Now I’m in Deep

[JCH_Ski]

A few months ago there were two guys loading up their SOT in the parking lot. The launch is probably 40 yards. I shouldered my Yellowstone and one says, "you need a cart like this!"

My first three thoughts were:
"Nah, I'll be fine, this thing is 28 lb" - dismissed as too arrogant, and perhaps inviting a break-in.
"No, I often carry heavier canoes this fair" - dismissed is not only arrogant but insulting their fitness.
"I have a cart like that, I only use it for really long carries with my heavier canoes". - dismissed us insulting, arrogant, and communicating I'm weirdo with a fleet of canoes.

I settled for, " yeah, those carts are nice, but I think I managed today guys, have a good afternoon"

This reminds me of last summer, when I was scrambling to get off the river before the next torrential downpour hit. At the boat launch, while I was gathering my stuff for when hubby showed up with the truck, two girls from one of the liveries showed up to pick up some rental kayaks that were sitting there. When 5’-6”, 57 year old me, in the worst shape of my life, easily picked up my NW Solo, one said “we should hire her!”. I did then tell them it was 28 lbs - didn’t want to give the wrong impression.

 

[SouthernKevlar]

It is fun hoisting a light canoe in front of the "unenlightened".

My wife, at 5'3 and a lightweight (numbers aren't available for publication) regularly get amazed looks and questions when she totes her Hornbeck "Lost Pond 10" to the lakeside. It weighs right at 14 lbs.

When this white-bearded geezer hoists his 16 1/2 foot GRB Classic XL over his head, he gets looks too. Little do they know that it is only 24 lbs.

It is fun to watch the amazement.

 

[Nick Pending]

My sister was visiting a couple years ago, and my wife and I took her canoeing on the local reservoir during her stay here. The reservoir is only a couple miles long and the boat ramp is right at the dam. I found a parking place maybe a block from the boat ramp and parked, then unloaded the boat, an 18-1/2 foot Wenonah Odyssey ultralight at about 41 pounds. It's red gelcoated Kevlar. Another car pulled in beside us and the driver, a pretty hefty guy probably less than half my age, unloaded a much shorter I think sit-on-top double kayak and put it next to our much longer boat as we were digging out the paddles, pfds, and other gear necessary for the short day trip. He was digging out a roller cart. When we'd gathered our gear, wife and sister with said gear, I picked up our boat and flipped it up onto my shoulders and started walking. My sister said the guy with the kayak had his lower jaw scraping the parking lot concrete after I did that (I was 72 at the time). Our boat was probably 4 feet longer than his and maybe half the weight? I was under the boat and didn't see it, was told about it later. None of us said anything, just headed for the water.

 

[Alan Gage]

I threw my 34 pound canoe on my shoulder and walked past a couple guys loading a tandem aluminum. They liked looked at me in surprise and asked me how much my canoe weighed. I didn't miss a beat and told them '"80 pounds." I let them drop their jaws before I told the truth and we all had a nice little laugh.

Alan

 

[Keeled Over]

View attachment 138995I couldn’t resist. I plopped down the scratch for this Blacklite Phoenix this morning. Now how to tell the wife .

Hide it behind the seat in the truck. I've been doing that for years.

 

[TrailBlaser]

View attachment 138995I couldn’t resist. I plopped down the scratch for this Blacklite Phoenix this morning. Now how to tell the wife .

Enjoy it and don't worry, the grief you will get will eventually end.

 

[devils son in law]

......that canoe? Oh dear, I've had that one!

 

[Black_Fly]

......that canoe? Oh dear, I've had that one!

I had one in IXP. Too tippy for ya? It definitely not an ideal fishing platform. Not great for a squirrely dog either. dang, why did I get this thing?

 

[ppine]

Getting looks seems to popular.
There are usually no people around when I launch the OT Guide 18 at 90 pounds.