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Hey on283, welcome to the forum. I've not seen many factory boats that were fiberglass and carbon. My impression is both are very stiff. I have a fiberglass.Mad River Explore. It is wonderfully stiff, and doesn't even need foam reinforcement. Kevlar, on the other hand, is normally...

No thanks, my paddling gear is a tool. If it is too nice to use it is just wasteful, no matter how easy it was to buy. Wasteful has never appealed me, even when I could afford it. I've seen similar furniture before. Art built by talented craftsman. That is a much more reasonable case for...

Thanks for posting this. I've read a lot from the american whitewater database, especially in my home states. It is good information. Lots of horror stories about pins. It is worth noting that the database focuses on white water. It isn't comprehensive for flat water paddlers, or boaters. The...

Updated, inadvertently posted before complete

Location: Eno river from Kings Highway Park to dam at Orange-Alamance Lake. Date: Late September 2025 Craft: Mad River Explorer, Fiberglass In July tropical storm Chantal dumped around 10 inches of rain into the Neuse River basin. The Eno, Little, and Flat rivers experienced serious flooding...

I like living where I can get to the water easily. I've lived waterfront, which was amazing. About half the places i've lived had somewhere I could get to in a few minutes to paddle. Not necessarily something spectacular but just somewhere I could access the water legally and get some...

I think a VPN will create misleading IP. I'd have to research to understand the nuances of IP addresses. But using a VPN is probably a good idea for most people, so I wouldn't take this by itself as conclusive. I think another reason to have bot account is to download images in higher...

The Tripper is hey big heavy boat before you make those repairs. After the repairs, it will be heavier than any alternative, like an aluminum canoe or a discovery. Most of which you could buy cheaply. The beauty of Royalex is it is tough and can take abuse and still get you down the river. I'm...

I used TB III for the laminated, treated pine gunwales on my old ratty Reflection. It's been at least two decades, with a few years of sitting outside. It has only a portage yoke, and no seats, so the gunwales flex like bows. No problems.

Indeed, if it is true, there must be a story behind it. It would be nice to hear from the OP or whoever purchased it. A reverse image search turned up nothing, so that's a good start.

I've hiked part of the Gauley at low water. There are gnarly undercuts throughout Lost Paddle. In my view, if you aren't comfortable and sure you'll stay in your boat you should stay away from the Gauley.

That's a good video. I like how he's done it enough to know it works. Bonus for shooting the video in open water with a little swell. I agree with him too about practicing whatever setup you have.

I don't know if I'm any faster with a bent shaft paddle, but i'm a lot more comfortable, for longer. I think less lifting water is definitely part of it. It keeps the canoe from bouncing as much too.

I suspect a paddler's mechanics, muscles and habits influence paddle preference. The bent shaft is a massive improvement for me. Way more than 2.4%.

I've been using Rubbermade Roughneck bins as plastic wanigans. I nest a tall one inside a medium one to reinforce the sides. The lid flange has been lined with foam weather stripping. Next time I'll line the lid so the foam is better protected. Webbing straps are used to hold the lid...

I've learned not everybody enjoys rugged, difficult, scary sometimes painful adventures. Kids need easy trips where they feel safe and comfortable. Not everybody wants to be on the canoe camping trip. When they're younger, they had to go, but the oldest can opt out now. The struggle with...

I'd take my old fiberglass Mad River Explorer. The Explorer is adequate to do most canoe things. Bonus is the old Explorer isn't going to be hurt by a month in the elements. I'd lock it and wouldn't worry more about someone stealing it. I do worry that any gear like boats or bikes invites...

A few weeks ago I was at a 4H camp. There were canoes on a lake. There was a class where the kids where given boots, a gallon basin, and turned loose in the creek to catch aquatic critters. Image you had 15 kids catching crawfish and 30 seconds of warning to get them to safety. Or a half...

Very well done video showing the flash flood on the Guadalupe river. Hopefully, I found the original video. The river goes from nearly dry to impassable in thirty seconds. In a little over thirty minutes, the entire flood plane is full. I've been told this kind of thing can happen, but...

Has anyone ever put a wood insert in a cane seat frame before? I don't like cane seats. I put straight plywood in my Explorer and like it much better. The problem is plywood is ugly and normally associated with cheap or cheaply repaired canoes. I have 1/4 inch cherry and and several old ash...