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I like the mushrooms. They don't have sharp edges and are readily available. I think there was another thread about folks using old brake rotors. I'm not sure why. Maybe as drag anchors. The only problem with anchors is they help sink the canoe if you swamp and don't have additional...

While I was out this morning I saw a guy in a pickup truck with a poly kayak smashed over the tailgate. The tailgate was up and pushing the bottom of the kayak 4 inches up. I felt sad for the kayak. A crappy poly kayak was probably the right boat for him. For no other reason, then he would...

Kayaks, SOT, and paddle boards are: - easier to store - easier to transport - available new at a lower price - lighter at entry level price kayaks are: - more stable - more seaworthy for beginners Paddle boards are very easy to self-rescue Both entry level kayaks and paddle boards are...

I feel like there's another thread like this, but I can't find it. I lash my gear in the canoe. The gear is carried in waterproof containers and serves as flotation. We've practiced righting the loaded canoe and climbing back in. I'm always torn on what to do with the crash bag. I don't...

I often think about trips in terms of consequences. How likely am i have a problem? If i have a problem, what will happen? The little flat river I paddle for exercise is easy. I need minimum gear. I probably won't swim, and if I do, maybe I'll feel cold by time I get back to the van. A...

Here is the 3 strap + 2 tails rig. The first strap (black) is 14+ ft. It wraps through the front corners of the cart over the portage yoke, back down to the other side of the cart, then meets in the middle of the canoe. This secures the cart from sliding backwards. This alone is adequate...

I used a paddle to lift this rat snake. It grabbed onto the t-grip and wouldn't let go. I think it worked itself into a groundline hitch.

I have a 'glass Explorer, and the inside is indeed gray with no foam. I'd recommend it over a Royalex canoe for most paddling. Mine is about 34 in at the gunwales, so it is a much better solo than a 17 Duck Hunter. But it is nearly 70 lbs, so it misses your most important requirement of being...

I'm glad you typed this up and included a picture. This is essentially the setup I use. On a tandem, I like to place the cart between the yolk and the thwart, but going to the rear seat works too. There are some variations on this that can be done with lighter rigging, but I think this is the...

Not addressing your original question, but the biggest problem I had with my cart was the axle nuts coming loose. They were just simple machine nuts with no locking mechanism. I use threadlock on them because I don't disassemble the cart. But if I was gonna disassemble the cart, I'd use...

I have the same cart, and use it frequently. I put the cart between the yoke and rear thwart on tandem canoes. For long or rough portages at least the shortest straps need to be separate for each side. This prevents sliding side to side. I can't tell for sure from your picture, are there...

Paddle boards, most sit-on-tops, and many kayaks are safer for beginners because they have more flotation. You can get back on, even if that means laying down on a mostly flooded kayak and paddling it like a surfboard. It also helps many rec boats are short, slow, and wet. It makes it easier...

I think swimming is important. It's good for the upper body. Plus itt's good know your limitations.

I really like the sound of a 45lb no-foam, carbon kevlar layup. I have two composites without foam, a Yellowstone Solo in Blackgold, and a fiber glass Mad River Explorer. I use these most of the time. They are stiff and durable. I don't worry when I paddle them. I have a canoe and a small...

Better: Carbon Kevlar - tough, stiff, and light. For perspective, when I first paddled good fiberglass canoes were in production but rare. Good plastic kayaks - my creek boat is light enough to carry on my shoulder, tough enough to seal launch off granite rocks, and doesn't need to be any...

Yes, the Explorer. The section shown is shallow and great for poling the Explorer. I normally take it for the deeper sections and large beaver ponds near falls lake. I only get the Appalachian out for the whitewater sections.

My default canoe is a fiberglass Mad River Explorer. I've been watching for a lighter replacement. The Polaris is on my shortlist. I pole frequently. While the FG Explorer isn't any narrower, it has a shallow v bottom. The Polaris has a rounded bottom. Does anyone know how it poles?

Yes, the Eno is mostly wooded. Eno River State Park stretches most of the way from Hillsborough to Durham. This is the best paddling and includes a class 2-3 gorge. This section is forested except for expensive and well kept homes. The bank is frequently rocky and covered in laurel. It...

It has been unusually cold here in the Carolinas. There has been lots of ice. We even had several weeks where the temperature rarely exceeded freezing. I tried poling in early January, but it was too cold. Ice formed on the pole, dry bag, inside, and outside of the canoe. It was a mess...

The AI accounts can be used by hackers. They gain your confidence by being part of the group. I think this is less useful here because there's not a lot of money changing hands. But high end boats do sell for enough that it would be worth scamming somebody. To other use is to establish...