C-Forum

If it is not too far from you, I would venture up to the St Francis River in Missouri some nice weekend when it is running well. You will typically find a number of open boaters there and might be able to sample a few. And I would certainly hook up with the open boat guys from the Arkansas Canoe Clu...

I have limited experience with Gorilla Glue. I know that some folks swear by it, but I don't care for it. I don't like how it foams up, or its rather unpredictable expansion, and I agree that it is not that easily faired and shaped. I much prefer just using G Flex, often thickened with silica gel po...

Surface forming tools like this one make shaping minicell foam a lot easier: http://hardwareonlinestore.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=productdetails&virtuemart_product_id=18711&virtuemart_category_id=21604&gclid=CNyZ9aK6ysACFQamaQod80MAEg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Onc...

Some folks prefer an oil finish on paddle grips, claiming a bright finish such as varnish promotes blistering. They seem mostly to be flat water paddlers. You could use an oil finish, but you would need to be committed to reapplying oil frequently. I think a bright finish using either marine varnish...

You didn't mention whether Marlin Bayes at Western Canoe and Kayak has any Royalex Mohawk, Esquif, or Mad River whitewater canoes in stock. If not, do not necessarily plan to be able to get one new, because all Royalex production ceased permanently in April of this year. I am pretty certain that Moh...

Which raises the question: where is Molly's other one?

Unrelated, but can anyone confirm whether Clipper is no longer making Vipers? I cannot find them on their website... When Clipper recently redesigned their website, the listing for Vipers and Probes disappeared. A friend of mine called Marlin Bayes and was informed that, yes, Clipper still makes bo...

I have a very simple definition of stability as it applies to canoes.

Every canoe I have paddled has been "stable".

Until I fall out of it, whereupon it becomes "unstable".

Thanks for the info. I am attempting to repair an older Twin-tex Esquif Mistral that had a balsa core that rotted. I have sanded fiberglass boats and had the itchies many times but working on this thing is something else. It is as if the shedding fibers are encapsulated in polypropylene and they sti...

I am pushing 200 lbs and I find that my Octane 85 is remarkably dry for its size. I have only paddled the Octane 91 a bit, but it would have to be at least a bit drier still. I have paddled Viper 11s and 12s a bunch and while I like both, I have never found either to be very dry. The Vipers have les...

How much do you anticipate carrying? If you are looking for an efficient hull with decent carrying capacity that has good maneuverability and will surf, but you don't anticipate running any sustained whitewater in it, you may not require the depth, dryness, and high degree of rocker of a full out wh...

You can get 54 inch Harmony bags in vinyl here: http://www.harmonygear.com/products/9717/Harmony-54-inch-3D-End-Float-Bag-Vinyl.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Of course, they are somewhat heavier (though significantly cheaper) than the urethane nylon Harmony bags. Years ago, Voy...

Going from a Prelude to an Octane 91 is a huge leap. You might wish to try an Octane 85, which is also quite forgiving, stable, and dry. If you are the right size and weight for a Prelude, you might find the Octane 91 is too much boat for you.

Are the cracks all the way through, or just visible on the inside? Cracks right in front of the pedestal are pretty common. The paddler's weight on the pedestal creates a stress riser near the front edge of the pedestal. The front of the boat flexes up and down but the paddler's weight immobilizes t...

Check out Essex Industries: http://www.essexindustries.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and Ed's Canoe: http://edscanoe.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;