Submitted: 03-21-2010 by Jay
Having had more canoes than Carter has liver-pills, I decided we should get a canoe that is efficient. Knowing the trade-offs inherent with canoe design, being a choice of pro/cons relative to the laws of physics and hydrodynamics of water vs hull design, we knew we were sacrificing stability some and maneuverability by going with a rockerless design. The boat proved to be too much of a specialty design for our canoe-camping uses. Whereas it was fine with my son and I, it wasn't with my son and his beginner friend. This turned out to be accentuated by them capsizing on Long Pond with a characteristic Adirondack storm brewing in the west. They finally made it back to camp 4 hours later to find a worried father. We were disappointed in oil-canning. (If a boat oil-cans, it's shape changes. With that change comes changes in handling.) Now we have a Bell Northwind in Royalex, being recommended to us from my buddy, Mike, at Oak Orchard Canoe in Rochester. (that guy is a blessing.) Now we feel we have the perfect canoe for our uses,...taking more into account other users' abilities, which I failed to do in purchasing the Sundowner. |