Kurt my ears perk up too, and I would love to build a solo canoe to add to my fleet of kayaks (seven, so far) for reasons you have given in this thread and on your web site (which I enjoy reading, thank you very much).

MY problem is that I have difficulty when evaluating solo canoes, as far as their stability goes. In a kayak I am fine, I have been able to roll my boat for 40 years now, and I paddle kayaks from 20 inches wide (Bjorn Thommason's Njord with small cockpit) to 24 inches (double) with no problem. I have also paddled double canoes (both with a partner and solo) off and on since I was kid. But when I look at solo canoe designs I find myself out of my depth in evaluating stability. There is the Merlin, and John Winters' Osprey (that I really like the looks of), the Freedom Solo from Bear Mtn, and others. I am likely to have to sit rather than kneel most of the time (knees...). Most have very similar dimensions, so I am guessing they would feel much the same. I see you standing in yours and I am encouraged. I live in the Pacific NW so there is not a lot of canoe activity around here.

So, what do you think? Have you paddled a range of solo canoes, and are they much the same? Can I just build an Osprey with reasonable confidence that I can sit on a seat of reasonable height and paddle it? I am reasonably agile for 62 but I don't want to have to deal with a really twitchy boat, and the water is cold up here on Puget Sound!

Any advice would be appreciated

Ralph Merriman

: My ears perk up whenever I hear 'solo canoe'.....

: I built my Northwest Canoes Merlin (the 15'-4" one) back in
: '07 mostly just to shut a couple friends up who had been ragging
: on me to try a canoe. It was weird building a boat I didn't
: particularly want, and that I had no reason to believe I would
: like much. But lo and behold they were right. That boat is on my
: racks right this minute, and I literally love it better each and
: every time I take it out.

: Since I'm such a hopeless cold weather weenie, I've pretty much
: became a winter canoeist and a summer sea kayaker. The canoe
: keeps me dry as a bone from head to foot, from start to finish,
: except for sweat. I was finally convinced to give it a go when I
: saw my paddling buddy in his Swift Shearwater keep up with me in
: my Outer Island, and keep up a conversation the whole time.
: These boats are fast! Also makes the world's BEST fishing boat.

: The Merlin is an asymmetrical design, although it's hard to tell
: just from looking. I also now own a Wenonah Advantage, and
: J-201, both in ultralight kevlar, as well.

: Maybe I need to take a picture of my freshly carved traditional
: ottertail paddle now....