best way to Stabilize Canoe

Damn. I knew there was a catch to it.

Excuse me. Your an advanced paddler?
Why are you not sharing the results of your years with us rather than asking such basic questions?

Wait until warmer water if it’s cold there and get out and try her out. Lean her a lot and get the feel. Dump a couple of times to get the feel.

You can:

Lower the seat and/or kneel. Try stabilizers like Spring Creek for stand up fishing and/or motoring.

Wear a PFD. Take a spare paddle. Have dry clothing waiting in your vehicle.

Have fun…

design and purpose should be linked
in the purchase of a canoe, but in an inheritance,

it may not be linked at all. Your canoe was very likely made for running white water. Splashing waves all around the sides of a canoe in white water creates great stability, even in a rounded hull canoe. You apparently are not using it for its intended purpose of fast water, and I would advice you to sell it and buy a canoe more suited for your intended usage.

I’ve been through it, and it was actually a sad experience to sell that round hull canoe. Getting into a shallow arch canoe will make things right again, and much better.

Good luck, mickjetblue

Change the hull shape
Since your canoe is Royalex, you might try changing the shape of the hull slightly by removing the thwarts and installing new thwarts that are a bit wider than the original thwarts. This may slighltly change the shape of the hull below the water line which may result in a higher initial stability. You may also have to adjust the width of the seats. This option will likely work best if your canoe has gunwales made of vinyl, as opposed to aluminum or wood.

Thanks for the comments
I was looking for new ideas, such as the use of sponsons (which I would never use), adjustment of thwarts to change the hull shape, and other keen inputs. I’ve built a cedar strip, and have worked(if you want to call it that)as a canoe guide up in Quetico for several years. In other words, I have paddling and building experience.



I’ve doubted that I would have any trouble paddling this new canoe in any water and still do, but thought I would ask for some comments from others who love this way of travel and others who have building experience. I can’t say I have benefitted from any of the pompous responses, but I guess there’s one in every crowd!!










Only one in every crowd, at least…!
You are much too generous and kind in your rebuttal. Pompous is an understatement.

Only one in every crowd, at least…!
You are much too generous and kind in your rebuttal. Pompous is an understatement.

So, you weren’t trolling after all.