Any tips? I feel clueless about this, but sounds like it's something that would be good to know about. Like pretty important in a solo. ;-)

Here is my rule of thumb.

Most conditions keep it level front to back and side to side.

Paddling into a head wind try to get the bow down a bit.

Paddling with a strong wind try to get the stern down a bit.

I keep a pack in the bow to help-I push it forward with my paddle and move my seat (I have a sliding center seat) forward if I am headed into the wind.

I pull the pack back towards me and push my seat back if going with the wind.

Easy way to tell if you are trimmed is look at water in bottom of canoe. I also know some who get a small bubble level and attach it to the bottom to help with trim.

So what should the water in the bottom of the canoe be doing if it's properly trimmed?

I do much the same as Bogs. In my Magic, I put my main pack directly behind my seat, and a bow pack in the bow, and push it forward with the paddle, and pull it back, when needed with a small rope that is attached to it. The rope remains attached, and is stuffed in a zippered side pocket.

quote nojobro: "So what should the water in the bottom of the canoe be doing if it's properly trimmed?"

If you're stern heavy, the water will be towards the stern; if you're bow heavy, the water will be towards the stern; if your trim is level, the water will be centered at balance (or pivot) point. Think of it kind of like a teeter-totter at the playground.

bogwalker has the right advice.on my first solo in a new Prospector,16 feet,i had to really pile the packs way forward and semi stacked to get the right trim.the next year i moved the seat forward--i did a complex and sort of goofy post about that--to get the right trim and now i run level with both packs down low and forward of the carry bar so they are like another person weight wise where the seat would be.

When traveling empty:
I have a couple of 20 liter SealLine Baja bags (dry bags) that I use for ballast and trimming. I fill them with water (like a big water balloon) and place them where needed. I don't like the idea of putting rocks in the canoe. If I have to portage, I dump the bags and fill on the other side.

20 liters = about 5 gallons = about 40 lbs

You'll know if you've got things trimmed right when you paddle into a stiff wind. If you're stern-heavy, you'll be whipped around and unable to turn back into the wind. Happened to me a couple years ago as I packed up to move from a campsite. Hit the water and next thing I know I'm heading downwind away from my destination. After about 50 yards, I was able to get back on shore, "retrim" the load and head back into the wind. Doh!!

quote HighPlainsDrifter: "When traveling empty:
I have a couple of 20 liter SealLine Baja bags (dry bags) that I use for ballast and trimming. I fill them with water (like a big water balloon) and place them where needed. I don't like the idea of putting rocks in the canoe. If I have to portage, I dump the bags and fill on the other side.

20 liters = about 5 gallons = about 40 lbs"

I use something similar, but I'm cheap. Over the years I have acquired the bags from wine boxes and the coffee-in-a-box dealees Caribou or Starbucks have, and use these. I like the coffee ones the best because the caps screw on and won't get bumped open, and coffee ones can dump the water faster. You wine box users know what I mean.

For trimming you can adjust load (packs, etc.) and/or your seat/foot bar if your seat moves. The easiest way to be sure is stick one of the level bubbles suggested above into your canoe. Make sure your canoe is on a level surface. In other words make sure the bubble of your level is centered when on the surface you're putting your canoe on. Then stick the level on the inside of the canoe somewhere where you won't bump it; making sure the bubble is in the middle of the level as you stick it on.

For starters keep the canoe level. This is the best all-around position. HOWEVER, if you have time to adjust before hitting open water and you know where the wind is coming from before you get out of that bay then trim like this: the bow should ride slightly higher in a tailwind and slightly lower in a headwind.

Hope my rambling makes sense.

This is what I mean by Coffee-in-a-box .

quote bogwalker: "Here is my rule of thumb.


Most conditions keep it level front to back and side to side.


Paddling into a head wind try to get the bow down a bit.


Paddling with a strong wind try to get the stern down a bit.


I keep a pack in the bow to help-I push it forward with my paddle and move my seat (I have a sliding center seat) forward if I am headed into the wind.


I pull the pack back towards me and push my seat back if going with the wind.


Easy way to tell if you are trimmed is look at water in bottom of canoe. I also know some who get a small bubble level and attach it to the bottom to help with trim."

If you have an adjustable seat, set it in the middle position before trimming out with the pack placement. This way, you should only have to move the seat position rather than moving the packs when travel direction changes in relationship to the wind direction.