In another thread in the Trip Planning Forum, they have been discussing the feasibility/advisability of an early November trip. A couple people noted that some ice breaking may need to be done early mornings and on shallow bays. But I was wondering why the hull wouldn’t start collecting ice (similar to an airplane wing?) until it was either of a shape that couldn’t be paddled or so heavy that it capsized the canoe? At what air temp would/could that process begin? Would it happen sooner on an aluminum rather than a composite boat?

Good question! The thermodynamics involved are quite complicated. I think minimal since The freezing process itself produces heat and with liquid water just below the canoe ( obviously above 0C), the chances are slim of ice accural at temps just below 0C. Elevate the craft and throw in some wind , well, that changes things everything being =. Your question is what winter weather forcasters face just coming from the bottom up rather than top down.

dumb double post... I get too jumpy sometimes waiting for things to send and push the button a second time.

That’s never been a problem for me. But should the ice become thick enough it could get difficult to push through. But then you could possibly get up on and in your canoe slide across the ice. Haha. Chuck at spring creek once made a thing Dan could push and pull his way across the ice in his kayak. He lives on an island on lake vermillion.
One of my memorable times duck hunting was on wood lake a couple had been out all night in their aluminum canoe with wife breaking ice with a hatchet as he inches forward with his paddle. They were so happy to see us busting a trail to them. Even we had to jump up and down sometimes when we ran up on the ice. We always went mea weekend in October and almost always had ice.

Interesting post. I would think aluminum would ice up quicker, as it is such a good thermal conductor... But it could also probably take more ice-bashing than Kevlar?
It doesn't answer the question, but Will Steger also has a combination sled-canoe rig that he pulls on his spring treks in the far north.

When duck hunting, even in temps well below zero, my boat's never accumulated appreciable ice on the hull whether I'm running, idling, or anchored, and whether or not I'm breaking ice as I go. Interesting question I'd never considered though. Seems to me that accumulating ice above the waterline ought to happen when it's especially cold. Can't explain why it doesn't????

I was on an early April Quetico trip that ended with a significant snowfall (15+ inches) on my final night. The next day stayed well below freezing and was windy- my kevlar canoe picked up significant ice on the outside of the hull during the course of the day's travel. The temperature of the water kept ice off the portion of the hull closest to water, but a few inches above the water line the canoe was glazed and I would strike the hull with my gloves prior to portaging to shed ice.

I paddle year round and never had a problem with ice last year I was out with temps down to 10 degrees F in rivers w/moving water, aluminum may be a different story though....

Like ParkerMag, I approach this from the perspective of a duck hunter. I have spent many sub-freezing days in both aluminum and fiberglass canoes and never encountered an issue with ice forming on the hull. If I recall correctly, the aluminum canoe did not form ice anywhere from keel to gunwale. Everything equilibrated with the temperature of the unfrozen water. On the other hand, the fiberglass canoe did accumulate a small amount of ice on the gunwales (aluminum), so I assume the fiberglass hull was the same temperature as the unfrozen water, but the gunwales were the temperature of the below freezing air.

Kevlar canoes are horrible at icebreaking. I don't know if it's the lack of weight or what but I wouldn't recommend anything but aluminum or maybe fiberglass for that. No matter what type of canoe you are paddling be ready for a work out and also to be slowed significantly if you have to ice break. It took me almost an hour to break 500-700 yards of ice on a frozen bay on Kawasachong in October and I was exhausted. I was paddling solo and in a kevlar prism though. Also make sure you have a good, strong paddle, I would not recommend the lightweight carbon fiber paddle for breaking ice. In shallow lakes and bays the ice can get quite thick quickly requiring a good slam with the paddle to break. I never noticed ice build up on hull because of the water temp warmer than the air. I did notice ice build up in front of me on my pack and aluminum gunwales from when I switch sides paddling.

Minnmike makes a good point about paddles and ice breaking. I have badly messed up a wood paddle breaking ice. Even though cheap plastic and aluminum paddles get no love for serious paddling, they are just the ticket when breaking ice. They are the only kind of paddle I use when duck hunting.

Water is warmer than air and causes ice melting. The cold air causes ice formation, which is why ice accumulates above the water line.

I'd expect aluminum is less likely to accumulate ice because it is a better conductor of heat than epoxy or wood. By being in the warm water, a canoe made of a good conductor would help the ice melt faster.

Also, ice weighs less than water, which is why it floats. So if ice did accumulate beneath the water line, it would help the canoe float rather than cause it to capsize. Above the waterline, however...

I had ice build some above the waterline both on the inside of the hull and outside of the hull at 8°F on the Kinnickinnic River in Wisconsin. It also built up on the paddle shaft above where it was in constant contact as I was paddling. This was on a composite canoe. On a Roylex hull it froze on the inside of the hull below the waterline. There was a lot of wave splash; I believe it was the splashes that froze to the outside of my hull.
The fear of it growing so much that it would significant change the stability of the hull I believe is unfounded outside of other confounding factors that would keep most people off the water.
Needing to break ice to get through frozen ice can be extremely hard as the thickness grows to where it does not want to break as a hull moves up on it, but too weak to support a person on foot. A tandem canoe team has the ability to have a ice breaker person up front and a motor in back to keep pressure on the ice. Solo canoeist are often too far away from where the ice needs to be broken to be efficient at pushing through ice.

I hadn’t thought about the paddle icing?! It makes sense since it spends more time in the freezing temps.

I hadn’t thought about the paddle icing?! It makes sense since it spends more time in the freezing temps.