Wow, glad you escaped relatively unscathed. I take it that the upstream gunwale dipped into the river before it snapped? Or did the boat just split from the impact? Its kind of amazing how all the stringers look like they have the same length of split in roughly the same place, I wouldn't have called that.

Would you build the canoe differently next time?

(Sorry for all the questions, I just always wondered what would happen worst case scenario with my boat, and well, you just involuntarily volunteered for destructive testing)

: Thanks, ya'll!
: I was being a bit blase' about things, and also trying to help out
: another boater, when I realized that "oops, I am definitely
: going to hit that tree (an upright log/stob)." I knew right
: away that it was not going to work out OK for the boat . . . .
: The boat didn't even slow down as it went around both sides of the
: tree, it just shattered instantly. I have no idea what happened
: to the gunwales. I was laughing pretty hard/trying to breathe.
: No injuries except for some abrasions and a two inch long splinter
: I pulled out of my leg. My ego is fine, which is the most
: important thing. Whew!

: The 2.5 mile jog back to the car, in wet sandals, resulted in some
: bonus abrasions.

: The water was up pretty high after a rain - a little higher than we
: thought. Normally not an issue for me, but shepherding others
: while in a boat meant for flat water was just one of several bad
: decisions.

: I've still got lots of pics of the boat, so I'm not worried about
: it. Now I'll have to figure out a new way to decorate the living
: room, though.