Why not more canoeists?

[bp_fowler]

36 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

P. S.-Who's the maker and what's the length and weight?

According to the seller it’s a 14ft Old Town.  Not sure on the model.  It’s light enough that I can get it on and off of my truck by myself without any problems.  
 

Edit:  after some research I found it’s an Old Town Guide 147 and it’s 14’ 6.96” and weights 82 lbs.

Edited Thursday at 12:44 AM by bp_fowler
Corrected information

[Swamp Girl]

25 minutes ago, bp_fowler said:

According to the seller it’s a 14ft Old Town.  Not sure on the model.  It’s light enough that I can get it on and off of my truck by myself without any problems.  
 

Edit:  after some research I found it’s an Old Town Guide 147 and it’s 14’ 6.96” and weights 82 lbs.

 

BP, your Old Town Guide has low primary stability, but solid secondary stability. This is unlike most canoes, which feel stable, but aren't. Your Guide will feel unstable, but isn't. My Bell Rockstar is has the same poor primary stability, but steady secondary stability. I don't know if you remember, but I tipped it in 2023. A boat like your Guide and my Rockstar, if you do tip it, will toss you from the boat. This sounds bad, but it's a good quality because it's unlikely to tip itself. It tips you, but not itself, remaining dry and upright. So, you don't lose your gear and have to struggle to move a submerged boat to shore. Here's the Old Town Guide summary:

 

"With its unique cross-section and stabilizing chines, the Guide 147 delivers exceptional stability, as well as rugged durability. The Guide model has low primary stability but high secondary stability - meaning it rocks back and forth like crazy during paddling but is actually hard to tip over."

 

The more weight it carries, the more stable it will feel, but if it's just you and your gear, you'll feel like you're standing on a balance beam on a gusty day. Don't worry. Paddle it for five minutes and you'll settle into it, but the first five minutes can be scary. Paddle on your knees for the first five minutes and splay your knees. That'll steady your boat and you. Also keep your feet on the keel (center of the floor) whenever you board and exit your canoe.

 

In case you're wondering why Old Town would build a canoe with poor primary stability, it's because you can build a canoe with poor primary and good secondary or good primary and poor stability, but not good primary and good secondary. 

 

@bp_fowler: You might want to swap your bow seat for a cane seat so that you can paddle from that seat when you're alone. Yeah, you'll be paddling your canoe backwards, but that doesn't matter. What will matter is that paddling backwards from the bow seat will place you mid-canoe, which will allow for straighter, more-controlled paddling. And buy a good, bent-shaft paddle and always bring an extra.