost any canoe can be used for courting. Benson https://forums.wcha.org/threads/aa-grade-old-town-molitor-model-in-original-condition-from-1921.12325/

This will not be streamed but they are planning to record it. I will post the link once it is available. The WCHA's YouTube channel at the link below has some similar presentations. Let me know if you need anything else, Benson https://www.youtube.com/@woodencanoeheritageassocia587/videos

A presentation about "Waltham on the Charles: A Canoeing Capital of the World in the Early 1900s" will be on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation,154 Moody St., Waltham, MA, 02453. See the link below for more details. Benson...

The similar Stand-Up Paddleboards at https://clcboats.com/shop/boats/surf_boats/kaholo-stand-up-paddleboard.html may get you started. The link below offers another option. It has been said that anything you can do on a Stand-Up Paddleboard can be done in a canoe. Good luck, Benson...

The link below has a similar example done with moose hide. Benson https://forums.wcha.org/threads/moose-hide-canoe.12314/

You may want to qualify this a bit more. It could be argued that any tripping canoe is designed for whitewater and most canoes meet that standard. The list of canoe builders at https://wcha.org/catalogs/maine-list.htm includes many who are actively manufacturing canoes today and hundreds more...

This is not a new issue. Tariffs have been impacting the distribution of canoes for over a hundred years. The link below has more details. The attached file contains the Old Town Canoe company's response to a proposed tariff on Canadian cedar in 1929. Benson...

A broad variety of these have been made over the years. The link below has more examples. Benson https://forums.wcha.org/threads/rowing-seat-found.3747/