Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Trip Planning Forum :: More solo questions
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mastertangler |
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billconner |
quote mastertangler: "Despite many others suggesting they notice little difference wether loaded or unloaded I feel a substantial difference with my Bell Merlin. In the past I have used a sack of sorts meant specifically for grocery shopping (able to span a cart). Into the sack I would use rocks........the strurdy handle making for a much better lift and from a higher starting point. They would probably sink if the canoe flipped but if it just swamped and stayed upright, they would still be ballast and possibly overcome the flotation. |
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mastertangler |
Perhaps I need to rethink this? During a capsize wouldn't the rocks merely sink to the bottom independent of the boat? |
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bhouse46 |
I also use a yak paddle and would not recommend the one I use. The 240 Corryvreckan by Werner is a huge blade and hauls water so getting wet is part of my tripping. I am able to remain fairly dry with care, but a smaller blade and longer handle would definitely reduce water carry into the boat. The benefits of the larger blade, mostly more torque when I bear down, are undercut with increased fatigue and being wetter. Go smaller and longer. But since wet footing is a given in a carbon/kevlar boat a little wet foot while paddling is not such a big deal. I wear gaiters until really cold then hippies. |
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krick |
I'm going to take my kayak paddle AND the outfitter's canoe paddle. Keep the good input coming I have 7 months to plan. :) |
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Blatz |
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mapsguy1955 |
quote martoonie: "Do not use rocks for ballast. That makes sense.. Lots of people told me they use rocks but your logic is much better!! |
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martoonie |
If you take on water the rocks will sink the canoe. The air chambers are designed to keep an unloaded canoe afloat. Use dry bags filled with water. If you take on water the dry bags of water will be weightless once submerged, and will float, since you will most likely have some air in them as well. |
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mapsguy1955 |
I brought a Bending Branches yak paddle for a backup and my ZRE bent shaft paddle. Never used the the yak paddle but will bring it again next time for backup. The ZRE is so light and quick it makes switching sides no sweat at all. Did I say this canoe is fast? |
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AmarilloJim |
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FOG51 |
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bobbernumber3 |
quote martoonie: "Boat control turns into a pain when fishing solo. The wind messes with you more. By time you get positioned and make a cast your get blown off the spot and you do a lot of odd ball retrieves. You get more snags and recovering them is more difficult. Bring some dry bags to fill with water for ballast and your food pack to weigh down the canoe. You can get much more actual fishing done with two in a canoe. All that said it is pretty cool to go one on one with the fishes." Yes. You make a lot of good points here. Wind really can be a problem. Sit on the front seat facing back and use rocks to ballast will help a lot. |
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Northwoodsman |
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Blatz |
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QueticoMike |
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billconner |
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AmarilloJim |
Get the 280 for canoe use and make sure to properly place the drip rings. I almost exclusively use my yak paddle now when soloing(still have a paddle also for back up). I do a lot of deep vertical jigging and have found the yak paddle superior to sculling with a single blade. I point the stern into the wind and occasionally paddle back wards. I just leave the yak paddle resting in my lap while jigging or landing fish. I love my Magic for tripping but not so crazy about it for fishing. A little to tippy for my liking when stationary. Have a SRQ 16 for fishing and love it. |
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krick |
Having said all that, I have some specific questions about going solo: 1. Should I bring my kayak paddle or use the outfitters canoe paddle? 2. I'm still camping with my group, so I don't think I'll go stir crazy, but I'm used to fishing with a friend. I'm a little concerned about fishing alone all week - from a boredom perspective, - conversation, catching fish etc. Any thoughts on this?? 3. Will the canoe be less stable? (am I at an increased risk of tipping over?) 4. Is getting in and out of the canoe harder? (while keeping my feet dry) 5. I'm assuming even though 1 person is lighter than 2, my canoe will be slower which is OK, but am I correct? I think from a fishing perspective there will be some advantages. I'm usually in the back of the boat, so I'll finally get first shot and good areas LOL. Positioning the boat for 1 fisherman will be a easier I'm sure. I get to go where I want when I want and fish how I want etc. Any thoughts, input, or advice would be appreciated! |
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boonie |
(2) So you're just paddling a solo canoe, but not taking a solo trip. I do solo trips and being alone for a week or two is not a problem for me. Nobody else can tell you how it will be for you; you'll find out. At any rate, it will only be a short term situation for you, so not a big problem. (3) It will probably feel that way initially, but they usually have very good secondary stability and can be leaned nearly to the gunwales as long as you keep yourself vertical and between them, even if the initial stability feels less. Solo canoes are narrower, sometimes with a more rounded bottom. The key is to hold both gunwales, step on the center line of the canoe, keep your weight low and centered and get your butt on the seat. (4) Maybe, but see #3. (5) Maybe, probably - depends on a lot of factors. Using the kayak paddle may help you there. |
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AndySG |
quote krick: "" I have done this and will offer my 2 cents. 1. Should I bring my kayak paddle or use the outfitters canoe paddle? If you've not soloed before, bring both and determine which suits you best. If renting, I recommend you choose either a Northstar Magic or Northwind Solo. Both are stable platforms for fishing. 2. I'm still camping with my group, so I don't think I'll go stir crazy, but I'm used to fishing with a friend. I'm a little concerned about fishing alone all week - from a boredom perspective, - conversation, catching fish etc. Any thoughts on this?? Fishing alone has its advantages as does following your buddies. I did both and going alone was nice as it gave me solitude and the benefit of exploring the lake. But when a hot spot is discovered, stick with your bros. 3. Will the canoe be less stable? (am I at an increased risk of tipping over?)The canoes I suggested are stable. I own a Northwind solo and am very happy with its stability when unloaded. 4. Is getting in and out of the canoe harder? (while keeping my feet dry) Yes, getting in and out is a bit tricky. You HAVE to get in the water but not too deep. Choose a shallow spot with firm footing, and with hands on both gunnels place one foot mid-hull and sit down and pull yur second foot in. 5. I'm assuming even though 1 person is lighter than 2, my canoe will be slower which is OK, but am I correct? Not really. A good solo is built for speed. You may have to paddle a tad bit faster, but you will keep up. I think from a fishing perspective there will be some advantages. I'm usually in the back of the boat, so I'll finally get first shot and good areas LOL. Yes. Positioning the boat for 1 fisherman will be a easier I'm sure. I get to go where I want when I want and fish how I want etc. Yes. Go for it and have a great trip. |
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mastertangler |
I much prefer a single blade. The little boats can take some rough water while under power but stop to fish or reel a fish in while trolling and things get uncomfortable very quickly in snotty water. Generally speaking you will likely have to wet foot it. Make certain your vessel is not hung up on a rock unawares as you attempt to get in. When it releases the lurch can deposit you into the water very quickly. I do not consider myself clumsy and yet I have rolled my boat 3 times, twice at portage landings. Once being hung on a rounded rock and again on the same lake the following year while describing the previous years capsize to a friend with one foot in the boat and the other in the water........the boat slowly drifted away while we chatted and over I went once again (you can't make it up). Now when I get to that lake the agreement is to just dive in and get it over with. The third capsize was the result of being sideways to a big fish and breaking off with 25lb test. So yes, best be careful and be brave in rougher water while close to shore. |
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martoonie |
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billconner |
I don't fish so can't help with that. First trip alone and second with another solo - I think I prefer with people but I didn't mind being alone. I'll probably do both in the future. |
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mastertangler |
I have found the little boats to be less effected by wind. Which of course makes sense since there is less surface area to be effected. Bear that in mind as you decide what sort of packs to load. Everything above the gunnels will catch wind. Where I will agree with the previous posters is there is no one else to keep you on a spot. Having said that I seldom have a 10x10 rock pile nailed down and generally fish contour lines or the entire reef. I am not so keen on using drift socks or anchors with my solo either. If it's windy enough to require them it's to windy for me in a solo (tandem is another story). Have a trolling rod handy, drift your shoreline or reef jigging or casting and then troll your way back, rinse and repeat. Fish caught trolling may reveal valuable clues. Naturally I recommend a rod holder.......a clamp on Tite Lock is what you want for a rental boat. Bring a small (tiny) block of wood to use as a backing of sorts to clamp to. Don't lose the little block of wood. |
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Kraut88 |
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AndySG |
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Canoodler |
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AmarilloJim |
krick: "Trip is a month away. I brought up possibly rotating a couple guys into the solo for a day or 2 and was told nobody wanted to get into the solo canoe. They don't trust their stability. None of us have been in a true solo canoe so I'm not sure if their concerns are warranted. That sounds like a SRQ 16 solo. Which is a tandem with the bow seat moved back some and the stern seat removed. Very stable! |
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boonie |
GearJunkie: "For you guys that have rented solos before. Do most outfitters offer a low seat option? Similar to the seat Joe Robinet uses in his YouTube vids? That would add a ton of stability. I’ll be doing my first solo this year as well." IIRC, Joe uses a Swift pack canoe, which is a slightly different animal than the solo canoes most outfitters rent. The seat in the Northstar Northwind that I rent from Sawtooth feels pretty low to me, but that would be a question best addressed to your outfitter, as it may vary from one to the other. |
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GearJunkie |
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boonie |
AmarilloJim: "krick: "Trip is a month away. I brought up possibly rotating a couple guys into the solo for a day or 2 and was told nobody wanted to get into the solo canoe. They don't trust their stability. None of us have been in a true solo canoe so I'm not sure if their concerns are warranted. I had the same thought - it's a big solo, quite stable, but also a big sail in the wind, especially if you're not big. You can always put some ballast in it when you go out fishing. |
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GraniteCliffs |
I know nothing about fishing out of a solo since I don't fish but when on group trips we have fished out of tandem canoes with three guys. I paddle and the two guys in front of me fish. Have a good time. |
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gymcoachdon |
I did have the opportunity to borrow a friends Prism to paddle around a gravel pit a few times before I left. That was why I rented the Magic, so I could compare the two. I got a bentshaft and a yak paddle from the outfitter, and tried both. On the river, I used the single blade. On a windy day from Iron Lake through Lac LaCroix, I used the yak paddle. I never used it other than that day, I found that I prefer the single blade. (YMMV) The seat on the Magic was very low, and I found it to be very stable, although maybe not as comfortable. I had absolutely no problems stability wise fishing from it, although fishing solo from a canoe is a test in patience if you are trying to cast to specific spots. Any breeze will quickly move you off your spot. As MT stated above, I have since turned to trolling with a rod holder, and my success has gone up, while frustration has lowered! I have since purchased a Bell Magic, and have yet to take a spill. I have, one time, lost my paddle when a big gust caught it as I switched sides, so always have a spare handy. I don't think a yak paddle, broken down, and fastened to the thwarts is handy, so I have 2 bent shafts. Unless the water and air temp are really cold, I will always stand in the water while loading and unloading the canoe unless you have that perfect landing. Easier to balance, lift, and load for me, and I don't mind squishy feet. I have sandals and dry socks for camp. Some of the portage trails are worse than the landings, I'm not sure how people keep dry feet carrying the canoe! edit to add: I found the seat on my Bell was really low. It was originally a Piragis rental as well, but I have since raised the seat 2 inches. I feel more comfortable, and still feel perfectly stable, although on the first test, it did feel a bit squirrely. |
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billconner |
For me, "hop" might be slightly misleading. Climb or clamber in and out might be more descriptive of what I do. |
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bmaines |
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bhouse46 |
And take some time at the entry point to find the balance point with the packs and practice a couple entry/exit maneuvers. I recall my first paddling experience solo. I got in and was pleased how easy that went. When I started to get out I lost balance and over I went. Fortunately I was on a home lake where I could practice and learn. You will get that opportunity on the water. Try it out before you head out. A good exercise to increase core awareness involves standing with both feet spread about shoulder wide. Focus your attention on the weight on each foot and establish balance. Now lean to the right and left while keeping your legs straight and the pressure on each foot the same. Move only above the waist and pay attention to the pivot point and allow the center of gravity to move to that point and below to your feet. When you get your own solo you will want to install foot braces. |
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boonie |
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krick |
Anderson's lists their solo canoe as a 39 lbs Kevlar 16 foot. That's all I know about it. My only concern now is stability. (compared to a regular tandem canoe) Do I need to be more concerned about tipping a solo canoe? Is it less stable than a tandem? |