Finding a canoe to make you smile!
Though I have been aware of the Western Pennsylvania Solo Canoe Rendezvous (http://wpascr.org/) for quite some time, and heard many reports about its unique nature, it was not until this spring that I was finally able to attend myself for the first time. The Rendezvous’ main purpose is to provide an opportunity for folks to test-paddle a great variety of canoes, try them out on the water for themselves, and this edition of the event did not disappoint in that regard. There were 5 manufacturers on hand with a total of 28 demo boats, and an amazing collection of over 40 privately-owned boats, every one a classic, brought by their owners to share with one and all.
I chatted with a lot of people who were looking for the “ideal canoe”, during the weekend. Those conversations reminded me of something I learned several years ago. Back then, I was taking a freestyle canoe class in the Adirondacks and met TommyC1 Taylor. We hung around together a bit during the symposium and talked a lot about canoes. Tom was more of a whitewater canoeist, but that didn’t keep him from exploring all things canoe.
He would say, “A canoe should make you smile.” Shoppers should take Tom’s saying to heart. These days, it is difficult to find a place where you can test drive dozens of canoe models side by side. The Rendezvous is that rare exception. It is difficult to compare the glide or turning ability of two different canoes when you paddle them weeks apart. But which one made you smile?
I already own every canoe I will ever need (and then some). Still, I took advantage of the canoes parked along the shore at the Rendezvous to test drive a few more models. Some were nice rides. Some had great glide. Some accelerated quickly. And some turned on a dime. But at the end of the weekend, only a couple made me smile ear to ear.
Granted, I’ve been trying out canoes for many years. I’ve borrowed friends’ canoes. I’ve test driven canoes at the Freestyle events. I’ve even bought used boats just because that was the easiest way to try one out. (Some of those canoes I held on to, some I passed on to another shopper.) So, I have found more than a couple canoes (each with its own purpose) that make me giggle with delight.
Alex Comb of Stewart River Boatworks came to the Rendezvous, and I was anxious to try one of his canoes. He had a Firefly and a Solitude on the shore, so I took the Solitude out for a spin. I took a paddle stroke and giddyup! Wow! I put it through the paces: spins, heeling, and what I like to call the “two stroke glide”. I canoed around the lake, and I was grinning the entire time. I eventually paddled back to return it, and a friend was paddling Alex’s Firefly. I saw that he was wearing the same grin and he commented on the fun he was having.
I didn’t buy Alex’s canoe, but my point is that I started smiling soon after I got into that canoe. So, when you get into a canoe you should be looking for a feeling of joy. There is plenty of time to consider practical things like weight, cost, the primary purpose, etc. Lots of people say if you don’t like cartopping your canoe because of the weight, then you won’t paddle it much. I totally agree. On the other hand, when I look at my canoe rack, I am more likely to pull down the boat that gives me joy than the lightest canoe on the rack. You need to balance heart and brain when finding that perfect canoe.
Are you smiling yet?