C-Forum

I have two Clinch River paddles with curved blades. I ordered one with the larger blade which is about 8" wide. Although I appreciate the extra "bite" and bracing support the larger blade gives, I have noticed that the narrower blade on the other paddle has better handling properties for compound st...

Hmmm..... I frequently paddle a tandem (MR Synergy) as a solo, and I'm one of the very few to have converted a C-1 to a kayak.

If you're relatively light, see if Class V is laying up the MiniMax. I paddled one briefly and liked it. If you're heavier, check out the Millbrook Wide Ride to the left on C1 Rec Boats. Mine is spunkier than expected; not surprising, as Kaz is a racer and would not offer a slug. (Except for his old...

Louie, first I have to work back up to the LOWER Ocoee. I have sunk back to mostly class II paddler in my old age. I'm putting bigger float bags in the Synergy and maybe heading west soon to run the "slickrock" section of the Dolores. That is, if my cardiologist clears me this Thursday.

Some have described me as "rank," usually when we're riding shuttle together.

Chuck, you hit the nail with your head.

Katie--- The exterior fuzziness may not slow the boat. This is a popular topic for arguments. I noticed I replied to the other thread and described using a propane torch to cut back the fuzz before sanding and then rolling on resin. You can be quite sure that exterior fuzziness is not fiberglass or ...

Mitchell can build you what you want. I would not worry about wood breaking, because if the wood is carefully selected before glue-up, there is very little chance of a hidden fault. Carbon shafts are very strong, but local damage can result in sudden breakage. My preferred construction for curved pa...

"To go where no man has gone before..." Personally, I would try this on a poly kayak before I tried it on an ABS canoe. And I would try it on an OLD ABS boat before I applied it to my favorite new boat. Differential heating and cooling of the ABS layers could result in some serious internal stresses...

What we feel when we try a paddle is the length from our grip to the center-of-pressure of the blade. The center of pressure is not just halfway down the blade, it depends on the shape of the paddle and the arc through which it travels in the water. A paddle with a shorter, wider blade, compared to ...

One more log on the fire. When I got a curved blade paddle (Mitchell), I never wanted to use anything else in whitewater. I have never found my Mithchell of Clinch River curved blades to be treacherous or twitchy. They also brace well on the back face. Whether a curved blade achieves a cleaner entry...

If you are going to patch the wear on the chine area, I suggest scraping off the vinyl and using cloth, not Kevlar felt. S-glass has good impact resistance. If you are hung up on Kevlar, get some of John Sweet's Carbon/Kevlar weave. The epoxy will (in my opinion) bond better to the naked ABS layer t...

The spacing of hull holes can vary depending on where the laces will fall on the bags. Use wider spacing over the narrow end of the bag, and somewhat closer spacing over the wide end of the bag. Not a big deal, but allows you to cut the number of holes by a couple. Also, when you get to the "big" en...

Have only run that line once, in a decked boat. How dry was it? Lately I have been coming down the standard left-of-center approach when soloing my MR Synergy, but instead of angling off to the right over the normal runout, I have been boofing off the left side. The boat lands dry, and I usually don...

For stronger, lighter, and more durable skid plates, use several layers of S-glass, or start with a Kevlar layer and finish with layers of S-glass. Of course the pieces of the plate should be cut on the bias, with the LARGEST going on first, and then successively smaller layers. Probably four or fiv...