Paddlesport

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MikeK

Re: Paddlesport

Post by MikeK » Thu Jun 11, 2015 10:57 am

Cool beans Al. You can never have too many boats... kinda like skis ;)

We're tweaking our new boat to get ready for this summer's trips... mainly just a different front seat and position.

I need to get some pictures of the new ship - this is the Hemlock website picture of our boat:
premium_lite_model-02.jpg
It weighs 49lbs - a little heavier than I had hoped but there is a decent amount of variation on the hand laid boats. Upper is clear coat, lower is white gel to act as a scuff patch... the composite is S glass outer skin, then Kevlar partials and carbon/Kevlar inner - all fabric, no foam mats... ash trim for strength, scuppered inwales for lashing and weight savings, contour seats (both different styles and builders), and a kneeling thwart (didn't ask for it, but it got thrown in free). Everything but the stern seat was built here in the Finger Lakes region of NY. I like it a lot. I need to trim the yoke pad to fit my pack comfortably but other than that she should be ready for some long trips.

Next on my list I want to get a big boat - like an 18+ footer for big lake cruising. The Wenonah Minn II is kind of the flagship in that range but I haven't actually tried one to see if I like how it goes in rough seas.

MikeK

Re: Paddlesport

Post by MikeK » Thu Jun 11, 2015 11:49 am

Happy wife ready to start a canoe adventure:

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User avatar
lowangle al
Posts: 2752
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 3:36 pm
Location: Pocono Mts / Chugach Mts
Ski style: BC with focus on downhill perfection
Favorite Skis: powder skis
Favorite boots: Scarpa T4
Occupation: Retired cement mason. Current job is to take my recreation as serious as I did my past employment.

Re: Paddlesport

Post by lowangle al » Thu Jun 11, 2015 10:06 pm

Thats a really nice boat Mike, I'm gonna need one like that when I move back east. I have a winona spirit II that is a big volume boat that can carry a load in big water. It has a sliding front seat that I don't like. I don't think canoes should have moving parts. It's royalex it's back east and I'd sell it . I paid 600.00.



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edgeworker
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2014 1:50 pm

Re: Paddlesport

Post by edgeworker » Fri Jun 12, 2015 8:33 pm

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Very engaging at speed.



MikeK

Re: Paddlesport

Post by MikeK » Mon Jun 22, 2015 11:30 am

One of my planned trips for the the year:

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Generally called Little Tupper to Lila Traverse. It's remote and tough. I'll probably be cursing that 1.7 mile carry in the middle. Despite this wilderness area being bordered by private land, it is very remote. The private sections are undeveloped and owned by clubs. I needed a decent mountain bike to be able to do this so I could complete the loop back to the car. Lake Lila road is extremely rough and seasonal... I could have walked, but a bike will be better.

Despite the short distance of only about 20 miles (plus the 6 or so on bike) it will probably take 3-4 days for us. Staging and retrieving the car will take time, and there is no sense to rush through the ponds in the middle seen as how you have to huff the boat a good distance between each. Also Little Tupper is shallow and notoriously windy/wavy, so it's best to get an early start and crank right through.



User avatar
lowangle al
Posts: 2752
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 3:36 pm
Location: Pocono Mts / Chugach Mts
Ski style: BC with focus on downhill perfection
Favorite Skis: powder skis
Favorite boots: Scarpa T4
Occupation: Retired cement mason. Current job is to take my recreation as serious as I did my past employment.

Re: Paddlesport

Post by lowangle al » Tue Jun 23, 2015 11:59 pm

That looks like a good adventure Mike, have fun. A double carry on that long one will only take a little over an hour longer and won't be as painful. The walk back empty for the second load can be very enjoyable.



MikeK

Re: Paddlesport

Post by MikeK » Wed Jun 24, 2015 9:26 am

Should be fun - it's wife approved (well my wife approved it) so that's all that matters.

Don't know if I'll double it or not - depends on how hot it is. I've never been down there, but I think the long carry is mostly old logging road, so it should be fairly flat and graded. It's the steep ups and downs that get me... if it's flat I can single carry no problem.

This trip OTOH has a lot of short, steep ups and downs. A couple long carries but most aren't that bad. We haven't done this exact loop before but we've been to most of these ponds. It's partial wilderness and can be done as a long weekend if you feel like moving fast - I don't, I want to explore some of the small remote ponds out by Fish pond on the second day - that's the main point of going back here. There are some really cool kettle ponds back there that I didn't get a chance to fully explore last time I went.

Day 1 (staging for day 2):
Day1.png
Day 2 (exploration of backcountry ponds):
Day2.png
Day 3 (getting back to a less remote area, beautiful campsite on slang I want to stay at again):
Day3.png
Day 4 (longish paddle around to the big lake and back to motor boats and camps):
Day4.png
Day 5 (quick paddle back to the car and off to a breakfast in Saranac Lake Village):
Day5.png



MikeK

Re: Paddlesport

Post by MikeK » Wed Jun 24, 2015 10:00 am

Random pictures from ponds in the above areas:

Get your ducks in a row (Little Clear Pond):
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Backcountry dock (St. Regis Pond):
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Map and compass never fails (St. Regis Pond sighting St. Regis Mtn):
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Fire, water, mountains - what more could you ask for (St. Regis Pond):
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MikeK

Re: Paddlesport

Post by MikeK » Wed Jun 24, 2015 10:04 am

Pitcher Plant (somewhere between St. Regis and Fish Ponds):

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Hangin' out (Fish Pond):

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Back in the woods (St. Regis Pond):

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St. Regis Mtn Firetower (St. Regis Pond):

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Long Pond Mtn at dusk (Floodwood Pond):

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MikeK

Re: Paddlesport

Post by MikeK » Wed Jun 24, 2015 10:12 am

Stormy seas on Upper Saranac Lake:

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Loon's nest on Fish Creek:

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Getting up close and personal with a Loon (Fish Creek):

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St. Regis Lake Country from Floodwood Mtn:

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St. Regis Lake Country from St. Regis Mtn:

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St. Regis Pond Inlet:

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