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Recent content by Paddlinhal

  1. Paddlinhal

    Dynel...

    I went with the dynel, and bought some Medium Blue pigment. Came out better than I hoped!
  2. Paddlinhal

    Dynel...

    What exactly is the benefit to using dynel? I bought a bunch of it and am preparing to put skid plates on my brand new tuff stuff canoe. Or I could buy some pre-cut kevlar felt skids for $49 CA.
  3. Paddlinhal

    Single Trip Carry Portage Techniques

    As a senior citizen, I just finished a single carry trip over 3 ancient canoe portages in coastal Maine. We had an 80 pound tandem, 8 gallons of water (we were paddling in salt, and found opportunities to top up every other day). We brought chairs. The trick? Invite an ex-marine twenty years...
  4. Paddlinhal

    Useless/Unused Canoe or Camping Gear You've Had

    I have a quite useful Sealine waterproof rolltop duffle which I use all the time. However it has the most useless feature that I just cannot fathom. On the side is a small zippered compartment, maybe for your wallet or a snot-rag, whatever. It has a nice waterproof zipper. Unfortunately it...
  5. Paddlinhal

    Any free webmastery out there?

    Nice website! I stopped keeping track of costs but it's something like $50 or $60 a year s long as you buy multiple years. I just might go check Squarespace out.
  6. Paddlinhal

    Alexandra Conover Bennet Demonstrates the North Woods Paddle Stroke

    It's got a great name. Far better sounding than the Hal Stroke, which I use for hours on end when I forget that I'm even paddling.
  7. Paddlinhal

    Video: Paddler and boat trapped in low head dam

    I appreciate the guy who, after realizing the first paddler was not reappearing, made a beeline for the edge and threw a throw rope, like perfectly. Quick and efficient when every second counted. Unlike the guys I have paddled with, on the opposite bank, snapping open beverages and wondering...
  8. Paddlinhal

    Any free webmastery out there?

    Back before the Dawn of Time, Doug Doremus and I started our own free webpage on Geocities.com. All that was needed was a rudimentary grasp of HTML and a few hours here and there to add articles. Over the years it grew, we got our own domain and called it voodoocanoe.com. With the advent of...
  9. Paddlinhal

    Leaving firewood at camp

    Wow. I will never stop leaving my leftover firewood next to an established fire ring. My favorite is to find an intact tube of birch bark and fill it with kindling. I get a kick out of the LNT crowd. For instance a banana peel, field stripped and scattered, is unacceptable because it's not...
  10. Paddlinhal

    How many have paddled the Maine Island Trail (MITA) by canoe?

    First, the Maine Island Trail is not so much a trail as it is a collection of campsites and picnic sites. It's not linear. Second, I have canoed from Penobscot Bay to Casco Bay a couple of times. The big difference is that you want to take advantage of the ancient portage trails rather than...
  11. Paddlinhal

    Satellite Communicator (Garmin In Reach Mini II) questions.

    The Nahanni Park Service was considering whether to evacuate us by helicopter last summer, due to a 6 inch rainfall event. The inreach messaging allowed the park ranger to text us, we retreated to higher ground, and we bivouacked for three days until the water levels receded. Of course that...
  12. Paddlinhal

    The most picturesque places you've paddled

    Dodging wildfires on Bowron Lakes, BC
  13. Paddlinhal

    How do you deal with loud talkers?

    I don't think there's anything you can do about it. Loud or constant talking is probably a lifetime habit and difficult to correct while on a trip. What kills me is when some wild animal comes into view, the person who shouts "OOOH LOOK AT THE MOOSE!"
  14. Paddlinhal

    How much do you learn about an area before tripping?

    In researching old canoe routes, it's hard not to learn all the history from the first people. Add to that the writings and maps from white people and you've pretty much exhausted the body of knowledge - or so it seems! Sometimes I think I know everything about Maine, then am delighted to find...
  15. Paddlinhal

    Electric Vehicle (EV) Tripping Data - 1st Trip, Real World Use

    That's kind of what I expected. My gas mileage currently goes from about 28 down to about 20 mpg with 2 canoes on the roof. I'm planning on an electric vehicle in 2027. It's a plan, and if the charging situation improves like I expect, won't be a bad one. If I had to buy a vehicle today, I'd...
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