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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Gear Forum :: Bought my first canoe
 
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Jackfish
03/21/2020 08:13PM
 
Looks like a great ride... congratulations!
 
Beast388
03/22/2020 08:27AM
 
Nice canoe! I remember seeing that for sale on Facebook Marketplace.....it was in Muscatine IA IIRC? I was tempted to check it out, but being that I just bought an Advantage in January, I decided against it. Now if the Iowa temps would coopperate to get out on the water....
 
cyclones30
03/21/2020 05:37PM
 
Looks to be an '82 Wenonah WWC1 in good condition. I don't have any immediate tripping or other plans for it, just another option for local stuff instead of my Jackson fishing kayak.

I've read of people cutting the sides down an inch or two on these as they are a bit tall if you're not planning on whitewater it sounds. Any thoughts? (In general on the boat and paddling it etc) The advantage I borrowed last summer seemed about equal to me on sit and switch vs double blade. I'll do the same comparison on this one I'm sure




 
jhb8426
03/21/2020 07:43PM
 
I don't see any reason to cut down the freeboard. Looks fairly std. to me, though I have seen occasional references that the sides are high.
 
MReid
03/23/2020 12:01PM
 
And yours looks to be in much better shape than mine. The center rib was their flexible layup for hitting rocks. Back then they offered, in order of flexibility, center rib (with shock absorbers to the thwarts on tandem boats!), cross-rib, and PVC foam core. Mine is center rib, and considering the abuse it's had (dropping on concrete), it could have been more flexible!
 
cyclones30
03/22/2020 02:37PM
 
DownStrm: "Looks nice! I'm sure you will get a lot of use out of it.
Let me know if you want to paddle Deep Lakes, etc. I was going to go out again, today, until it started snowing.
If you bought it in Muscatine, is that one of Keith's boats?"



It is, he's got quite a few! Haha. I will be getting it out often I feel. And deep lakes isn't as flooded this year. (Yet)
 
cyclones30
03/22/2020 02:38PM
 
DownStrm: "cyclones30: "Looks to be an '82 Wenonah WWC1 in good condition. I don't have any immediate tripping or other plans for it, just another option for local stuff instead of my Jackson fishing kayak.



I've read of people cutting the sides down an inch or two on these as they are a bit tall if you're not planning on whitewater it sounds. Any thoughts? (In general on the boat and paddling it etc) The advantage I borrowed last summer seemed about equal to me on sit and switch vs double blade. I'll do the same comparison on this one I'm sure







"

What are you hoping to gain by cutting it down?
Less wind resistance? Lighter portage weight?
By whitewater, I think Wenonah is referring to tripping on rivers with lots of wave action, since it doesn't have much rocker to maneuver rapids with. Those same canoe properties would come in handy on big lake waves in high winds.



You might want to reach out to Jazzman 1161 or Hansolo on this question.
"



If Alan Gage is still on here I think he was one that did it. Sounds like some think it's harder to paddle certain for some with the reach it takes to get over the side. Less wind surface to catch. I'm in no hurry, just something I was reading about when looking at reviews.
 
DownStrm
03/22/2020 03:03PM
 
I've missed Alan's posts. He really seems to know his canoes. I think I remember him posting that he was going to be restoring classic cars or something, and spending less time in a canoe.
 
MReid
03/23/2020 11:37AM
 
I bought mine new in 1982--it is my mostest favoritest boat, and still use it (green, also). Yes, it was designed for downriver whitewater racing, which doesn't seem to be a thing anymore. It's fast and deep, and turns if you know how to do it. I've paddled it in technical Class III water, but I don't recommend it. I've thought about cutting it down a bit (Western Canoeing in B.C. used to offer one cut down), but I figure 1" isn't going to make enough difference. Mine won't go 2" without cutting the float tanks. With some practice, you can dip a gunnel with it. I've used mine on week-long trips, and it works great.
 
cyclones30
03/22/2020 02:36PM
 
Beast388: "Nice canoe! I remember seeing that for sale on Facebook Marketplace.....it was in Muscatine IA IIRC? I was tempted to check it out, but being that I just bought an Advantage in January, I decided against it. Now if the Iowa temps would coopperate to get out on the water...."


Yep that's the one. 10 min from my house
 
Banksiana
03/23/2020 02:37PM
 
cyclones30: "
I've read of people cutting the sides down an inch or two on these as they are a bit tall if you're not planning on whitewater it sounds. Any thoughts? (In general on the boat and paddling it etc) The advantage I borrowed last summer seemed about equal to me on sit and switch vs double blade. I'll do the same comparison on this one I'm sure



What are you hoping to gain by cutting it down?
Less wind resistance? Lighter portage weight?
By whitewater, I think Wenonah is referring to tripping on rivers with lots of wave action, since it doesn't have much rocker to maneuver rapids with. Those same canoe properties would come in handy on big lake waves in high winds.




You might want to reach out to Jazzman 1161 or Hansolo on this question.
"




If Alan Gage is still on here I think he was one that did it. Sounds like some think it's harder to paddle certain for some with the reach it takes to get over the side. Less wind surface to catch. I'm in no hurry, just something I was reading about when looking at reviews. "


I paddled with quite a few folks in the 90's that had this hull and loved it. Nearly everyone expressed some degree of aggravation with the degree that it caught wind and weather-vaned.
One of my friends did cut his down after paddling on a windy trip- I had my advantage and he had his C-1W, we crossed a long open stretch with a side wind paddling miles just on one side, but he was forced to C-stroke and even rudder to keep his boat pointed. If you're going to run rivers keep the hull intact.
 
DownStrm
03/22/2020 01:19PM
 
Looks nice! I'm sure you will get a lot of use out of it.
Let me know if you want to paddle Deep Lakes, etc. I was going to go out again, today, until it started snowing.
If you bought it in Muscatine, is that one of Keith's boats?
 
cyclones30
03/23/2020 07:31PM
 
MReid: "I bought mine new in 1982--it is my mostest favoritest boat, and still use it (green, also). Yes, it was designed for downriver whitewater racing, which doesn't seem to be a thing anymore. It's fast and deep, and turns if you know how to do it. I've paddled it in technical Class III water, but I don't recommend it. I've thought about cutting it down a bit (Western Canoeing in B.C. used to offer one cut down), but I figure 1" isn't going to make enough difference. Mine won't go 2" without cutting the float tanks. With some practice, you can dip a gunnel with it. I've used mine on week-long trips, and it works great. "


Any tips on the turning? Sounds like leaning is involved. I'm fairly new to the solo scene....so anything is fair game as far as explanation.


As far as the cutting down the sides, we don't have any real whitewater unless I make it up to one of the man-made parks where lowhead dams used to be in some IA towns. Again, I'm in no hurry to make any dramatic changes. (other than to a webbed seat maybe)
 
Frenchy19
03/23/2020 11:28AM
 
Leave it as is and enjoy!!!
 
bobbernumber3
03/22/2020 01:23PM
 
Congrats on the new canoe! Enjoy!
 
DownStrm
03/22/2020 01:42PM
 
cyclones30: "Looks to be an '82 Wenonah WWC1 in good condition. I don't have any immediate tripping or other plans for it, just another option for local stuff instead of my Jackson fishing kayak.


I've read of people cutting the sides down an inch or two on these as they are a bit tall if you're not planning on whitewater it sounds. Any thoughts? (In general on the boat and paddling it etc) The advantage I borrowed last summer seemed about equal to me on sit and switch vs double blade. I'll do the same comparison on this one I'm sure





"

What are you hoping to gain by cutting it down?
Less wind resistance? Lighter portage weight?
By whitewater, I think Wenonah is referring to tripping on rivers with lots of wave action, since it doesn't have much rocker to maneuver rapids with. Those same canoe properties would come in handy on big lake waves in high winds.


You might want to reach out to Jazzman 1161 or Hansolo on this question.

 
MReid
03/24/2020 10:02AM
 
What Blatz said. Just a cant of the hips has significant effect. Regarding the seat, you might spend some time in the existing seat. You can kneel around it, and sit on it. I found with the older Wenonahs that the seat frame is a bit short for finding good trim while paddling unloaded. If I were to modify the seat, it would be to use the existing seat and make a longer frame to allow the seat to move more for trim. A fixed webbing seat would be problematic for trim with the boat empty. Those high sides do catch a lot of wind, and so seat adjustability/trim is even more important.
 
Blatz
03/22/2020 03:51PM
 
Nice. My first Advantage had a center rib
 
cyclones30
03/21/2020 05:55PM
 

 
singlebladecanoe
03/21/2020 05:59PM
 
Congrats on the canoe, looks good.
 
Blatz
03/23/2020 08:01PM
 
cyclones30: "MReid: "I bought mine new in 1982--it is my mostest favoritest boat, and still use it (green, also). Yes, it was designed for downriver whitewater racing, which doesn't seem to be a thing anymore. It's fast and deep, and turns if you know how to do it. I've paddled it in technical Class III water, but I don't recommend it. I've thought about cutting it down a bit (Western Canoeing in B.C. used to offer one cut down), but I figure 1" isn't going to make enough difference. Mine won't go 2" without cutting the float tanks. With some practice, you can dip a gunnel with it. I've used mine on week-long trips, and it works great. "



Any tips on the turning? Sounds like leaning is involved. I'm fairly new to the solo scene....so anything is fair game as far as explanation. "
Yes leaning is key. Basically think of it as putting your hip out and keeping upper body inside the canoe . Leaning can be on side or off side of the turn depending on the stroke. This in conjunction with a variety of strokes like a reverse sweep, bow wedge, bow draw, ect. Actually a lot of the Freestyle moves can be applied to your boat. You just won't have as dramatic of a turn. In this picture I'm doing a reverse sweep with good lean in my Advantage. circa 1989